This could be used in a literal sense, but I'm figuratively speaking. Don't lose your memory...cards. This goes for all types of photographers. Whether you are an "I take pictures on birthdays with my point and shoot for the family", the "iPhone Instagram Photographer", or the "15 year veteran"; keep extra memory cards.
For you iPhone Photographers users, just sync everything to the cloud. For the rest of us with actual cameras, carry extra memory cards. I've had talks with many photographers, read blogs, and listened to podcast, and they all say, have extra memory cards on hand at all times.
There are many reasons for this some logical, some practical. First things first, don't have 1 extra, have 2 or more extras. I personally have 3 memory cards, all of different memory sizes. Memory cards age and degrade over time, plus you need the ability to store images without having to add new sessions to the end of old sessions. Memory cards tend to fail during the writing or reading process. The more cards you have, the less often you're having to use the same one.
Also, this prevents you from putting all your eggs in one basket. The worst thing is formatting a card before a session, and not remembering if you backed up the prior session to the computer. If you have more cards, just use an empty one, or one that you know you are finished with.
If you're the type of person that never takes pictures off of their camera, eventually you'll run out of space. Now you're stuck debating on whether your son's 1st birthday pictures are more important that the Christmas that your 100 year old grandparent is at. Someone isn't going to make it. In that case, have an extra memory card.
Also, event photographers, whether it's weddings or general events, this allows you to spread the pictures out. If there happens to be a malfunction on a card, you switch out and use a new card (the lost pictures are counter-balanced by your additional photographers). For me, I sometimes do "on-site printing at events", I learned from an experienced photographer, the more memory cards you have, the faster you can swap them out and move through clients. Just have a system worked out with your assistant so they know which cards have pictures ready for printing, and the ones ready for deleting.
You don't have to go out and buy four 32GB memory hogs with 64x write speed and blah blah blah. Go get a handful of 2-8GB cards at a basic speed. If you're not shooting sports or anything that requires burst or continuous shots, paying the extra money for a faster write speed is pointless. By the time you click the shutter, your brain doesn't process fast enough to realize if memory card is slow.
BUT DO NOTE: the smaller the memory card, the fewer pictures it holds. Vary your card sizes to fit appropriate sessions. My cards range from 2GB-8GB. Perfect for quick sessions in jpeg, but can hold a good number of RAW files when needed. Looking at getting a 16GB and a few more 4GB.
For you iPhone Photographers users, just sync everything to the cloud. For the rest of us with actual cameras, carry extra memory cards. I've had talks with many photographers, read blogs, and listened to podcast, and they all say, have extra memory cards on hand at all times.
There are many reasons for this some logical, some practical. First things first, don't have 1 extra, have 2 or more extras. I personally have 3 memory cards, all of different memory sizes. Memory cards age and degrade over time, plus you need the ability to store images without having to add new sessions to the end of old sessions. Memory cards tend to fail during the writing or reading process. The more cards you have, the less often you're having to use the same one.
Also, this prevents you from putting all your eggs in one basket. The worst thing is formatting a card before a session, and not remembering if you backed up the prior session to the computer. If you have more cards, just use an empty one, or one that you know you are finished with.
If you're the type of person that never takes pictures off of their camera, eventually you'll run out of space. Now you're stuck debating on whether your son's 1st birthday pictures are more important that the Christmas that your 100 year old grandparent is at. Someone isn't going to make it. In that case, have an extra memory card.
Also, event photographers, whether it's weddings or general events, this allows you to spread the pictures out. If there happens to be a malfunction on a card, you switch out and use a new card (the lost pictures are counter-balanced by your additional photographers). For me, I sometimes do "on-site printing at events", I learned from an experienced photographer, the more memory cards you have, the faster you can swap them out and move through clients. Just have a system worked out with your assistant so they know which cards have pictures ready for printing, and the ones ready for deleting.
You don't have to go out and buy four 32GB memory hogs with 64x write speed and blah blah blah. Go get a handful of 2-8GB cards at a basic speed. If you're not shooting sports or anything that requires burst or continuous shots, paying the extra money for a faster write speed is pointless. By the time you click the shutter, your brain doesn't process fast enough to realize if memory card is slow.
BUT DO NOTE: the smaller the memory card, the fewer pictures it holds. Vary your card sizes to fit appropriate sessions. My cards range from 2GB-8GB. Perfect for quick sessions in jpeg, but can hold a good number of RAW files when needed. Looking at getting a 16GB and a few more 4GB.
By now, you should have the basic idea as to why you should grab more memory cards. I even have 2 external hard drives to back up completed sessions, but that's a different story.
Lastly, I want to touch on getting the pictures off the card. Personally I prefer a stand alone card reader. Like the one in the picture. It's often faster than plugging the camera to the computer, and it travels better. Some computers do have an SD slot in them, use it. Being a Compact Flash card user, I don't have the luxury on my system.
Again, with events, I like having the card reader, so I can load pictures to the computer as a backup, while using another card to take pictures. Switching at every break or specified number of shots. Also, at the end of sessions, I can put my camera gear away while loading the images on the computer for the client to view.
Lastly, sometimes I don't get a chance to load images for a few days, having the card reader allows me to pull the card from the camera and hold on to it in my laptop bag until I'm stationary long enough to load the images. Prevents having to lug around my camera or waiting until I'm home to get the pictures off.
I hope the provided some insight, and helps you with knowing you need more memory cards so that you don't lose your memory. One podcast said "treat memory cards like film". Once it's used, get another roll and protect the old roll until they are "developed".
Let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns in the comments below.
Thanks.
Evin L Grant
by: Grant Photography
Lastly, I want to touch on getting the pictures off the card. Personally I prefer a stand alone card reader. Like the one in the picture. It's often faster than plugging the camera to the computer, and it travels better. Some computers do have an SD slot in them, use it. Being a Compact Flash card user, I don't have the luxury on my system.
Again, with events, I like having the card reader, so I can load pictures to the computer as a backup, while using another card to take pictures. Switching at every break or specified number of shots. Also, at the end of sessions, I can put my camera gear away while loading the images on the computer for the client to view.
Lastly, sometimes I don't get a chance to load images for a few days, having the card reader allows me to pull the card from the camera and hold on to it in my laptop bag until I'm stationary long enough to load the images. Prevents having to lug around my camera or waiting until I'm home to get the pictures off.
I hope the provided some insight, and helps you with knowing you need more memory cards so that you don't lose your memory. One podcast said "treat memory cards like film". Once it's used, get another roll and protect the old roll until they are "developed".
Let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns in the comments below.
Thanks.
Evin L Grant
by: Grant Photography