when it comes to saving photos, i like to save everything that i edit. for clients and for personal work, i like to save everything long term, just in case i were to need it later. every photo that i love and edit is saved in it’s RAW format, just in case i want to re-edit it later. and let’s be real, on my journey with photography i have gotten a lot better at editing so sometimes it is nice to re-edit my older images and give them a fresh and current tune up. all of this being said, i have thousands upon thousands of images that i keep. and because i want to keep them safe, we looked into photo storage and found the ultimate photo storage solution that works for us.
are you struggling with photographing the everyday moments of your family? be sure to check out the everyday photograph for inspiration!
this post contains affiliate links. thank you in advance for supporting bethadilly photography.
The Ultimate Photo Storage Solution : Why You Need To Back Up Your Photos
.jpg "The Ultimate Photo Storage Solution : Why You Need To Back Up Your Photos | Bethadilly Photography")
listen, i am going to be honest here. this is my husband’s doing. photo storage isn’t something that i focus on; i leave the research and backing up to him. i just want to be upfront about that because if you ask me a question about how i backup my photos, i will tell you that i hand my computer to my husband and say, “save everything forever and ever, amen.” i am politely telling you not to ask me how to do photo storage, because it’s not my thing. it’s something that makes me go cross-eyed and, while i know it’s importance, i am totally disinterested with the details of it. i stick to photo taking, the husband makes sure everything stays safe.
so many of you ask me about backing up photos and i will tell you that it is 150% necessary to have a photo backup system. anything can happen at any moment and your photos can be catastrophically gone forever. all your memories, gone. all your hard work photographing, gone. your journey with photography, gone. i have heard countless horror stories about photographers losing everything and quite honestly, it sounds like my worst nightmare.
because so many of you ask about how i store my photos, i had to ask my husband, “how do you store my photos?” ha ha, honestly i don’t even know the technicalities of it. all i know is, they are safe.
photo storage may look different for everyone, so you will want to do your own research and make sure you are purchasing the best photo storage for you and your needs. you will want to make sure the storage works with your computer and how much storage is included. do your research!
for us, the ultimate photo storage solution we invested in is the WB 8TB my cloud pro series storage system. it is our backup solution for all my client work and, more importantly, for all our personal photos. again, you will want to do your own research to see what works for you but, to answer your question, this is what backs up all of my photos.
when my husband saw me sitting and scrolling for about an hour through all my images of our daughter, he knew that he never wanted to see me cry should we lose those photographic memories. he sees how much time i put into photographing her daily and editing her images after bedtime that it was 150% worth it to invest in the ultimate photo storage solution for peace of mind.
yes, photo storage is expensive. it’s one of those hidden costs with photography. but it is a form of insurance. you pay for it and sleep soundly. i don’t know about you, but i have already invested so much money in my camera, lenses, and editing software that it would be awful not to invest in a photo storage solution to ensure that my images are safe. you’ve already invested in gear to create beautiful images, don’t let those images permanently disappear by accident.
be sure to join my exclusive email list to receive my latest photography tips and tutorials. it’s free!
need some photography tips + inspiration? check out what posts are trending below!
.jpg "The Ultimate Photo Storage Solution : Why You Need To Back Up Your Photos | Bethadilly Photography")
these days, editing is limited to nap times. a few weeks ago the cherry blossoms came out and found me at the tidal basin photographing all the blooming trees. i am slowly editing my way through the images and reliving that beautiful, although chilly, morning. as it is each year, the tidal basin was very crowded with so many other people carrying cameras. it’s one of the most beautiful times in washington dc, making it a fairly busy time of year. when walking up to the martin luther king, jr memorial, i instantly knew i wanted the statue framed with florals through my composition.
this post contains affiliate links. thank you in advance for supporting bethadilly photography.
being surrounded by people who were both enjoying and photographing the cherry blossoms, i was encouraged and challenged to photograph my surroundings creatively in order to not have crowds within my frame. in this original image, i had three tourists and a stroller but, with the help of cloning in photoshop, they were easily removed. while the day was very cloudy and chilly, i actually really loved the tones that it offered. i love that the sky is neutral and blends into the frame visually, instead of being bright blue. but i am a sucker for a neutral sky.
to encourage you to take better pictures of your everyday, be sure to read the everyday photograph.
Framed With Florals by Bethany Deschamp
.jpg "Framed With Florals by Bethany Deschamp | Bethadilly Photography")
this photo was achieved using : nikon d750, sigma art 24mm f/1.4 lens.
my settings were : ISO 640 | f/2.8 | 1/4000ss
. . .
check out my latest ebook, the everyday photograph. it’s a guide to seeing the beauty of your everyday!
be sure to join my exclusive email list to receive my latest photography tips and tutorials. it’s free!
need some photography tips + inspiration? check out what posts are trending below!
living in washington dc for the past five years has spoiled me with the opportunity to photograph rich history and have many wonderful photography outings. every time friends or family would come to visit, we would visit the same dozen tourist spots and, after awhile, it seemed like i had photographed everything a few times over. a couple weekends ago, a photography friend and i went into the city to photograph the cherry blossoms, which marked the first time i had been in the city in a couple years with my camera. and while the thick crowds were inimidating to others who were trying to photograph, i found the busyness to be a refreshing challenge for me to still get great shots while creatively maneuvering the crowds. with some thoughtful composition and photography choices, i definitely have some tips for photographing at the jefferson memorial, even when it is super crowded.
need to boost your everyday photography? be sure to check out my ebook the everyday photograph.
this post contains affiliate links. thank you in advance for supporting bethadilly photography.
Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds
.jpg "Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography")
1. Consider Your Gear
for me, i really love a wide angle lens for street photography and outdoor photography in general. i love that a wide angle lens allows me to get more of my surroundings within the frame, which can be very beneficial at such a grand location just as the jefferson memorial. all of the photos taken within this post were achieved with my nikon d750 and sigma 24mm f/1.4 lens.
.jpg "Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography")
2. Find The Beauty In The Corridors
while everyone else is swarming to the statue of thomas jefferson, i am photographing in the corridors. when photographing at the jefferson memorial, be sure to take some time to explore the whole monument. while you will definitely want to see thomas jefferson, there is a lot of beauty that can be found within the corridors of the monument. and the way that natural light reflects off the white stone is stunning and very photographable.
.jpg "Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography")
3. Focus On The Details
one of the neatest things about photographing at the jefferson memorial are all the details that you will find. be sure to take the time to photograph the details of the monument, such as the words written into the stone and the pristine design of the grand columns.
.jpg "Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography")
4. The View Of The Washington Monument
while photographing at the jefferson memorial, don’t forget to photograph the view of the washington monument from the front steps. did you know that all of the memorials are purposefully placed within a line of one another? take advantage of the well thought out map of the monuments and photograph other monuments from the one you are currently visiting.
.jpg "Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography")
5. Look For Leading Lines
because there are so many beautiful and grand columns at the jefferson memorial, you will find leading lines to be addicting to photograph. photographing at the jefferson memorial will allow you to get creative with your lines as you incorporate them into your photos.
.jpg "Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography")
6. Consider Incorporating People for Perspective
having people in my photos from time to time actually helps to tell my story and make my image stronger. for the image above, having the two tourists within my frame helps me to depict just how grand and tall the statue of thomas jefferson is in real life. without those tourists next to him for scale, it would be hard to depict his huge size within a photo. instead of fighting the crowds, consider how they can help to tell your story and make your photo more affective.
.jpg "Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography")
7. Don’t Forget To Look Up
one of the best things about photographing at the jefferson memorial is that the opportunities for photos are endless. those who designed the memorial truly thought of every detail from the huge statue of jefferson, to the beautiful ceiling, to the words on the walls. be sure to take your time when photographing at the jefferson memorial and look in every direction, there is always something beautiful to see.
.jpg "Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography")
.jpg "Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography")
.jpg "Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography")
photographing along the national mall in washington dc is truly a wonderful experience and something everyone should have on their photography bucket list. as you prepare to photograph your way through history, be sure to keep these tips in mind to still get great photos, despite the crowds surrounding you.
be sure to join my exclusive email list to receive my latest photography tips and tutorials. it’s free!
need some photography tips + inspiration? check out what posts are trending below!
.jpg "Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography")
what exactly is lifestyle photography? lifestyle photography is a style of photography that documents the true and unposed moments of a subject within their surrounding. whether this is a child swinging on the swing, a baby waking up from nap, or heading out to grab some coffee, lifestyle photography focuses on those everyday natural moments. it also heavily relies on the photographer being creative with their composition and perspective in order to bring life to those everyday moments that may originally seem uninteresting.
need help photographing those everyday moments? be sure to check out the everyday photograph for inspiration.
this post contains affiliate links. thank you in advance for supporting bethadilly photography.
Lifestyle Photography: Tips For Photographing Natural Moments
.jpg "Lifestyle Photography: Tips For Photographing Natural Moments | Bethadilly Photography")
1. What Does Your Everyday Look Like?
in terms of lifestyle photography, think about what your everyday looks like. this will change from time to time, as you enter and leave certain life stages. for me, a year ago my day to day involved grabbing a cup of coffee and planting myself in front of a computer to edit all day. today, with a baby, my day to day looks much different. try and define what your everyday looks like and pinpoint what moments you would like to document with your camera.
.jpg "Lifestyle Photography: Tips For Photographing Natural Moments | Bethadilly Photography")
2. Get Creative With Angles
one of the biggest parts of lifestyle photography is composition. because our everyday moments may seem ordinary to us, being able to portray them in a compelling way within a frame is very important. it brings life to those little moments that make up our day to day. get creative with the angles you choose to photograph from as a way of photographing those natural moments in an eye-catching way.
.jpg "Lifestyle Photography: Tips For Photographing Natural Moments | Bethadilly Photography")
3. Read The Everyday Photograph
have you read the everyday photograph? it’s all about inspiring you to see the beauty in your everyday and document those ordinary moments in a beautiful way. be sure to get inspired by reading your own copy of the everyday photograph to see how you can create more interesting images as you go about your day to day. it will give you a boost of energy and inspire you to begin photographing your everyday, with 100 prompts to get you started.
.jpg "Lifestyle Photography: Tips For Photographing Natural Moments | Bethadilly Photography")
4. Be Patient
lifestyle photography involves patience and trial and error. be patient as you try to photograph a moment from a variety of different angles and be patient with yourself as you monitor the results. sometimes you will like the photos you take right away and other times you will look at the results and think, “yikes! that is not what i was going for!” realize that these moments of trial and error are moments of learning, so pick up your camera again and keep photographing.
.jpg "Lifestyle Photography: Tips For Photographing Natural Moments | Bethadilly Photography")
5. Find Humor And Have Fun
photography should be fun. and if you have children, let them see you having fun with your photography. if you are having fun, you are creating a light and carefree environment that will encourage more natural photographs. if the photography situation is turning stressful, it’s time to put down your camera and try again later. you don’t want to look back on your images and remember the stress of getting the shot, but instead look back on them and remember the fun you were having.
unsure of the best lenses to have? here are the only two lenses moms need to photograph their everyday.
.jpg "Lifestyle Photography: Tips For Photographing Natural Moments | Bethadilly Photography")
6. Consider Nostalgia
as you ponder what photos to take of your everyday, consider what you want to remember. that is why we take pictures, isn’t it? be sure to always keep memory making in mind as you think of things to photograph. lifestyle photography encourages you to photograph the natural moments, and there is nothing more natural about those repetitive moments that make up your day to day that you want to remember forever. whether those natural moments are how your dog sits by the front door in the evening as your spouse returns from work or how your baby lays sweetly on her tummy for a nap, bring out your camera for those predictable moments.
.jpg "Lifestyle Photography: Tips For Photographing Natural Moments | Bethadilly Photography")
7. Keep Your Camera Handy
lifestyle photograph is all about capturing those true and natural moments that accurately reflect your day to day. one of the biggest ways to do that is by always keeping your camera handy, as you will never know when those spontaneous moments will occur. make sure you are always ready for them by having your camera in a central location that is easy to grab on the spot. because when your dog looks up at your baby, adoringly as she eats, you don’t want to disrupt or miss the moment as you search for your camera.
photographing my everyday is one of my biggest passions because it allows me to enjoy my photography today, while savoring those everyday moments within images to enjoy tomorrow. how do you find it easy to photograph your everyday? be sure to share with us in the comment section below!
be sure to join my exclusive email list to receive my latest photography tips and tutorials. it’s free!
need some photography tips + inspiration? check out what posts are trending below!
.jpg "Lifestyle Photography: Tips For Photographing Natural Moments | Bethadilly Photography")
quite often lately, i have been asked about camera gear care and what i personally do to keep my own gear clean. being a thoroughly clean person naturally, it’s natural that it carries over into my care for my photography gear and ensuring that my camera gear stays in the best condition possible is always my biggest concern. to be honest, it is not what i do to clean my gear, but what i do all the time to ensure that my camera remains clean. i developed some very good habits early on in my journey with photography that have ensured that my gear remains in impeccable shape. when it comes to cleaning camera gear, here are 4 ways that i keep my gear clean.
i pick up my camera almost everyday to document our daily life adventures. be sure to inspire your everyday photography with my eBook the everyday photograph.
this post contains affiliate links. thank you in advance for supporting bethadilly photography.
Cleaning Camera Gear : 4 Essential Ways I Keep My Gear Clean
.jpg "Cleaning Camera Gear : 4 Ways I Keep My Gear Clean | Bethadilly Photography")
1. Keep Camera Body Pointed Down During Lens Removal
similar to what it pictured above, i always point my camera body down when removing my lenses. this means the back of the camera with the LCD screen is facing towards the ceiling and the front of the camera faces the floor. this ensures that the body of my camera isn’t facing up and exposed once the lens is off, helping to make sure that dust does not fall into the body. i learned this before i even took my first dslr out of it’s box and it has been a really integral part of keeping my camera body really clean.
2. Keep Lenses On
i can probably count on one hand how many times i remove my lenses from my camera bodies each year. it is basically never. i keep my lenses on my camera body always. by keeping my lenses attached to my camera bodies, i am narrowing any chance of dust getting inside of my camera body or in the lenses itself. i keep my wide angle lens on my nikon d750 an my portrait lens on my nikon d610, always. in addition to that, i always store my gear with my lenses on and lens caps on.
did you know i sold all of my camera gear, only keeping two lenses? read more about what lenses i kept.
3. Microfiber Cloths
while i have used lens pens in the past for quick touch ups, i have converted to only using microfiber cloths. i felt like the lens pens were in constant need of replacement and the cleaning pads on them didn’t stay in tact very well. i like how thorough the cleaning cloths are and use them to clean the front of my lenses.
4. Send In Camera Body For Cleaning
this is something i am super horrible about doing because i always forget to do it, but sending in my camera body to nikon for an annual cleaning is always a great idea. i find it hard to do this because i have to wait for my “off season” with photography clients (which rarely happens) and then, honestly, it slips my mind. but, when my husband reminds me, i try my best to do this when i can, even if it isn’t annually as recommended.
cleaning camera gear is really easy if you just develop the necessary habits. remember it is not what you do during cleaning, but what you do during use that really helps your camera to remain as clean as possible. do you have any tips for keeping camera gear clean? be sure to share your cleaning tips with us in the comment section below!
be sure to join my exclusive email list to receive my latest photography tips and tutorials. it’s free!
need some photography tips + inspiration? check out what posts are trending below!
.jpg "Cleaning Camera Gear : 4 Ways I Keep My Gear Clean | Bethadilly Photography")
Macro Photography : Fun Lenses To Try For Macro Photography - bethadilly - […] you back up all of your beautiful photographs? check out what ultimate photo storage solution i use to back up my […]