If you’re a photographer, then you may already be used to using external hard drives to store your pictures. But external hard drives can sometimes stop working, without warning. Unless you have all your photos backed up, chances are you’ll end up losing some of your photos. When you turn to cloud storage, however, this problem disappears.
The cost of internet access today is low, whether you want to use mobile data or broadband. The cost of cloud storage is also quite low. Given that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to store your photos, cloud storage isn’t a bad option. You’ll also be able to access your photos at any time, from any device that has an internet connection. In addition to this, you also won’t have to worry about losing your photos, since they’ll be securely stored on the cloud. Here are the benefits of using cloud storage for photographers.
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1. Better Backup Storage
Photographers can need to store hundreds of pictures, if not more. You’ll need to have at least enough space in your external hard drive, to store 5TB of data, if not more. With an external hard drive, you just get one copy as well. By shifting to cloud storage on the other hand, you don’t have to worry about the number of pictures that you’re storing.
With cloud storage, your photos will also be backed up, without you needing to do anything. All you have to do is upload your photos, and then download them when you need to. The process of backing up your photos is done automatically.
2. The Price Of Using Cloud Storage
If you go get an HDD, it’ll have a lifespan beyond which it won’t work. This is usually around four years if you use it a lot. If you travel with the HDD, then this can reduce its lifespan as well. You’ll also need to ensure that you properly remove your device from your laptop or PC, every time. You’ll also need to keep buying HDDs every time you need to store more photos.
While you won’t find a cloud storage service that’s dedicated to photographers, there are services like Google Photos that you can take advantage of. Instead of buying new HDDs every few months, you could just store all your photos in the same place- your cloud storage. If you opt for a yearly plan then you’ll be able to get more storage space at a lower cost. Overall, you’ll be spending less money when you choose to store your photos on your cloud storage.
3. Uploading And Transferring Photos
When it comes to HDDs, the process of data transferring is usually slow. On your cloud storage, on the other hand, the speed depends on what your network bandwidth is. Remember that if you need to obtain your data through the cloud storage archive, this could still take some time. This option is usually for business or industrial use.
As a photographer, you’ll be fine with just opting for the standard package. With cloud storage, you can access your photos anytime and anywhere. You’ll also be able to view your photos through multiple devices, as long as they have an internet connection.
4. Quality And Compression
Photographers usually save their photos in raw format which are great for Wallpics. These raw files are bigger than JPEGs since they have information about the colors in the picture. This information can be accessed during the image editing process, if necessary.
If you’re just a casual photographer on the other hand, opting for Google Photos to store your images is more than enough. This is because you don’t need to store the raw files. Before you upload your photos to a cloud storage service, modify them and ensure they are converted into high-quality compressed JPEG files.
These JPEGs can then be uploaded to your cloud. There are also cloud storage providers who can help you compress your photos further, without affecting the quality of the photos. It’s also possible for you to save raw files on your cloud storage.
5. Recovering Data
When you use cloud storage services, you don’t have to worry about losing data. Unlike hard disks or other external storage devices that can get damaged, cloud storage doesn’t get damaged. Instead, your data is managed by service providers of the cloud. You can also always download a backup of your photos, to keep them with you.
6. Security
The photos that you store should be kept safe and secure. Cloud storage is an extremely secure space for you to store your photos. You also don’t have to worry about losing your HDD, getting it damaged, and more.
Conclusion
Cloud storage offers one of the best ways for photographers to store their photos. From raw files to JPEGs, they can all be stored in the cloud. By using cloud storage, you can enjoy easy accessibility and portability of your files, and will also not have to worry about losing your files. This guide lists the benefits of using cloud storage for photographers.
