Thursday 5 July 2007

YesBut keep it in good order

Two weeks ago in my blog “YesBut copy first”, I gave suggestions to follow when editing digital photos. The product of editing is the production of more images, with the inevitable increase in files and computer storage used. Its supprising how quickly storage space can be taken up - I have just checked, last month I stored 593 photographs using 413 MB of storage (those are just the originals, excluding edited copies). Unless you have an ordered approach, searching for photos can become like looking for a needle in a hay stack, and your computer chocked up with un-required data.


So some suggestions:

Have a logical filing system. I file my photos by month, with sub-folders for subjects (visits, special occasions and events) i.e. (the photos I took during my visit to Holland in May are filled in a sub-folder in my “May File”). I also have a file for photos posted or to be posted on YesBut’s Images.

One of the advantages of storing your files on a computer is the ability to “name” each photo. Looking at a photo recently taken, you can recall all the details; where it was taken and when. But with time the information will fade from your memory. So take sometime to record when and where a photo was taken - PIC 00034(London 29.6.7).

I readily admit I have a weakness; I am reluctant to throw anything away. I’m unwilling even to delete an out-of-focus underexposed photo, (you never know when it might be useful). But the time will come when you have to do some housekeeping or your computer will come to a grinding halt. Before that happens, get into the habit of backing up your files every month. Copy your files to DVD or CD. This is a prudent thing to do - you do not want to risk losing all your photos and correspondence when your computer’s hard disc self-destructs.

After you have downloaded the files to disc, check the disc has been successfully copied, and all the files can be accessed. Label the disc and store it in a safe place. If you want to take a belt and braces approach you can duplicate the disc.

Then you can clean up your files. Only keep on your computer files you think you will have to access. The rest? Delete them. If in the future you want to look at other files, you will be able to download them from the disc.

Keep it clean mean and orderly. Sorry if I sounded “preachy”.

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1 comment:

Mrs Mac said...

Did you hear the news today?
They talking about each area having a "community kitty".

Isn't that wonderful?

I think it would be fantastic. Just imagine it. You're in town, you feel wound up and angry, you pop round to the council office and give the community kitty a cuddle.

I always feel better after sniffing my cats' toes, but I suppose if the whole community were doing it, it might get annoying for the poor thing...