Thanks to digital photography, we are taking more photos than ever before in history. But despite all of the benefits it brings, digital photography still isn’t as secure as we wish it were. Wouldn’t it be amazing if you knew you could never lose your wedding photos or pictures of loved ones?
Luckily, there are ways of backing up photos online and storing them in a safe place where they can’t be lost due to a hard drive failure or accidental deletion. This is where cloud photo backup enters the stage.
What Is a Photo Backup?
A photo backup is a copy of a photograph that is stored somewhere away from the original location. Even though backups can technically be physical, here we’re going to talk about the digital backups that are stored on the cloud.
One of the advantages digital photos have over old-fashioned pictures that are developed via a film is that they are created as digital files that can be copied and duplicated effortlessly. This copy is the same as the original, retains the original quality, and is stored in a safe location.
With this photo backup, you can have peace of mind that your images will be stored away and easily accessible even if you lose the original copies. This security is one of the biggest benefits of backup software, but certainly not the only one.
After all, cloud infrastructure services generate $178 billion per year in revenue because they offer a number of benefits.
Why You Should Back Up Photos?
The main reason why you should back up photos is to protect them against loss in case something happens to your primary storage device.
Even though modern computers and smartphones are more reliable than ever before, there is still a possibility they will be destroyed due to hardware failure or corruption. But hardware failure isn’t the only scenario in which your photos might be lost.
If you’re storing your photographs on your smartphone or laptop, there is always a chance your device can be stolen or lost. And don’t forget about how natural disasters such as floods or fires can easily destroy your technology and cause you to lose your data.
Even if you store your digital assets on a memory card or an external hard drive, those can also get lost, damaged, or stolen.
Finally, we need to mention how cybercrime is at an all-time high. If a hacker gets into your system, you will probably lose everything you’re storing on your device. If you understand why cybersecurity is important, you will also see why you should work hard to ensure it.
Even though all of these scenarios are unlikely, they are still a possibility, so it’s good to have some kind of insurance. This way, even in the case of a disaster, your photos will have insurance in the form of backups.
How to Store Photos in the Cloud
While there are multiple storage options and many different options to backup photos, the smartest and safest approach you can take is to create a photo backup on the cloud.
Cloud storage comes with a plethora of benefits and there are reasons why this storage is the most popular option for a majority of people. All you need is internet access and an account, and you will be able to store your digital memories in a safe place thanks to cloud backups.
But before you rush to use the first backup software you find, you need to learn how to create a photo backup online while using the cloud.
Educate yourself on the different storage plans
When it comes to cloud storage providers, one thing they all have in common is that they offer free storage. However, this type of storage is limited. It usually goes up to a couple of GB and if you fill that storage space, you won’t have access to unlimited photo backup.
If you want to have enough space for all of your precious memories, especially if they’re in the form of video files, it would be smart to educate yourself on the different storage plans. Even though it comes with an additional cost, paid cloud photo storage options are usually the best choice.
When you find the perfect cloud backup provider for you, take a look at the different pricing plans they offer. See how much GB or TB of storage they come with, and choose the best backup options for your needs. Some storage solutions might even provide you with unlimited photo storage.
Read the terms and conditions
Even though it’s tempting to simply click “I accept” without reading the terms and conditions, it’s important to take those couple of minutes and read what you’re agreeing to. All cloud storage providers have different terms and conditions, and you might not be okay with some of them.
Enable automated backups
Let’s be honest, nobody wants to back up their photos every day. This is a boring task and there are better things you can do with your time. Luckily, there’s no need to do it yourself because most cloud storage services offer automated backups of photos.
Just make sure to find a provider who offers this feature, remember to enable automatic backups, and relax knowing all of your new photos will be backed up to the cloud automatically. You won’t have to lift a finger and you’ll be able to enjoy unlimited photo backup if you have enough TB of storage.
Think about sharing
One of the many benefits the cloud provides is simple file sharing and transfer. But if you want to ensure the safety of your photos, you need to learn how to protect your data in the cloud. And a part of that protection includes educating yourself on safe sharing.
In most cases, cloud services allow for sharing via a convenient link, but if you want to ensure that safety, you need to adjust permissions and think about who you’re sharing those photos with.
Remember the 3-2-1 rule
There is an unwritten rule that covers all kinds of backup and it’s known as the “3-2-1 rule”. It states you need to have three versions of each file you’re backing up. One is the original and kept in the device storage and two are the backup versions you’re storing on the cloud using off-site backup.
If you follow this rule, you can avoid losing your photos in most disaster scenarios. Even if your home is struck by a natural disaster or your devices are stolen, you will have the backup copies in external off-site backup storage ready to go.
Don’t forget about your smartphone
One of the reasons why digital photography is more available to us now than regular photography is that almost everyone nowadays has a smartphone in their pocket.
In fact, the number of global smartphone users is expected to hit 6.8 billion by 2023 and for most people, their smartphone is their primary storage device.
And what is every modern smart mobile device equipped with? A high-resolution camera. In fact, most of us exclusively take photos with our smartphones, which is why if you want to create safe backup copies, you need to use a cloud provider that provides photo backup from smartphones.
A mobile backup is a necessity because not all cloud photo storage services offer device backups for all types of devices. Make sure the backup software you choose does offer mobile backup because all the benefits of backup software won’t mean anything if you can’t get an off-site backup for your mobile pictures.
How to Protect Your Photos Online as a Photographer
If you work as a photographer, you absolutely need great cloud backup services with access to unlimited backups and some amazing backup features. But apart from that, you also need to know how to protect your images when using external storage.
Here are a few tips:
- Copyright all of your work so your images legally can’t be used against your permission. Make sure to do this for all individual photos and video files.
- Use a copyright notice such as the copyright symbol and your name to make sure you’re identified as the owner of the photograph.
- Use a watermark on all images that can only be removed when someone pays for your work.
- If you don’t like watermarks, you can use a digital signature instead.
- Disable right-clicking on all of the images you upload online so nobody can download them illegally.
- Use a plugin to block people from taking screenshots of your work.
Summary
Photographs help you preserve some of the most precious memories you have. Having constant access to them is something like having access to a personal time machine.
But if you want to preserve your photographs, it’s not enough to keep them in your device folders. Using cloud backup services for your digital photos is one of the smartest things you can do and with so many different cloud storage options, you will be able to find one that fits your needs easily.
