2013- wrapup

I haven't been exactly attentive to this photo related blog. Tis true. I also haven't felt super inspired either for the past month or two. So I wanted to reflect on some of the photos I took over the past year, at least publicly shared photos. I realized when I went through my photos that I felt pretty darn good about those I posted.

First however, a small follow-up to my cold archiving debate I was having. I finally decided to nab a 3 TB Seagate external drive for $105. A great combination of space, storage, and ability. The blu-ray disc solution was daunting as I would have to baby sit the burning, whereas I if I needed to I could plug, copy, and come back in a day if I needed to. I am not saying it is the best solution ever, but it is the one I was able to justify for the cost and effectiveness.


Photos I enjoyed from 2013, one per month:

January:


February:


March:


April:


May:


June:


July:


August:


September:


October:


November:


December:

Cold media archiving

I am soul searching here.

I do not know which way to go for future archival of media. Media in my case is the raw images I shoot in, videos, backups of old family material like photos from devices.

What to do?

I have a 1.5 TB media drive in my machine now. It holds lots. However, it is getting full. In the past I have burned off to DVDs. That is becoming problematic as several times I need to span a single days worth of material on to multiple DVDs. A pain.

The next step for me is to find a bigger solution for holding "cold" backups.  (not on-line, have to be pulled or found off disc or other non-active storage)

For my hot, or current, back-up solution- I am using BackBlaze. Love it- unlimited backups incase things go poof.


I also realize I am not an amazing corporation or super talented photographer. So elaborate rotation and backup is not the way for me to go. If I had my way, I would have a HUGE local NAS (Network Area Storage) with super on-line backup. However, money and effort being what it is- this is not a goal or need for me. Well, until I win the lottery.


I have found two possible solutions:

#1 Blu-Ray disc backups. A single layer, Blu-Ray disc can hold up to 25GB of data. Pretty good. The drawback- I don't have a blu-ray burner. So thats about $65 for the cheapest on NewEgg right now. Next is the cost per disc, which for a spinel of about 50 discs runs about $30. ($0.60 per disc of 25GB, or about $0.024 per GB)

#2 External hard-drive. There is a 3TB drive for $120 right now. ($0.04 per GB) Plug in, copy, paste- unplug and store.


The question for me is- what do I believe will fail? Spinning platters of the drive, or optical media? Both will not be moved. Both will sit until needed. Both have ups and downs for each.

I cannot figure out which way to go for cold storage back-up! UGH.

Photos of my kids

I have two young children, and I take a lot of photos of them. There are many that are pretty outstanding.(tooting my own horn)  I also like to get feedback on those photos, because I have an ego and sometimes need that feedback to know I am producing stuff people like. Its a fault I admit!

So, the question of the day is- How is the best method to show off the photos I have taken with people who might be interested... in this case only family and friends.

    My wife and I determined VERY early in their lives that we were going to try to shield my kids from the Internets. Limit exposure really. We didn't want their images plastered all over the Internets, or their names known on blogs, etc. This is why I don't mention their names on my regular blog, and why I don't post their images on Flickr.

     As an example of one way to share, would be to use Flickr. I have been on there since about 2000. I know the communities, I know the interface, I know how it works. However, I would need to set all those images to private, then have everyone I want to see them to get an account and 'friend' them so they can see those images. On top of that, they would need to check in or keep up on my account for new kid photos. Not the world's greatest method. Not easy. Little too restrictive.

    Ultimately, we went with the world's most popular social media site- Facebook. The photos put in there, will automatically be populated to friends' news. No work, no fuss by me. I can restrict the level of access. I can do various other methods to see if someone can see it or not. I don't post on FB, and 99% of what I put on there is photos of my kids. Thats what I use my account for now-a-days.

Do I wish there might be a better way? I am sure... however, I don't even have a wallet photo of my kids to put in my wallet. I am more likely to flip out my phone and use that.

Then again, I am just as happy to have my very best/favorite photos of them printed and posted in the hallway of my house. I have no problem with that at all... makes me smile when I see them.


[update September 6th]

Found an interesting post about why some parents don't post ANYTHING about their kids.

And the very interesting counterpoint.

8 Years of the Killers

I first saw the Killers in 2005 at Merriweather Post. I had my Canon S70 for that show! Look out
photographers world wild- I've got a camera! (thats all I can say about that camera.)

The images I took were grainy, no great shakes... this was likely the best of the lot.

(no set, but photos from the concert)







Then I saw them again in 2007 in NYC at Madison Square Garden with my 30D and the 50mm lens. I did a HECK of a lot better with these shots.
Composition, technique, images in general were just so much better.

(the full photo set)




Then again in 2009 again at Merriweather Post with my 30D and just a 50mm lens. I wasn't nearly as happy with the results as I got to the venue right before the band took the stage... bad spot, not very motivated, and the ending photos showed my lack of motivation.

(the full photo set)

And finally in 2013, I had a decent position but moved cause I am getting old and didn't like the mass of humanity.
Had my 7D and two lenses... I was going to take my 70-200 with me but chickened out because I didn't know if security would ask me to leave. I should have just taken it, and I could have used it as it turned out... oh well.
(the full photo set)