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If an image is questionable, go ahead and download it and evaluate it later. Depending on your
download software, you may have the option of renaming your images during the download
process (e.g. Jim Portrait 001 through 008). That makes sense if all of the images are of a
common subject.
During the download process, the images will be copied to a folder on your computer. You are
usually able to specify the name and location for that folder. Consider using today’s date as a
temporary folder name.
It is very important to copy the downloaded images immediately to CD (or DVD, or external disc
drive). These are your precious “negatives”...preserve them in their original state, just as you
would your film images. Copy them to CD - without opening or editing the images (very
important). And resist the temptation to completely fill the CD to its limit of 700 MB…I have
encountered software errors that rendered an entire CD unreadable because of a glitch while
appending files to a nearly-full CD.
After burning the CD, make sure it reads properly...better to discover this sooner than later. With
your archival CD complete, take a few minutes to make a second copy for offsite storage. Want
to be really thorough? Use a different brand of CD media for the second copy. Longevity of
CDs is a topic of debate these days...using high-quality media and making new copies every few
years is about the best you can do. Do you have an image that you want to keep for posterity?
Have an archival-quality print made and put it away in a safe place...that’s how the picture of
your great grandparents made it all these years!
Why be so insistent upon backing up the original image files? Because the computer glitch that
can destroy your digital image is much more likely to occur than the flood or house fire that can
destroy your film collection. Have you ever deleted or overwritten a valuable file by mistake?
Ever had your computer crash without having a full backup?
Also, when you delete the images from your camera’s media chip, perform that process in the
camera...not on the reader or other device. The file formats can differ. When erasing all images
from the chip, it’s better to use the format function instead of the delete function in your camera.
It gives your media chip a fresh start.
Organizing your images
Both Windows XP and MAC computers offer built-in software to help organize your photos (My
Pictures in XP and iPhoto on the MAC). Take the time to explore their capabilities. They may be
sufficient for your needs...saving you the expense and learning curve of additional software.
If you need more capability, there is a wide variety of browser/organizer software on the market.
When time is money, professionals use these packages to speed up the review and edit
process...especially when handling hundreds of images from a shoot. Packages like
Photomechanic, Photoshop CS/Elements File Browser, Adobe Album, and ACDSee are just a
few of the choices. Want to try a free one? Picasa 2 is getting a lot of attention these days
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