Wedding photographs are precious. Not only are they a record of the fun you had and the friends and family you love, but they also cost you quite a lot of money.
The problem?
Many wedding photographers don’t include physical storage in their packages. Me included.
It’s an additional cost, but in the UK postage prices and the quality of service are out of control. It’s much simpler, faster and more efficient to offer an online gallery with a download facility.
That being said, you’ll need to download and store your photographs somewhere safe as there’s no guarantee that they will stay in the photographers gallery forever. Don’t take that chance.
Many wedding photographers will even have a clause in their contract that you have a certain amount of time to download the images before the gallery is deleted. This may be a few years, but it’s too easy for life to continue post wedding, and you simply forget to download them once the hype has died down.
What storage devices should I use to store my wedding photographs?
The gallery is going to be big, many gigabytes worth of data, so you’ll need something of suitable size.
I always use SanDisk products, for my memory cards and for my backups.
What size do you need?
Your gallery is going to be a fair few GB, but memory is so cheap these days you can pick up large USB sticks for very little money.
This 128GB USB stick for example
Top tips for storing your wedding photographs
Use multiple backup locations
It’s always best to have multiple copies of your wedding photographs stored in different locations to ensure maximum protection. This could include a hard drive, cloud storage, or an external device. I thoroughly recommend making a copy and giving it to a family member. In the event of a house fire, you know someone else has a copy stored safely.
Invest in quality storage devices
Make sure you’re using high-quality storage devices such as external hard drives, memory cards, or flash drives. Don’t skimp on quality as it could affect the lifespan and reliability of your stored data. Use reliable companies such as SanDisk, Kingston, Samsung etc.
Make copies
As soon as you finish downloading your pictures, make sure to transfer the images onto at least two storage devices as soon as possible. This way, you can be sure that even if something happens to one, you still have a backup of the photos.
Organize your files
Organize your files in a logical and easy-to-understand way so that you can quickly find and access them when needed. Don’t bundle them in with lots of other images and folders as it’s far to easy to delete them. Make sure the device is names appropriately so as soon as you plug it in to your computer it shows up immediately as being your wedding pictures.
Use secure online storage
If you are using cloud storage, make sure to use a secure service with strong encryption and password protection. Also, consider using a two-factor authentication process to further enhance security. I’ve written an article on the best online photo storage, plenty have free options so you can safely store your pictures without having to pay monthly for the privilege.
Keep your storage devices safe
Keep your storage devices in a cool, dry, and secure location to ensure that they last as long as possible. Avoid exposing them to extreme temperatures or humidity as this could damage them. The temptation can be to put them in the loft/attic, but beware, unless insulated properly these spaces get extraordinarily hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Electronics do not like extreme heat or exposure to any kind of moisture. Just keep it in your wardrobe or something, don’t risk it.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your digital wedding photographs are safe, secure, and always available when you need them.