Drowning in data - a challenge for modern photographers

I love digital photography. I was never really a film buff, so to speak, and always found the limitations of film a bit restrictive. I truly appreciate the way we can now take as many images as we like without worrying about waste or running out of shots. Being able to check the images instantly as we go is a huge advantage, allowing for quick adjustments and better results. On top of that, modern cameras come with numerous benefits, such as advanced autofocusing systems and the consistently high quality of images they produce, making the whole process much more efficient and enjoyable.

But like most things in life, there are always downsides to every new advancement in technology that we make. Imagine the excitement when the first mass-produced car was invented over 100 years ago. People must have been thrilled at the prospect of traveling great distances with relative ease and speed, opening up new possibilities for work and leisure. However, the major downside is that this convenience has contributed to us becoming more sedentary. Instead of naturally burning calories through everyday movement, we now often have to consciously set aside “workout time” just to compensate for the reduced physical activity that was previously a normal part of daily life, simply by walking or moving our bodies to get from place to place.

It’s the same situation when it comes to cameras. Modern cameras now produce incredibly large files, and managing the storage of these files can be quite a task. Today, I’m going to share some insights into just how much data I handle every week, the methods I use to back up my data securely, how I deliver the final images to my clients efficiently, and much more.

I take thousands of high-quality images each week, and each image captured by the professional cameras I use is roughly around 50MB in size (other cameras can produce files that are significantly larger than this). This results in a staggering amount of data over the course of a typical year, anywhere between 5 to 10 terabytes that need to be carefully organized and managed. And keep in mind, this figure doesn’t even factor in the large video files I also work with, which I’ll explain how I handle a little later. So, how exactly do I manage this enormous volume of data efficiently and securely?

Well, it first starts at the memory card level. Each of my cameras is designed to take 2 SD memory cards, and I always choose to use 512GB cards. This gives me plenty of storage space, so I don’t have to worry about running out of room during important shoots. To be extra safe, I have the cards synced so that the images get written to both cards simultaneously. This way, in case one card gets damaged, or if I accidentally lose a card, or even erase a card too early, I still have an immediate backup. This is a crucial step I take for every new shoot to ensure the safety and security of all the images I capture.

Now onto editing the images. I use an Apple Silicon Mac for editing, which is incredibly powerful and efficient, allowing me to process thousands of images quickly and seamlessly. However, even the biggest Mac model can only accommodate up to 8TB of internal storage. Considering the vast amount of data I handle every single week, there’s simply no way to store everything internally, so I have no choice but to rely on external hard drives. These external drives are relatively affordable and are available in much larger capacities than most typical computer hard drives, making them an essential and practical solution for managing high-volume photography work efficiently.

But what if my hard drive fails, gets damaged, or even stolen? This is a common concern for many photographers who store vast amounts of important data. This is exactly where you can effectively utilise cloud technology in conjunction with external hard disks and desktop computers to enjoy the best of both worlds. I personally use Backblaze as my preferred cloud backup solution. This means if anything goes wrong with either my internal or external drives, I can simply log in to the cloud and quickly retrieve those valuable files without stress. But you might wonder, why not just rely entirely on cloud technology without using hard disks at all? The answer comes down to the sheer size of the files. Because I work with large photographic files, if I had to be constantly downloading them from the cloud, it would significantly slow down my workflow. This is true even though I have access to a high-speed fibre internet connection. Balancing both options ensures I maintain efficiency while keeping my data safe.

For file delivery to clients, I use Pixieset, a reliable cloud gallery provider that enables me to upload and beautifully present the images to clients in a seamless and user-friendly way. This platform not only showcases the photos in an elegant and organised manner but also allows clients to easily download their images directly to their own devices for safekeeping. This approach offers the best of both worlds, combining the convenience of digital access with the security of personal storage, ensuring clients have flexible and secure ways to enjoy their photos.

As you can probably tell, with the sheer volume of data constantly uploading to the cloud, my computer essentially never shuts down. It is almost always either uploading data or batch processing large numbers of high-resolution images. This continuous workload is just the nature of modern photography, especially in a fast-paced world where quick turnaround times are essential. Because of this intense demand, it usually means that a new computer is required every three years to keep up with the high workloads it has to handle around the clock - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Then there’s video – wow, what an incredible format! 4K video files are absolutely MASSIVE in size. My camera captures footage in stunning 4K resolution at an impressive 50 frames per second. To put that into perspective, that means it records 50 high-resolution images every single second, creating incredibly detailed and smooth video. I often have clients request that I shoot and deliver their footage in 4K, but I usually advise against it unless they have the right technical setup. These files are just so large and demanding to manage that without specialised equipment and software, handling 4K footage can become a major challenge. I remember one of my earliest 4K projects for a client - they wanted a short 1-2 minute highlight reel in 4K quality, which seems quick but still generates a huge amount of data. When I delivered the final file, none of their computers were able to even play it back properly - that’s how intense the processing power requirements are for 4K video.

I hope that provides you with a clear understanding of managing the large amounts of data that come with being a modern photographer. Having robust systems set up to handle this data is absolutely crucial, and it involves much more than just downloading and sending the images to clients. Proper organisation, backup strategies, and efficient workflows all play a key role in managing this process smoothly. What are your thoughts on this? How do you handle large amounts of data in your photography work? Please feel free to leave a comment in the section below - I’d love to hear about your experiences.