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
storage
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
Amazon Prime Just Got Even Better with Free Cloud Photo Storage
There are so many options for cloud backup storage today, but Amazon just announced a great plan for their Amazon Prime subscribers. Unlimited Photo Storage with Amazon Prime. Ive been an Amazon Prime subscriber for a few years now and the perks just keep coming to make it worth the price of the membership. Not only do you get FREE two-day shipping, but you also get access to access to the Kindle Owners Lending Library, Prime Instant Video (a Netflix competitor), and Prime Music, among other things listed here. There are 3 ways to upload your … [Read more...] about Amazon Prime Just Got Even Better with Free Cloud Photo Storage
Building Your Bag: Accessories | Part 1
Filters of all sorts, flashes, cards, readers, light-meters, remote triggers, straps, battery chargers, batteries, business cards, business card holders, lens bags, cases, cords, levels, tripods, lens cloths, blah, blah, blah. Do you need it all and does it have to be the best of the best? YES, GO BUY IT ALL RIGHT NOW (but only if you've got a limitless income!) Well, most of us can't go out and buy a car full of photography equipment, so I'd recommend that you start off slow and figure out what you need and want to use first. I always felt … [Read more...] about Building Your Bag: Accessories | Part 1
The Drobo 5N – Mini Review
DISCLAIMER: Drobo sponsors the Photofocus podcast. This review was not purchased and is independent of our arrangement to promote Drobo products. The folks over at Drobo have been on a rampage releasing new products lately with major upgrades across the whole product line. Weve already given detailed reviews on the Drobo 5D and Mini which both Scott and I have been using. Just last week a new box arrived... the Drobo 5N. Ive unwrapped and set mine up (Scotts done the same) and wed like to share a few thoughts on how the Drobo 5N fits into … [Read more...] about The Drobo 5N – Mini Review
Drobo is Back: The Drobo 5D
Some of you who have followed me for a long time know that at one time, I was a big proponent of Drobos. Like all similar companies Drobo has had its ups and downs. But it appears they have solved their past problems, updated their technology, installed a new CEO and management team and once again are providing solutions that photographers need to know about. I recently obtained Drobo's latest product - the 5D. Don't confuse that with a Canon camera. The 5D is a five-bay drive that utilizes very fast Thunderbolt technology. Like the new Apple … [Read more...] about Drobo is Back: The Drobo 5D
ioSafe Solo G3 – 1TB Hard Drive Disaster-Proof Storage
If you have photos you need a place to back them up. If you don't have access to a remote location for your backup storage, you need something or some place that is disaster-proof to store them. Enter the ioSafe Solo G3 USB 3.0 1TB. At just under $450 it's more expensive than other 1TB drives, but there's a reason for that. It comes with some extra features that will help keep your data extra safe. It's fast (USB 3.0) and comes in a fireproof and waterproof housing. The unit also ships with a year of free recovery service should you have a … [Read more...] about ioSafe Solo G3 – 1TB Hard Drive Disaster-Proof Storage
