Photographer with Storage Problems? Try These Solutions.
Got storage problems? We’ve all been there, especially when just starting our photography journey. We went out shooting all day, taking tons of photos, making sure we captured every perspective and frame that caught our eye. We get home and try dumping gigabytes of JPEGs and RAW files onto our laptop, even after culling our shoot to only the best images. Still, it’s only a matter of time before we see that dreaded "Storage Almost Full" warning. Even more worrisome, though, is if something happened to our laptop or desktop computer. Do we have backups of our precious photos?
Whether you're running low on space, need better solutions for travel, or need backups of your personal or professional work - every photographer can benefit from having a solid solution to store, back up, and protect their files. Here are few of my personal recommendations based on my own experience to improve your storage systems and storage workflow. Note: At the time of writing, I’m not sponsored by any of these brands or companies. I use and invested in these products because they best fit my needs. That being said, let’s dive in.
In this blog, I’ll cover:
Using portable SSDs, and why they’re worth investing in over HDDs
Adding a NAS storage system for larger storage, backups, and remote access
Cloud Backup vs. Cloud-Synced Storage, and which is best for you
Why I’m implementing the 3-2-1 backup strategy for data storage
Use Portable SSDs for Speed and Convenience
Portable SSDs are one of the easiest and most efficient ways to expand your storage. They're lightweight, fast, and incredibly reliable, making them perfect for photographers and videographers on the go. If you need to offload large RAW files or 4K video footage quickly, an external portable SSD is a great solution. You can even write Apple ProRes LOG footage directly to SSDs, big for mobile creators.
Here’s why I think portable SSDs are essential to the modern photographer’s workflow:
Fast read/write speeds. Unlike traditional HDDs, SSDs offer considerably faster read and write speeds. Drives like the Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSDs can transfer files at speeds up to 1,050MB/s, making backups and file transfers very fast. I personally use two of these drives, both 4TB each.
Compact and travel-friendly. Most SSDs are pocket-sized and durable, designed to withstand shocks, drops, and extreme conditions: perfect for travel photographers. HDDs, with their moving parts, don’t do well with constant moving and shaking.
Plug & play simplicity. No complicated setup required, just plug in and start transferring files instantly.
Great for editing on the go. If your laptop storage is limited, you can edit directly from a high-speed SSD without lag or performance issues.
A few potential drawbacks:
Higher cost per GB. SSDs are more expensive than traditional hard drives, especially at higher capacities.
Limited storage capacity. While SSDs are fast, most portable options max out at 4TB, which may not be enough for long-term archiving.
Set Up a NAS for Local Storage and Backups
A NAS (Network-Attached Storage) is like having your own personal cloud at home. It’s a dedicated storage device connected to your network, making it easy to back up your files, access them remotely, and keep everything organized. If you’re serious about storage, have lots of RAW files and/or 4K video, and want comprehensive backups, I recommend investing in a NAS system. I wrote in my Gear Approach blog post about how investing in a NAS system was one of my most-wanted gear upgrades. Since I’m heading out on a two month trip in a few days, I decided to go ahead and get one set up. I chose the UGREEN NASync DXP4800 Plus 4-Bay NAS Enclosure paired with two 12TB Seagate IronWolf Pro SATA III 3.5" Internal NAS HDDs (7200 RPM).
Why I invested in a NAS system:
Expandable storage. Unlike a single external drive, a NAS lets you install multiple hard drives and scale up as needed. If you start with two 8TB drives and later realize you need more space, you can add additional drives without replacing your existing ones, as long as your NAS has enough storage bays.
Remote access. Whether you're traveling or on location, you can access your files securely from anywhere. For example, if you're shooting in Japan and run out of space on your SSDs or laptop, you can send files to your NAS at home. You can log in remotely from anywhere and send/receive files as needed, freeing up space on the storage drives you have with you.
Automatic backups: You can configure your NAS to automatically back up your SSDs, keeping your latest work safe. For instance, if you store your latest Lightroom edits on an external SSD, you can schedule the NAS to copy those files every night to ensure you always have a backup.
RAID protection: With RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) setups, you get extra security against drive failures. RAID 1, for example, mirrors your data across two drives, so if one fails, your files are still safe. RAID 5 and 6 provide a balance of speed, redundancy, and storage efficiency, if you have more drives. For now, I’ve set up RAID 1 on my two-12TB drives. I plan to expand this setup as the amount of files I have grows.
Fast local transfers: Unlike cloud-based services, NAS offers speedy local file transfers without internet dependency. If you're working with 4K video footage, transferring files over a Gigabit or 10-Gigabit Ethernet NAS is much faster than waiting for a cloud upload and download.
A few potential drawbacks of a NAS system:
Upfront cost. Buying a NAS and high-capacity drives can be pricey. A good NAS setup with two to four 8 to12TB drives could easily cost over $1,000, making it an investment rather than a quick fix.
Setup complexity. Takes some initial configuration, especially for remote access. You might need to set up dynamic DNS or port forwarding, which can be tricky for non-tech-savvy users. However, most companies providing NAS systems like UGREEN and Synology do a good job giving clear instructions.
Power and space: A NAS runs 24/7, meaning you'll need a reliable power source and some desk space. It also generates some noise, especially when the hard drives are active. I wouldn’t recommend sleeping in the same room as your NAS!
Cloud Backups & Cloud-Synced Storage
Even with portable SSDs or a NAS, a cloud backup or cloud storage system could end up being essential in case of fire, theft, or drive failures. While cloud backups (like Backblaze) store a complete backup of your files for disaster recovery, cloud-synced storage services (like Dropbox and Google Drive) work differently: they keep your files accessible across multiple devices but don’t always function as true, complete backups.
The key differences:
Cloud backups (Backblaze, IDrive). These services automatically back up everything on your system, including external drives. They store previous versions of files and let you restore them if needed, but they don’t let you collaborate or sync across devices in real-time.
Cloud-synced storage (Dropbox, Google Drive). These services are designed for file access and collaboration rather than full-system backups. If you delete a file from your synced folder, it’s deleted across all your devices, which can be risky if you’re not careful. You may also choose certain files and folders to be synced, versus the whole drive.
Which one is right for you?
If you want disaster recovery and full backups, but don’t need access to individual files frequently, go with a dedicated cloud backup like Backblaze.
If you need to share files or access them across multiple devices, cloud-synced storage services are a great addition, but don’t rely on them as your only backup.
Many photographers use both: Backblaze for automatic backups and Dropbox for quick file sharing with collaborators or commonly in-use files.
I recently started using Backblaze to create recurring cloud backups of my entire system, including external drives. Why?
Unlimited storage. No worrying about running out of space. Whether you have 500GB or 10TB of data, Backblaze won’t limit your backups.
Automatic backups. Runs in the background without interrupting your workflow. For example, if you’re editing in Lightroom, Backblaze will quietly back up your latest edits without slowing down your work.
Version control. If your Lightroom catalog gets corrupted, you can restore a previous version with ease. Let’s say you even accidentally delete a folder of edited photos. Backblaze keeps versions of files for up to 30 days (or longer with an extended version history option), so you can recover them.
Affordable pricing. One of the best-priced cloud storage options out there. For about $8 per month, you get unlimited backup storage, making it a budget-friendly alternative to services that charge per gigabyte or terabyte.
Implementing the 3-2-1 Backup Strategy of Data Storage
One of the best ways to ensure your files are always safe is by following the 3-2-1 backup strategy for data storage. This well-documented strategy helps protect against data loss from accidental deletion, hardware failures, file corruption, and events like natural disasters, theft, or fire. While disaster or fire might seem farfetched - think about the 2025 LA Wildfires - you just never know what could happen. I recently implemented this strategy by adding a NAS and Backblaze.
The 3-2-1 rule explained:
3 copies of your data. Keep at least three copies of your important files: your original files plus two backups.
2 different storage types. Store your backups on at least two different types of media, such as an external SSD and a NAS, to minimize the risk of failure.
1 offsite backup. Ensure that at least one copy is stored offsite, such as in a cloud backup service like Backblaze, to protect against physical damage or theft of SSDs or NAS drives.
Sample workflow:
Original files. Keep your RAW files and edits on your laptop or an external SSD.
Local backup. Use a NAS to store a secondary copy of all your files, ensuring fast local access and redundancy.
Offsite backup. Let Backblaze or another cloud service automatically back up everything in case of a worst-case scenario.
By implementing the 3-2-1 rule, you significantly reduce the chances of losing your precious work, no matter what happens.
Wrapping Up
Are you making changes to your storage workflow in 2025? What’s working, or what’s slowing you down? What other storage solutions might you want to learn more about? Let me know via Email or Instagram DM - my inboxes are always open, and I’ll try and reply as quickly as possible.
Thanks for reading! Be well, and see you in the next post.
