I'm at a bit of a crossroads. This blog has always been about desert photography (well, mostly) and a place to document my hikes. I want to stay true to that purpose. However, I don't get out to the desert nearly as much as I used to, which means I either need to post less often, or post from the archives. Going forward, I will probably do a little of both. We will see...
I have a program on my laptop called Microsoft OneDrive. I was using it to back up my photos and other files to the cloud. In theory, it would keep me from losing any files in the event of a laptop meltdown. Unfortunately, OneDrive was an abysmal failure. It would take too long to go into details, but trust me, it's bad. About the only good thing I can say about OneDrive is it sends me a daily email titled "On This Day." If I click the link, it shows me all the photos I've taken over the years on that day. Pretty cool! I have many thousands of photos on my hard drive, so it's always fun to review photos taken over the years. Today's post is just a couple favorites from September 12 (give or take a day or two).
 |
| "Get out of the way, Grandpa!!" Lilly was 5 when I took this photo. Before long, she'll be driving for real!😟 |
Out by Stirrup Tank in Joshua Tree National Park, and one of the most dynamic skies I've seen. There were curtains of rain on the horizon, all lit up in yellow from the setting sun. A little later in the afternoon on the same day at Stirrup Tank, the curtain of rain had moved a little east and was losing its yellow color and picking up some pink color. I was so lucky to have the silhouette up on the rock to give perspective to the photo. A very memorable afternoon! I'm curious what people are using (if anything) to back up files? I no longer subscribe to OneDrive, so just doing it the old fashioned way (backing up to an external drive when I can remember to do it). The weak link in this approach is me remembering to do it!
Thanks for stopping by!!
Oh, wow, Lilly shone bright at five!! These are gorgeous scenes. I backup my files on an external hard drive every now and then. I prefer not using the cloud, although appreciate my blog photos are there ... that is until some surprise changes from blogger come along.
ReplyDelete...the vastness of nature sure can make a person lok insignificant. I can see why Lilly is the light of your life!
ReplyDeleteDearest Peter,
ReplyDeleteThe Stirrup Tank photo stands out here!
As for your subjects—this is YOUR blog so you are free to write and post anything you like.
So far with iCloud on all of my Apple devices I've never had any problems.
Hugs,
Mariette
I do the same as you - I back up blog files to an external drive.
ReplyDeleteWow! Awesome sky shots and Lily is adorable ~ sweet photo ~ time flies ~ eh?
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love, in your days,
clm ~ A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
ps ~ have an Apple laptop and backup to icloud for very small free per month ~
Love the shots no matter when they were taken.
ReplyDeleteAll lovely photos. I used to back up on an external drive but then one fine day it got corrupted and I lost all my photos so now I back up on Google.
ReplyDeleteI use an external drive. Meanwhile, post whatever you like. Blogs can evolve or at least change a lot as our lives change.
ReplyDeleteI have iCloud which connects to my phone. I know there are others that might work for you. There's also a thing called IFTTT (if this then that, I think it was). It automates things for you, where if you do one thing, it'll automatically update other things. It may help, it may not.
ReplyDeleteIt's your blog, so you can make it be whatever you want it to be. If not desert photography, maybe just the photography you do right now.
The same feature I like about Google Photos is that it reminds me of "major" events or just some photos that I don't remember anymore.
ReplyDeleteWorth a Thousand Words
Sky captures are awesome. Lily is so cute!
ReplyDeletecurtains of rains. Thats fantastic phrase. Beautiful capture
ReplyDeleteI hope that you will continue to write and take photos wherever life takes you. And if you choose to share them on a blog I'll certainly read them. My own walks are getting shorter every year.
ReplyDeleteAmazing series of photos, I'm always backup my photos to Computer and External Harddisk Drive but some times HDD corrupted, Some my mobile photos also backup in Google Photos. Loved the post. Greetings.
ReplyDeleteReflecting on significant events On This Day reminds us how history shapes our present, whether in automotive innovation or global achievements. As we honor these milestones, it's essential to look ahead and ensure we have the right tools and resources for future advancements. FleetsWorld is a leading platform providing top-quality parts and services to help you stay ahead in the automotive world. For those seeking reliable components and expert advice, FleetsWorld is an invaluable resource.
ReplyDeleteWe back-up on a cloud and hard drive. These are magnificent shots!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely detest OneDrive and Microsoft's attempts to shove it down my throat. I pay for my cloud backup service with Carbonite which works reliably and efficiently in the background and never really present until needed. It is unlimited storage and they haven't changed a single feature in the 20 years I've used it. It just backs up all the files that I want no questions asked.
ReplyDeleteConversely, it has taken me months since I got my new computer to remove OneDrive from hogging system resources and always pestering me to sign up.
I save my pictures on 3 different hard drives these days
ReplyDeleteAlmost all my photos disappeared when my hard drive crashed a number of years ago
I back my iPhone (I take my pictures using one) to iCloud and I pay $2.99 for extra storage. But for my PC, I use an external hard drive. I used to also back up my iPhone pictures onto my PC but since iDrive was rolled out, I can't do that anymore. I don't appreciate how Microsoft tries to strongarm users into using their Cloud storage. (getting off soapbox). I am sure I would enjoy picture from your archives, but why not just use what you take pictures of now? No blogging police are going to arrest you for going off-topic. Times change, we change, and you take great photos, no matter the subject.
ReplyDeleteAs IT people in previous life, we have the habit to backup systematically. We had lost some precious video files due to a faulty drive, so we have multiple copies on several drives. We also use MS One Drive and Google Drive, more for temporarily staging files.
ReplyDeleteI love to go back and read previous postings or looking at pictures. It keeps those memories alive. I enjoy reading yours, whatever it's about. Love your pictures!
Have a good weekend.
I should say copies on several external drives.
DeleteGreat photos as usual. My husband likes that feature as well. I use an old school hard drive to backup my photos. I have been burned a few times and have lost many photos through the years.
ReplyDeleteExternal drive is my old fashioned way too. I love that photo of your grandkid and also the straggley sunflower.
ReplyDeleteI love all of your photos. I don't have a good system for backing things up. I too thought of One Drive but never used it. I also have a large amount of space on a hard drive, access to Amazon photos (which I never use) and have thought about using storage with a photo editor program. I'm afraid I've done nothing to research any of the pros and cons but the thing that hampers me is what to do if I get tired of subscriptions to any one of them.
ReplyDeleteVery nice photo and good writing to go with it. Onedrive I haven't had for a long time either. Usually put my photos on a usb stick and on an external drive I also did in the beginning. But the USB sticks work better for me because I can see better from there what I will want to use sometimes for my 2 blogs. And I also make Yt Films of some photos and that is a backup as well. Sometimes put i it some google pictures but not always. On my laptop I also have a lot of space but I am always afraid that if it crashes the photos will be gone. And yes the blog photos are also in Blogger management albums and I think it is ok. Something pays on the internet i do not. Wish you a nice weekend. Greetings from the Netherlands.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love to jump through time and a great photo and a good story are always timeless, aren't they? I'm an old-fashioned server of my photographs, and I'm happy I do so.
ReplyDeleteLove your desert stories so, so much, Peter.
I , like many others use an external hard drive. Your photos are incredible and amazing.
ReplyDeleteI started a blog about riding and training my mules at our farm.
Now, it is about anything that I happen to be interested in.
Including photography.
Wow again incredible colors in these photos but it also shows how far the creators of digital techniques have come. Nice work nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteA splendid series you showcase here! And I love the silhouetted person on the rock. It sure gives an immense feeling to the size when I first thought it was something maybe ten feet tall. I agree with you regarding OneDrive. If I'm not mistaken, it doesn't allow you to upload RAW images; just JPEGs. So it's really only beneficial for cellphone users as their primary camera, IMHO.
ReplyDeleteHowever beautiful the nature photos, they can't compete with that of the shear joy of your granddaughter. Sorry, not sorry. :-) And thanks for the reminder: will create some albums in different spots. Not just in 'the cloud' but also on USB sticks as well as in physical albums.
ReplyDeleteLove the photos, especially the skies at Joshua Tree—gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteLilly is adorable!
This is a great set of photos. I love the one of Lily. It's perfect. I'm an Apple girl so my photos get backed up to the iCloud these days. However, before iCloud, I used an external drive and backed up on Flickr. I still get photos off the external drive today but I'm slowing trying to move them to the cloud. It's been a tedious job so far.
ReplyDeleteFunny you should mention OneDrive. Where I work is a Microsoft Office and they use One Drive. When I say "they", I mean the people I work with. I on the other hand have never figured out how it helps with anything. I can never find anything there.
Cute pic of your Granddaughter!!! And what a cool function "On this day"!
ReplyDeleteI also use external drives.
Great photos, It's nice to see the old ones too. I backup my photos to an external harddrive and have been doing that for years.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos, as always. I have OneDrive as well, but also an external hard drive. Google photos and Amazon photos are other options I have used as well. And, Norton, my security software has a backup feature, which runs automatically.
ReplyDeleteI never had OneDrive, so all I get is what's visible in that occasional email. I have in the past moved photos from my phone to folders on my computer, and then to a flash stick. But have I done it lately? No. Have I done it in the past several years? No. I need a way with fewer steps.
ReplyDeletePeter, I have just scrolled and read through your posts way back to June and I so enjoyed this virtual vacation spent mostly in Joshua Tree NP! Congratulations on completing your goal of catching the Milky Way each month. Your photos as always are wonderful and I am certainly glad you survived the horrible heat. (Skipping those temps is certainly one advantage to taking only a virtual hike in the desert!). The other and better advantage is seeing the beauty of corners of this park where we've never been and will never be able to get to. Seeing it through your eyes and camera is probably even better! thank you for sharing. (And I also enjoyed the beach and marveling at your granddaughter as sweet and charming now as she was in this memory photo. (Also thank you for letting me know that OneDrive isn't worth it...I have a new PC and keep getting emails about it.).
ReplyDeleteIt's always a joy to see your photos. I back up my photos to a back-up drive... when I remember! I should put myself a little alarm or something to do it on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteWell, I rely on iCloud, except that I don't subscribe to anything but the limited free edition.
ReplyDeleteYou were right in your comment at my blog, we seem to be about in the same situation. I am choosing fot a combination of recent photos and olders shots from my archive.
ReplyDeleteOlder shots of grandchildren are always a nice treat, I think. Your fourth photo is great!
For backning up my photos I uese OneDrive and an extra external HD.
Great shots! The one of Lilly is enchanting.
ReplyDeleteI used back up drives for a long time, but then it just got too cumbersome, and I’ve heard of many of them failing. The photos on my blog are safe for now. I back up to the cloud, but I don’t know if that’s reliable long-term. I print some of my favorite pictures, especially of my family.
Great photo memories! Good examples of why we enjoy this hobby (obsession?).
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago, I had two major computer crashes and started searching for better back-up solutions. A referral from a professional photographer led me to a company called Backblaze. It's a fairly low fee and they continuously back up your system to their drives. I had another hard drive crash six months ago and was able to restore everything thanks to Backblaze. Needless to say, happy camper here. https://www.backblaze.com/home-v1
Lovely photos :D
ReplyDeleteI missed this one but I have to agree that is the way forward, I don't use onedrive either I back mine on a hard drive and use Google
ReplyDeleteI took my granddaughter to Drivers Ed. this summer...they grow up too quick. I love that photo and the one below it.
ReplyDeleteI post a lot from the archives, almost all the time on my one blog because I never get out now. I am blessed enough to have got some shots of an osprey from the yard here, and we do see eagles every now and then. Otherwise, I have to drive too far to get to where I can enjoy being out...and hate leaving my husband that long. I quit blogging for a long time and now only every other day. And may reduce it more.
You have transformed my view of 'deserts', but if your blog continues in another direction, I'll still be here. Your sensational photography is worth every visit.
ReplyDeleteI’d say my blog is my back-up drive. I use the cloud, but I’m aware that it’s just a bunch of servers in an air-conditioned warehouse. I’ve had backup hard drives and they never seem to work seamlessly, especially now that I am working off of both my iPad and my laptop. I still print some pictures too.
ReplyDelete