You’re not looking to pick up an extra career in the tech world but you do want to understand the basics so you can make sure your digital photographs are all safe. If that’s you, I know exactly how you feel!
I’m happy to help you skip as much tech jargon as possible, but there is one tech subject you need to know about to get your digital photographs organized: hard drives.
Let’s break this down in the simplest terms — here’s how I’d explain an external hard drive if I were talking to a child!
You know how you save things on your computer? Every file you save — photos, documents, videos — takes up a little space on the computer’s hard drive. Think of it like putting stuff in a closet.
Some closets are big, some are small, but eventually, any closet can run out of space. If you cram too much into your computer’s “closet” (its hard drive), it can start having trouble running properly. And photos? They can fill up that closet fast.
An external hard drive is like adding an extra closet. It plugs into your computer but sits separately, maybe on your desk. You can save all kinds of files to it, including photos, instead of (or in addition to) saving them on your computer. You can even have multiple external hard drives — one just for your pictures!
Imagine opening a big closet in your house and finding every photo you’ve ever taken, neatly organized in boxes. Even your ancestors’ photos, sorted by year. That’s what an external hard drive can do for your digital life.
So why is it so important to store your photos on one?
Simple: To be truly photo-organized, your pictures need to live in multiple places.
This is a rule I live by myself. I keep one copy of my photos in Amazon Photos and another copy on my external hard drive.
I talk to people every day who’ve lost or damaged their photos — it’s more common (and more heartbreaking) than you might think. If you only have one copy of a photo, you’re putting those memories at risk.
A cloud service like Amazon Photos is a great option for one backup, but… what if your account gets hacked? What if the service goes down, or they decide to shut it down altogether? What happens to your pictures?
That’s where the external hard drive comes in.
By keeping a digital copy of your photos on an external hard drive, you’re not relying solely on the cloud. You’ve got a backup you control.
For anyone wondering, I personally use the Western Digital Desktop External Hard Drive. It’s super easy to use and gives me a little extra peace of mind knowing my photos have a safe, reliable backup.
And if you’re looking for even more help getting the most enjoyment out of your photos, check out the other ways we can connect:
👉 Grab my free Photo Resource Guide – it’s packed with tools, apps, and simple steps to get started.
👉 Check out my book, Beyond the Storm – a powerful blend of true stories and practical advice for safeguarding your photos.
👉 Check out my course – Save Your Story will walk you through every step of taking your pile of old print photos and turning them into safe, organized digital files!
👉 Want to join the photo organizing CRUISE? This is the most fun Picture Person getaway and YOU are invited to join! Check out The Great Photo Voyage and be sure and sign up soon, space is limited!
Or follow along on social media! Check out Instagram and YouTube to get my latest information.