Guide to backing up and organizing your photos.
An easy system for parents who don’t want their most precious memories lost in the digital void.
So you’ve just received a beautiful gallery from your photographer—yay! You download the files... and then what? Here’s a simple, no-stress guide to make sure your photos are backed up, organized, and easy to find for years to come.
First: Download your gallery
If you’ve had a session with me, your gallery is available online for 3 months—so don’t wait. Download your images to your computer right away. Even if you’re not ready to print just yet, get those files saved somewhere safe.
Back your files up in three places
1. Keep a copy on your computer
It’s the easiest place to access your photos quickly and review them whenever you want.
2. Use cloud storage
I’m a big fan of the cloud—especially for peace of mind. I use Dropbox personally, and you could also use Apple iCloud or Google Photos. I even have my phone photos set to auto-backup to Dropbox—because you never know when your phone might take a dive into Tally Lake... or the toilet.
3. External hard drive
For those of us who take a ton of photos (hello, parents), a dedicated external drive is a must. I recommend the LaCie 2TB Rugged Mini—tough, portable, and easy to navigate. You could also get a USB flash drive if you have fewer photos to back up.
If you want to be extra safe, keep a second copy on another drive and store it in a fireproof safe. A single drive is probably fine if you also use the cloud, but redundancy is your best friend when it comes to memory preservation.
Organizing your photos (without the overwhelm)
Thousands of photos? You’re not alone. Try this monthly system to keep things from spiraling out of control:
Create a yearly folder (for example, “2025”)
Inside that, create a folder for each month:
01_January_2025,02_February_2025, etc.Once a month, pick your favorite images and drop them in
Delete the ones you don’t need
If you want a little extra help on your phone, try an app like Slidebox to make quick decisions about what to keep and what to delete. Or just keep it simple with a monthly reminder to clean up your camera roll.
Here’s how I organize my photos. For the most part dropping images into the folder for the month but some special shoots or events have their own folder within the monthly one.
Once a year: check your backups
Set a recurring reminder to revisit your hard drives and cloud storage. Make sure everything is working and your files are where you think they are. Future you will thank you.
Don’t forget the prints
Photos aren’t meant to sit on a hard drive forever. Print a few. Frame them. Make an album.
True story: I waited NINE years to print my wedding photos because I thought I’d design the album myself. Life got busy—babies, work, doula life. You get it.
That’s why I now offer album design for my clients—so your favorite images don’t live on your to-do list for the next decade. After our session, you’ll have the option to schedule an ordering appointment where we’ll design a custom heirloom album together. I’ll walk you through it all, from layout to cover options, so it’s easy, beautiful, and completely done.
If you’re ready to turn your digital gallery into something tangible and lasting, reach out and let’s make it happen. Even if your session was three years ago, I’d still be happy to offer this service to you.
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