These are the results from the fifth week of Project 365, in which I attempt to portray a year in photos (by taking at least one photo per day). Week 5 (early May) includes several images from around the house as I was restricted following some surgery. View the photos after the cut:
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I suffered a hard drive failure yesterday. I’ve been meaning to write a long post explaining my storage and backup methods, and I suppose this would be a great time to do so, since my methods were put to the test (and passed). My system isn’t overly complicated, and probably could be enhanced, but here it is:
My primary photo storage is on the internal hard drive of my PC. This is where images are transferred from the card reader, this is where they are cataloged, and this is where I make all edits.
My first backup location is an external hard drive. The external drive is a copy of the photos stored on my PC. When I download images from the card reader, I also make a copy to the external hard drive.
My secondary backup method is burning DVDs which are then stored offsite. This is the “last resort” backup, intended for use if something were to happen to my home (fire, major theft, etc). I burn DVDs after photos have been processed and cataloged, and store the DVDs in a relatively secure offsite location.
Yesterday I got back into town from vacation. As I was preparing to shoot a wedding last night, I noticed my external hard drive wasn’t available and the lights were dark. Further troubleshooting indicated a drive failure. I’d purchased the drive about two months ago at Costco. I probably could’ve gotten it a few dollars cheaper online, but one of the reasons I shop at Costco is their awesome returns/exchange policy. Today I drove to Costco, told them what happened, and they promptly gave me a refund for the full price of the drive. I picked up a new drive and was on my way in about 10 minutes.
My files? They’re now happily copied over to the new backup drive. With my backup system of two copies onsite and one copy offsite, a single drive failure will never mean data loss.
The last couple weeks have been a bit slow on the commercial front, but I’ve been doing plenty of photo-related work. Last Wednesday was Ignite Portland 3, a gathering of Portlanders to share burning ideas. The folks with the Legion of Tech asked me to be the “official” photographer (though in reality, everyone is welcome and encouraged to take photos). I shot a few hundred photos of the event and pared it down to 80-some photos in this Flickr set. The interior lighting was definitely darker than last time and it shows in the pictures.
There’s a new Portland-related blog in town called OurPDX, and my friend Betsy approached me about licensing some photos for the header on their site. I was happy to do so; based on the folks involved I expect the website will grow into something great.
Last night I shot Ignite Portland, a fast-paced program featuring a series of presenters. As I’ve started shooting more events that involve using two cameras, it has become quite obvious that carrying two bodies on neck straps is highly impractical.
I did a bit of research and yesterday on my lunch break I headed over to my favorite Portland photography store and purchased an R-Strap. What is an R-Strap? Go to their website and watch the videos - it’s a nylon strap with a heavy-duty fastener that can slide along the strap. The camera hangs from the fastener, along your side or behind your back depending on how the strap is adjusted. To shoot, just swing the camera up to your eye and fire away. Unlike a traditional neck strap, the camera is out of the way when not in use and it also leaves both hands and arms completely free to move around.
The R-Strap is simple, but very functional. I used it last night to carry my 300D + battery grip with a 135 f/2L lens. It was comfortable and very practical; I could swing the camera up for a quick shot in less than a second. I would highly recommend it for event photographers or others who shoot in fast-moving situations.
In almost any profession, it’s important to study the work and history of others. Notable photographs such as the protester in front of the tanks at Tienamen Square or the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima have helped define our history.
Flickr user Balakov has recreated these (along with other historic photos) using Legos:
View his Classics in Lego Flickr set.
*photo used by Creative Commons license.
