Arguably, making the move from just a bunch of disks (JBOD) to a RAID like those I use from Drobo, is where to start? That's simple. Answer this question: How much storage will be needed to house the data on all of those drives? Label each drive with a number Determining the space required means finding out how much space has been used on each drive. Begin with some masking tape. Put a strip on each drive. Now, number them starting with 1. Next, grab a sheet of paper or if you prefer make a spread sheet. List the number of each drive on the … [Read more...] about Protected Storage: How to Move from JBOD to RAID
storage
How Much Speed Does a Photographer Need
It's the age old question since we've started to shoot digital. How can I make my workflow faster? More efficient? Or more importantly, how can I get more free time and peace of mind? Well, here's where I hopefully can help out a little. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the DROBO 5D with a couple of Seagate 2TB SATA HDD's to do some long term testing for my photo and video production workflow...and the short answer to the question? As much as we can get our hands on! The Nitty Gritty / Tech Details The Drobo 5D is a USB3 and Dual … [Read more...] about How Much Speed Does a Photographer Need
Drobo Mini – Long Term Review
Back in 2014 I first reviewed the Drobo Mini and now I’d like to write an update that discusses the unit from a more long-term view. As a refresher - the Mini holds up to four 2.5" SATA I/II/II drives and one mSATA SSD. This is in effect a fusion drive (similar to the technology used in iMacs from Apple.) The connectivity on the Mini is provided using both Thunderbolt and USB 3.0. The BeyondRAID technology allows for redundancy, meaning if you have one drive go bad, you can replace it and the unit will self-heal with no data loss. … [Read more...] about Drobo Mini – Long Term Review
Do it! Put a Seagate FireCuda in your 27″ iMac!
I just wrapped up installing a Seagate 2TB FireCuda gaming hard drive into a 2012 27" iMac, and boy is it worth it! The reason I chose this specific hard drive is due to the technology that this drive uses. Seagate, back in 2010, launched one of my favorite affordable upgrades for laptops-- a hard drive line called Momentus XT. This hard drive differs from the usual hard drives by combining the then new technology of solid state storage with the larger, more spacious, traditional platter hard drives. This combination drastically improved … [Read more...] about Do it! Put a Seagate FireCuda in your 27″ iMac!
Studio Tip: Never Overwrite a Memory Card Again!
After finishing shooting for the day, you need to figure out how to keep your memory card safe until you transfer your images to your computer. The worst thing you can do is put the card in your pocket and taking a risk of losing it. A better solution is to have two memory card wallets—red and gray. Red means “Don't touch” Take the card out of the camera and place it backwards in the red card wallet. Placing the card backwards will help you remember the card has photos on it and it is not to be used. Your memory cards are safe in your “Red—Do … [Read more...] about Studio Tip: Never Overwrite a Memory Card Again!
Building a Bulletproof Backup
First, let's be clear. Bulletproof is not Fail Safe. In the real world of shooting with guns, bulletproof doesn't exist. The term is "bullet resistant." The idea behind the "bulletproof" vest is to give the person wearing it a chance to survive what would be an otherwise fatal encounter. Photographs and the rest of our digital media want as bullet resistant backup system as feasible. There are two primary factors that weigh in on just how bulletproof our backup workflow is--time and money. Time & Money Creating a backup workflow must … [Read more...] about Building a Bulletproof Backup
Never Lose a Photo When You’re Traveling
Taking your camera on the road can add all sorts of extra challenges. Being away from home or office leads to all sorts of bad backups, putting your pictures at risk. In this free webinar we tackle how to keep your images safe when you're on the road. Would you like to NEVER lose a photo again? It's possible if you join us for our next webinar.We'll tackle a whole bunch of important topics whether you travel for work or pleasure. A Mobile Storage Workflow for Photographers Join us for this month's hangout. We'll be tackling A Mobile … [Read more...] about Never Lose a Photo When You’re Traveling
Introducing the Drobo 5C
Drobo's newest entry into affordable, safe storage--the Drobo 5C is available today. What's new? Watch my interview with Drobo CEO Mihir Shah and Chief Technology Officer Rod Harrison as they present the new 5C. https://vimeo.com/185221618 Features The big news is the Drobo 5C adds another drive bay and it sports the ultra high speed USB C connector. USB C boasts Read performance of up to 241 megabytes per second (220MB/Sec average) and write speed up to 261 MB/sec (average 255 MB/Sec.) The 5C officially retires Drobo's venerable 4 bay … [Read more...] about Introducing the Drobo 5C
Drobo Webinar Why Safe Storage is Good Business for Photographers
Now available on YouTube, Photofocus publisher, Rich Harrington hosts Mark Fuccio, VP of Product Development at Drobo and me, photographer and Photofocus author, Kevin Ames in a lively discussion about the business of safe storage and the challenges photographers and videographers face in managing terabytes of images. Discussion points They begin with an explanation of "Safe Storage" using a working drive and multiple copies as backups. Backup strategies and software are talked about as well as how a Drobo differs from Just A Bunch of Disks … [Read more...] about Drobo Webinar Why Safe Storage is Good Business for Photographers
Fixing Three Common Workflow Problems with the Drobo 5N
Well… It’s a pretty exciting day here at SharkPixel and Washington DC Headshots. I am finally upgrading my storage “situation” thanks to the amazing people over at Drobo. John Harrington once told me, there are two types of photographers in this world; people who have had a drive fail and people that will. So when I was asked to review the set-up process as a person who was completely unfamiliar with any of Drobo’s products previously in exchange for a Drobo 5N unit, I jumped at the opportunity. In this article, you’ll see how the Drobo 5N … [Read more...] about Fixing Three Common Workflow Problems with the Drobo 5N
Free Webinar: Why Safe Storage is Good Business for Photographers
Would you like to NEVER lose a photo again? It's possible if you join us for our next webinar. Our next webinar covers important strategies on how to keep your photos and video safe (especially if you make money off your images). This webinar will share practical advice for photographers and videographers from pros Kevin Ames and Rich Harrington. Also joining them is hard drive guru Mark Fuccio. Why Safe Storage is Good Business for Photographers Join us for this month's hangout. We'll be tackling Why Safe Storage is Good Business … [Read more...] about Free Webinar: Why Safe Storage is Good Business for Photographers
Transcend’s New Ultra High Speed SD Cards
As a kid, I remember my parents asking me to pick up some RAM for our business while I was on a family vacation...I don't remember how much it cost...but I do remember that the 16k of ram that I had picked up was on two boards about the size of a Wacom Small Tablet each! So when I stop to think about where we've come from and where we're going with the amount of memory we're able to compact in these Hard Drives and Memory Cards now just blows me away. Looking back at some old articles about the first computers, it's pretty clear to see how … [Read more...] about Transcend’s New Ultra High Speed SD Cards
Drobo 5N User Review–It’ll Make You A Superhero
12You've probably had the experience of a client calling with an urgent need for a photo that you have in your image library (which, of course, is safely backed up using a Drobo or other RAID/NAS system). You'd be happy to help your client, but the picture is on the drive at the office, or at home, and you're traveling and won't be back for a week. Normally, you'd have to say, "I'm sorry, I can't help you until Monday." However, if you're using the Drobo 5N, you've got a solid way to help your client and solidify yourself as a superhero in … [Read more...] about Drobo 5N User Review–It’ll Make You A Superhero
Free webinar: 3-2-1 Backup (NEVER lose a photo again)
Would you like to NEVER lose a photo again? It's possible if you join us for our next webinar. It's hard to put a price tag on years of memories you captured on camera. If you sell your images, it's even more important. How much would I lose if you lost everything on your hard drive? The solution here is the 3-2-1 Backup Concept Create three copies of your files Store on two different media Keep one backup copy offsite. 3-2-1 Backup | A Storage Workflow Hangout Join us for this month's hangout. We'll be … [Read more...] about Free webinar: 3-2-1 Backup (NEVER lose a photo again)
Drobo 5D: Solving My Storage Problems
I plugged in my first-ever Drobo unit a few weeks ago. I realized my computer was out of hard drive space yet again and it just made sense to store my photography working files on the Drobo 5D. The transition to the Drobo was seamless. Now that I have been up and running for a while I keep asking myself, “Why did I wait this long” to get a Drobo?" I do not like to change equipment or software. My experience is that something always goes haywire and I spend way too much time talking to Technical Support from whatever company I bought my … [Read more...] about Drobo 5D: Solving My Storage Problems
Lightroom Hangout: Backups & Updates with Mark Fuccio
You gotta join us live for our next Google+ Hangout, totally free of charge. Not only will you learn terrific techniques, but if you tune in live, you can be entered to win excellent prizes to help you in your work. (Note: MUST BE TUNED IN LIVE TO WIN). We'll be giving away a copy of Perfectly Clear from Athentech. Plus you never know what else. We kick off Thursday, June 30th at 1:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Central, 11:00 am Mountain, and 10:00 am Pacific. 2:30 pm in Newfoundland. RSVP here and it'll show your local time. This Month: … [Read more...] about Lightroom Hangout: Backups & Updates with Mark Fuccio
Cost: Drobo v/s Individual Drives
Photographers buy hard drives in external enclosures to keep up with the data they create with digital cameras and post-production software. When one fills up, another drive along with an enclosure is purchased. Before too long, there are several individual drives on the desk, each in its own enclosure. There has to be a more efficient way. Thanks to Drobo there is. Before I explain, there's some background info. Drobo or JBOD? JBOD is an acronym for Just A Bunch of Discs. This is where all photographers, myself included, start. It makes … [Read more...] about Cost: Drobo v/s Individual Drives
Drobo Webinar with Kevin Ames & Mark Fuccio
Join me and Drobo IVP for Products Mark Fuccio this Thursday, May 26th at 3:00pm EDT, noon PDT. I'll share how I manage over 750 thousand photographs in Lightroom, back them up and why I chose Drobo. This is not a sales webinar! As a matter of fact, Mark and I will give away a 4-bay Drobo to one attendee. Of course you have to be online with us to win. Register here and join us Thursday! Professional Photographer's Workflow I'll share shooting tips, tools, ingesting photos into Lightroom, using Bridge and of course, storage and backup of … [Read more...] about Drobo Webinar with Kevin Ames & Mark Fuccio
Drobo 5D Volumes Upped to 64TB
Drobo volumes on the 5D have been limited to a maximum of 16 terabytes. Once the capacity exceeded 16 terabytes, a new volume had to be created. Until now. Updating the Drobo 5D Update Drobo Dashboard The update for your Drobo 5D is available on their website. Drobo 5D update will take you to the update page. Update the Drobo Dashboard software to version 2.8.1. It's a free download on the page featured on the link. The installer walks you through updating the dashboard software. Once the update has finished Installing the Drobo Dashboard … [Read more...] about Drobo 5D Volumes Upped to 64TB
Write Speeds – Memory Cards Are Not Created Equal
Most consumers don't know that there are differences between memory cards besides the obvious capacities and different formats that are available. There are several identifiers to know to help you choose the right memory card for the type of shooting that you do and that can be crucial since not all cards are created equally. Before going out and buying new cards on sale... 1. Consider this What type of photography do you do? If you're an action and sports photographer or even a videographer, having a memory card with a fast minimum write speed … [Read more...] about Write Speeds – Memory Cards Are Not Created Equal
The Three C’s of File Management – Copy, Clone, and Cloud!
As a professional photographer in the digital age, protecting your data is one of the most important things you can do for your business (or hobby). Having come from a very heavy Computer and programming background, when I started shooting professionally, my backup routine was top priority! The first thing we'll cover is how to store and organize your files which covers the first of the Three C's. Copy First and foremost you have to copy your files from your camera to your computer. There are dozens of ways to do this i'm sure you're all … [Read more...] about The Three C’s of File Management – Copy, Clone, and Cloud!
Storing and Caring for Equipment | Tim Wallace – What’s in Your Bag
Melissa Niu of Photofocus sits with commercial photographer Tim Wallace about storing his equipment and traveling to his clients. https://youtu.be/CUgwjtV9JYk Brought to you by LensRentals - http://bit.ly/pflensrentals SongFreedom - http://bit.ly/songfreedom Photofocus - https://photofocus.com About Tim Wallace Photographer Tim Wallace is the driving force and creative thinking behind Ambient Life. An award winning photographer his work is often described as both conceptual and dramatic. Tim works internationally with many high end … [Read more...] about Storing and Caring for Equipment | Tim Wallace – What’s in Your Bag
Safe and Simple External Storage
Data loss is something that I wish upon no one. Those who have experienced this catastrophe already know that one occurrence can easily mess up one's day, jack up one's week, and quite possibly destroy one's year. Many of us have priceless photos of those we love, places we've experienced, and people we've seen. We want to keep those photos with us for our lifetime! That's why some of us have resorted to external hard drives to archive the lovely photos we take, right? But the right workflow matters. Using External Storage There are several … [Read more...] about Safe and Simple External Storage
Upgrade Your Computer! Upgrade Your Performance! Part 1: CPU
I, like many of you, have dealt with technology for quite a long time. I can understand how confusing (or even difficult) it can be upgrade or a replace an already expensive machine, but let me tell you that now is the time to upgrade! An upgrade from a four year old machine to a new machine can yield a pretty impressive performance boost if you choose the right stuff! Choosing the right stuff for the performance you want can be a little confusing. So time for me to geek out and hopefully get you on the right track for a good investment! Why … [Read more...] about Upgrade Your Computer! Upgrade Your Performance! Part 1: CPU
Mini Review: Drobo USB 3.0 4-Bay Storage Array
I was pretty excited when I received my new Drobo. I'm brand new to Drobo and how they work and heard some pretty good things about them so to finally get one in my hands is a big deal for me. I'm always in need of more space and backups because not only do I do photography but I keep busy shooting and editing videos. I have used a variety of hard drives and backups in the past and I can say hands down, Drobo was easiest set up I've ever done. The Unboxing I open the box and the 1st thing I see is a white box that says, "Welcome to the World … [Read more...] about Mini Review: Drobo USB 3.0 4-Bay Storage Array
How I Started Approaching My Photo Archive Like a Pro
I have a theory, that says people only get concerned about data backup after they lost everything. Until that moment, you carelessly load your images onto a single hard drive, assume all is okay in the world, and only move onto the next hard drive when that one is filled. Well, someday, you're going to lose it all. My Major Failure For me, it was my first year and a half of work in the digital medium. Prior to then, I was naive, only shooting film and thinking the only way I could lose images is if I screwed up on exposure or development. Aside … [Read more...] about How I Started Approaching My Photo Archive Like a Pro
A Wedding and Portrait Photographer Gets Organized
The more I get to know other photographers in the industry, the more I realize that we all have our own ideas on backups. From simple to complicated and everything in between, we're often left scratching our heads to try and figure out what works best in our own workflows. Having been raised in a house of a programmer, I always knew the importance of backups (though still had to learn the hard way during finals week in college), but what worked for my dad didn't exactly lend itself to photography and the huge storage demands our industry … [Read more...] about A Wedding and Portrait Photographer Gets Organized
Why Store Photos on a Separate Hard Drive?
I'd like to explain how I keep my photos safe and get the best performance out of my computer. For my internal drive I use a fast 256GB solid state hard drive (SSD). This stores only my operating system, program files and my Lightroom Catalog. I then use an external drive (or in my case a RAID) to store my data files and photos I also use a 3-2-1 Backup for Photographers plan to keep my photos safe (check out that article for some more tips). Why this Configuration People often ask me why I have two drives when one is cheaper and easier to … [Read more...] about Why Store Photos on a Separate Hard Drive?
Upgrading from a Second Generation Drobo to Gen 3
Back in 2009 I purchased a (second generation) 4 bay Drobo to use as a local backup solution in my office. At the time I put four 1 TB drives in the unit, turned it on, and it has worked reliably ever since. During that five year span one of the original hard drives in the unit did fail (all hard drives will die), but replacing that one bad drive was as easy as ejecting the old drive and popping in a brand new one. After the Drive Swap... No data was lost. No downtime. It has pretty much been a set-it-and-forget-it type of system. I have this … [Read more...] about Upgrading from a Second Generation Drobo to Gen 3
I Will Never Lose my Photos Again
Yes... that's a pretty bold headline... but I am confident in my strategies to keep my images safe. The solution covered in this article is a part of my backup strategy. Be sure to see my article about my 3-2-1 backup plan that ensures my photos are kept on multiple types of media in multiple locations. While I talk about specific products in this story, I also talk about best practices like RAID and drive verification. No matter which storage you use, be sure to read the whole article. I Tested a Lot of Options I'm fortunate to have this … [Read more...] about I Will Never Lose my Photos Again
