Why Scalability Makes Cloud Storage a Perfect Fit for Large Photography Collections
One of the biggest problems of the 21st century is figuring out how and where to store all the digital images you take. Unfortunately, the massive space high-resolution photos require and the marketing materials most photographers use require more resources than the average computer offers.
Enter cloud storage as a cost-effective and attractive solution. Here are the benefits of tapping into the power of digital servers for your photography business. Cover photo by Ismail Enes Ayhan.
1. Maintain Enough Storage
Statista reported an average of 64% of business owners being open to cloud computer services in 2023. One of the reasons people are open to using cloud storage is the ample space opened up to those who store massive amounts of gigabytes.
Cloud storage is much less expensive than investing in on-site infrastructure and servers. You can buy exactly the amount of storage you need to save money. As your business grows, you can increase the space available.
2. Scale Up Seamlessly
Cloud storage for photographers allows them to scale up seamlessly without shuffing files around and worrying about losing valuable images in the process. Put your files on a server and rather than moving them, upgrade your space.
Since cloud-based servers split up information across multiple machines, freeing up space in your account is a matter of increasing numbers. Most providers let you add space from your dashboard, making scaling up as easy as flipping a switch. Pay attention to the cost to upgrade to ensure you stay within your budget, but you will likely be surprised how inexpensive it is to scale up.
3. Prevent Asset Loss
Have you ever accidentally deleted files and been unable to retrieve them? With cloud storage, it is much easier to undo an accidental loss because files are often stored in multiple locations. In addition, most cloud-based servers keep backups for 10 days or more. You can do a quick server rewind to pull back a deleted file.
In photography, you might have a client contact you two years later wanting a canvas print of a wedding photograph. You will not have to worry that the files are accidentally deleted due to a computer crash or lack of storage. The images will be on the cloud when you need to access them.
4. Collaborate With a Team
Utilizing cloud storage for photographers also allows you to collaborate with a team of people. During busy seasons — such as senior portraits or June weddings — you may need to bring on additional help to turn photos around promptly. Hiring someone to edit images or remove blemishes is just one task you can delegate.
Most cloud-based storage allows you to give login credentials to others so they can access your files, work on them and save them back to the server. Ideally, they will upload a secondary file rather than writing over the original.
Some servers offer third-party software you can use to create a file system. Anyone who works within your storage space will save files using the same system you have made, preventing inconsistency that might confuse you later.
5. Save Money
Tapping into the power of shared server management saves you money and gives you access to better security without hiring an entire IT team. Imagine hundreds of photographers pooling their money to hire a management team, build better security and consistently improve the software, and you have an idea of how using cloud storage saves you money and gives you a better user experience.
6. Organize Your Collection
Remote servers give you a chance to organize your collection. Automate file names so you can find anything anytime you want. Tap into the power of machine learning to figure out when to delete old files automatically.
You can also tell the system to create a new folder each time you upload new images, and prompt you to name the folder with the last name, date and other details you can later search to find the pictures again. Also, use tags to help you better organize photographs. For example, you might add a tag for the month you took the images, such as #september or #january. Consider how your business might grow over the years when setting up your file hierarchy.
7. Gain Added Security
2023 has been an interesting year, to say the least. Technologies such as artificial intelligence chatbots, the growing Internet of Things and quantum are all changing the way people work and interact in a connected world.
With people doing more online and new trends opening the door to cybercriminals to breach security in new ways, the first quarter of 2023 saw a 7% increase in attacks — a number that continues to grow. With cloud storage, you gain some flexibility to protect uploaded files.
Finding the Best Cloud Storage for Photographers
Whether you choose temporary free cloud storage for photographers or pay for a proven service provider, the best option is the one you can afford and meets your needs for your growing photography business. Make a list of the things you want to gain by storing your work in the cloud. Ask the tough questions of each provider to figure out if they offer what you need.
Cloud storage gives you the flexibility you need to grow your photography business consistently without worrying about the safety of your product. Consider adding this tech to your arsenal before your company proliferates.
