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jed · Feb 4, 2002, 05:36 AM

So how do you all archive photos? I just flipped out and bought a 1.3gb firewire MO drive after realizing that 3 of my photo CDs were ruined and the photos on them permanently irretrievable.

Previously I'd been burning CDs when the Photo folder on my desktop filled up. Then I'd label the CD with the date, put it in a jewel case, and stash it in a fireproof box under my desk.

Now I want backups to the CDs that aren't just other CDs. I will continue with the CD method for quick access but was thinking of archiving them on MO, but also thinking I need a more organized way of doing things. Does anyone have the full version of Free See? What do you think? And MOs seem the most "permanent" to me, they've got the best track record of anything I've ever used.

I take many pictures, and my digital camera is my only camera. Thoughts?

DayDream Believers · Feb 4, 2002, 11:25 AM

Try using a DVD burner as you will be able hold more and the prices for a burner are lower than ever before...

Tom

jed · Feb 4, 2002, 10:11 PM

I do not want to archive my stuff on CD, that includes DVD, because of the ease of destruction of this format.

I'm looking for more info on organization schemes, and experience with MO drives, as I've already made up my mind and I'm not using any kind of CD format.

climber · Feb 5, 2002, 02:20 AM

Originally posted by jed:
I do not want to archive my stuff on CD, that includes DVD, because of the ease of destruction of this format.

I'm looking for more info on organization schemes, and experience with MO drives, as I've already made up my mind and I'm not using any kind of CD format.

Why do you have a problem with cd storage? Scractches or what? I know that CD are certianly not indestructable, but they are much better than anything else for archival storage.

kidtexas · Feb 5, 2002, 05:15 AM

I'm curious as to what happened to your CD's. I have a lot of stuff on CD as well, and I wouldn't want anything to happen. I don't use a fireproof box either ...

jed · Feb 5, 2002, 08:32 AM

One of my CDs scratched on top, rendering the whole thing useless (the foil thing came off)

It just reminded me how easy it is to lose, and the need for alternate backups that aren't CD-based. And I don't want to be re-burning my cds later.

so I want to put them on CD for convenience and back them up but I need a better system than what I have now so I can search them and find what I want easier.

Any good archive software? Another thing I was thinking was a contact sheet album of sorts with notation as to what cd/disk the photos are stored on. Kinda analog, I'd like keyword cross referencing without using iPhoto. (something a little more advanced)

climber · Feb 6, 2002, 02:14 AM

Here is another alternative that I use myself. I have a larger capacity HD in a firewire enclosure. This is the drive I store my photos after they are scanned. I use this drive to organize and edit and to store. I then use the CD writer as my archival storage.

I personally have had little problems with scratched CDs, perhaps this is because I grew up listening to vinyl LP�s and use the same care that was required for them, on my CDs. My son however has just learned that careless handling of my Pink Floyd albums can damage both the disk and his personal health. (He has since been banned from touching them)

jed · Feb 6, 2002, 04:02 AM

nope, hard drive is too much putting eggs all in one basket. I've made up my mind as far as MOs, I'm looking for software solutions to the archival process now.

As far as scratching CDs, I certainly know how to handle them, but it's just too easy for an accident, a little brother, a fire, flood, etc, to damage them.

climber · Feb 6, 2002, 07:04 AM

Originally posted by jed:
nope, hard drive is too much putting eggs all in one basket. I've made up my mind as far as MOs, I'm looking for software solutions to the archival process now.

As far as scratching CDs, I certainly know how to handle them, but it's just too easy for an accident, a little brother, a fire, flood, etc, to damage them.

What type of Camera?? How are you storing Jpg or tiff? How big? OSX or 9.

With larger tiff files most programs are not very good. Manually organizing seems best. If they are small Jpg files the options open up.

jed · Feb 6, 2002, 07:31 AM

I have a Nikon 990 and a Canon G2. I mostly use the 990 though. The pictures I'm saving are max .jpg fine/3:4 resolution. They're all smaller than 2mb I'd say.

I'd like to use osx, since that's where it's gonna be at.

Has anyone used Xsee? (http://bitcom.ch/index-e.html) I currently use free see but just as a viewer/previewer and it's pretty slow in X on my powerbook.

I could manually organize them, any ideas for good schemes? I was thinking of somehow manually organizing them and using a websever database or even filemaker.

I'd like to be able to sort by keyword and 15 years from now be able to pull up, say all the pictures of my dog from te summer of '01. Or holidays, birtdays, you get the picture. Yet have some pics "live" in two or more categories at the same time.

I take a lot of pictures. In the year I've had the camera I have collected 3,000 save-able pictures and god only knows how many that I intend to only keep digitally, but wouldn't print out.

climber · Feb 6, 2002, 11:58 AM

Originally posted by jed:
I have a Nikon 990 and a Canon G2. I mostly use the 990 though. The pictures I'm saving are max .jpg fine/3:4 resolution. They're all smaller than 2mb I'd say.

I'd like to use osx, since that's where it's gonna be at.

Has anyone used Xsee? (http://bitcom.ch/index-e.html) I currently use free see but just as a viewer/previewer and it's pretty slow in X on my powerbook.

I could manually organize them, any ideas for good schemes? I was thinking of somehow manually organizing them and using a websever database or even filemaker.

I'd like to be able to sort by keyword and 15 years from now be able to pull up, say all the pictures of my dog from te summer of '01. Or holidays, birtdays, you get the picture. Yet have some pics "live" in two or more categories at the same time.

I take a lot of pictures. In the year I've had the camera I have collected 3,000 save-able pictures and god only knows how many that I intend to only keep digitally, but wouldn't print out.

That is a lot. My current method is for slides that I am scanning into my camera so it might not translate to your case. I use a roll number that tells me what box of slides it came from then I use a frame number ( ie 100-001.tiff). I am working on a simple list that has a description of the events from each roll (ie: Everest base camp or Brothers Wedding, etc) that way I should be able to find what I need.

There are programs including iphoto that would allow you to classify your photos, but most I have seen would have me spend more time organizing my collection than I do taking them.