1. Cloud Photo Storage
By Neil Schmidt

2. Photo Back-up Techniques
None
DVD’s or flash-drive(s)
External hard drive
Social web (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat)
Computer backup (Carbonite, Acronis, etc.)
Cloud photo storage

3. Cloud Photo Storage advantages
Safe way to keep photos
All your photos accessible anywhere
Inexpensive (free?)
Auto sync upload from PC & mobile
May be used to organize or edit photos
Photos easily shared with others

4. One Recommendation For Safety
For complete safety of your photos:
Store all on your PC hard drive
Keep a copy of your most precious ones in a safe or at a remote location
Keep a copy of all in the cloud on at least one site (Professional photographers often use two sites)

5. Some Things to Look For Backup only: Organizer also:
Cost (free MB + “extra” storage)
File formats (JPEG, TIFF, RAW, video, etc.)
Auto sync PC & mobile upload (use “PhotoSync” app if not available)
Full restoration (download) capability
Organizer also:
Organizational ability
Searching ability
Photo editing

6. Organized “Folder” Based Storage
Asia
Trips
folder
France
2005
Pictures
Europe
Trips
folder
Italy
2010
folder
folder
folder
Family
Photos
folder
Images reside in lowest subfolder; duplicate images may be needed
Typically you can’t tag or query folder storage systems

7. “Organizer” Based Storage
albums, folders or galleries
Asia
Trips
album
France
2005
Photo Bucket
Europe
Trips
album
Italy
2010
album
Photostream
(timeline)
album
Family
Photos
album
Images reside in a photo bucket; albums/galleries only point to the images
Tags & queries can be used to find or group things

8. “Tagging” Is Power
Tagging is used to find individual or groups of photos
Tagging info is usually stored in the image’s Metadata (EXIF)
“Keyword” tags (people, places, things)
Other tags (titles, comments, GPS location)
You can query for individual tags or multiple tags at once

9. Organizing Terms Used
Each photo cloud service uses one or two of the following terms for grouping photos:
Albums – Book that holds photographs
Galleries – Group or collection of photos
Folders – Collection of photo files
Collections – Grouping of photos
Services use these names differently:
Folders/Albums (OneDrive)
Collections/Albums (Flickr)
Folders/Galleries (SmugMug)
Tip: Before you start tagging & grouping, determine your desired organizational structure

10. How Much Storage is Needed?
Individual photo file size is dependent on:
Camera quality (mega-pixels/photo)
Camera image compression (RAW, fine, normal, etc.)
Photo image size:
1st digital camera (3 MP): ~0.4 MB/image
iPhone 6 (8 MP camera): ~4 MB/image
Cannon G7X (20 MP): ~5.5 MB/image (RAW:~22 MB)
Commercially scanned slide: ~10 MB/image
My case: 53 GB (60k images, avg. 0.9 MB/image)
To check: With Windows File Explorer, highlight picture folders & right click to get Properties

11. “Folder” Based Storage Options
Box (folders)
10 GB free, 100 GB= $79.99/yr.
MediaFire (folders)
10 GB free, +2 GB PC app. +2 GB mobile app, 1 TB=$49.99/yr.
Google Drive (folders) - This is not Google Photos
15 GB free, 100 GB= $23.88/yr., 1 TB= $119.88/yr.
Dropbox (folders hybrid)
2 GB free, 1 TB= $99.99/yr., +1 GB/referral
Microsoft OneDrive (folders hybrid)
5 GB free, 50 GB+ $23.88/yr., 1 TB= $69.99/yr. incl. Office 365

12. “Organized” Cloud Storage Options
Amazon Photos
Free unlimited photos for Prime & $12.99/yr. for non-Prime
Flickr
1 TB free, 200 MB/month max., 30 MB/image max., HD video 90 sec. max.; no limits Pro= $49.99/yr.
Google Photos
Free unlimited (16 MP max./photo, 1080p max video); No limit photo/video size plan: 15 GB free, 100 GB=$23.88, 1 TB= $119.88/yr.
SmugMug
Unlimited $40/yr., HD video 10 min. max.

13. Many Other Photo Storage Choices
iCloud
deviantART
Shutterfly
Zoomr
OtherAlbum
Pict
Phanfare
DropShots
Zenfolio
Fotki
Divvyshot
Snapfish
Photoshop.com
500px
Photobucket
SugarSync
Fotolog
LiveBooks
Snapixel
PhotoShelter
MobileMe Gallery
Etc.,etc. etc…
RedBubble

14. Comment about “Free” Services
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook:
“We believe the customer should be in control of their own information. You might like these so-called free services, but we don’t think they’re worth having your , your search history and now even your family photos data mined and sold off for god knows what advertising purpose. And we think some day, customers will see this for what it is.”

15. Photo System Demonstation
Microsoft OneDrive (onedrive.live.com)
Amazon Photos (amazon.com/clouddrive)
Flickr (flickr.com)
Google Photos (photos.google.com)
SmugMug (smugmug.com)
Note: See presentation document on CAT Web Site ( for supplemental material on all cloud photo systems evaluated.

16. Let’s look at some photo storage systems…

17. Advantages and Disadvantages
Cloud Service
Advantage
Disadvantage
OneDrive
Timeline & album view
Auto tagging + manual tagging
Places view
Search on tags
Easy download via folders
Only 5 GB free storage
Only 1 layer organization
Manual tagging difficult
Can’t reorg. albums or photos within albums
Can’t reorg. tags
Limited searching
Amazon Photos
Free unlimited with Prime
Sort albums by name
Very limited organization
Can’t reorg. albums or within albums
No tagging or searching
Flickr
Free 1 TB of storage
5 layer organization
Reorganize everything
Magic View (auto tag)
Mapping
Searching
Advertising
Navigation not intuitive
No auto tags (face recognition)
Cumbersome download via Photostream
Yahoo???

18. Advantages and Disadvantages
Cloud Service
Advantage
Disadvantage
Google Photos
Free unlimited storage
Timeline & album view
Auto tagging incl. face recognition
Easy (auto) photo organization
Reorganize within albums
Searching
Movies, animations, collages
14 MB max. limit/image
Only 1 layer organization
Can’t create own tags
Can’t add to existing tags
Can’t reorg. albums or tags
Cumbersome download via timeline
Google data mining
SmugMug
7 layer organization
Unlimited (manual) tagging
Reorganize everything
Mapping
Links to Adobe programs
Easy download via albums
Customized web design
Cost ($40/yr.)
No timeline view of all photos
No auto tags (face recognition)

19. Supplemental Material

20. Comparison Chart Free Paid Albums Organize Tags Sync Editor Box 10 GB
Folders N
$80/YR.
Dropbox
2 GB
$100, 1TB Y
Alb. only
PC, M
OneDrive
5 GB
$24M 50GB
iCloud
$12, 50 GB
MediaFire
$24, 100GB
Irista
15 GB
$??, 1TB
Amazon
No limit -
Shutterfly M
Flickr
1 TB
$50, no limit
Google
SmugMug
$40, no limit

21. Box 10 GB free, 100 GB= $79.99/yr., no limit=$180
Basic folders only system
Any file format can be used (JPEG, RAW, etc.)
Sharing is by folder only (not by image)
No auto sync (unless $79.99 plan)
No albums or reorganizing available
No tagging or searching available
No photo editing

22. MediaFire
19 GB free, +2 GB desktop app, +2 GB mobile app, +1 GB Facebook, +1 GB Twitter, +1 GB/referral
100 GB= $24/yr., 1 TB=$60/yr.
Auto sync via PC and mobile
Folders only
No reorganization
No tagging and search
No photo editing

23. Dropbox 2 GB free, 1 TB= $99.99/yr., +1 GB/referral
Any file format can be used (JPEG, RAW, etc.)
Can create albums, add comments and include names
Auto sync via PC and moble
Sharing by folder only (not by image)
No reorganization (other than album grouping)
No tagging or seaching
No photo editing

24. Microsoft Onedrive
5 GB free, 50 GB $23.88/yr., 1TB $82.88/yr. incl. Office 365
Any file format can be used (JPEG, RAW, etc.)
“Photo” category built-in to OneDrive
Albums
Auto sync PC & mobile
Auto tags + add your own, search on tags
Location mapping
No Editing
No reorganization (other than album grouping)

25. Apple iCloud Photo Library
5 GB free, 50 GB= $11.88/yr., 200 GB= $35.88/yr., 1 TB= $119.88/yr.
Albums
Sharing and AirDrop (iOS only)
Auto sync via PC and mobile
Location mapping
Basic photo editing
Access pics on PC or any mobile via iCloud.com
Hi Res stored in iCloud, smaller versions on iOS device (saves space)
No reorganizing (other than album grouping)
No tagging and search

26. Cannon Irista New photo storage system available to everyone
15 MB free, 1 TB= ???
Auto sync (mobile)
Social import
Galleries
Sharing
No tagging or search
No reorganization (other than album grouping)
No photo editing

27. Amazon Photos
Free unlimited photo for Prime ($12.99/yr. for non-Prime)
Fee 5 GB video storage (Unlimited everything= $59.99/yr.)
File formats- JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF, and most TIFF and RAW
Can create albums
No reorganization (other than album grouping)
No editing

28. Shutterfly
Free unlimited (JPEG photos only & 10 videos at 300 MB max.)
Albums
Organizer
Basic photo editor
Sharing
Create and order photo products
Charge for full resolution recovery (only via DVD’s)
No tagging or search
No auto sync
No location mapping
Advertising

29. Flickr
1 TB free, 200 MB/month max., 30 MB/image max., HD video 90 sec. max.; no limits Pro= $49.99/yr.
File types: JPEG, GIF, PNG, TIFF (no RAW)
Organizer: albums, collections (up to 5 layers), galleries, comments, tags, GPS, meta data, Magic View
Location mapping
Search by tag, date, location
Good editor

30. Flickr Creations, print photos
Has advertising (No adds: Pro=$49.99/yr.)
Set default privacy=“private”, search visibility=“hidden”
Several uploaders available:
Uploader: drag & drop & sub-folders
Schedulr: set schedule for uploading
PhotoSync: 2-way sync via “watch” folder
FlickrSync: 1-way auto photo sync
Yahoo????

31. Google Photos Free unlimited (16 MP max./photo, 1080p max video
No limit photo/video size plan: 15 GB free, 100 GB=$23.88, 1 TB= $119.88/yr.
File types: JPEG, WEBP, PNG, RAW, video
Auto created tags for people (facial recognition), places, things
Albums, description

32. Google Photos Search by date, album, description, tags
Auto sync via PC and mobile
Basic editing
Create albums, movies, stories, animations, collages
Reorganization within albums
Cannot manually create or change tags

33. SmugMug Unlimited storage= $40.yr., HD video 10 min. max.
File types: JPEG, PNG, TIFF
Extra charge for RAW (SmugVault= $1.68/yr. + $0.11/GB upload, $0.16/GB download)
Organizer: folders (up to 7 layers), galleries, tags, keywords, title, caption, comments

34. SmugMug Search by date, tag, keywords, title, caption
Basic editing + advanced editing (PicMonkey)
Recovery only by discrete groups such as galleries
Location mapping
Customizable web pages
No built-in auto uploader (several apps available

35. Photoshop E. & Lightroom Links
Image transfer links are automatically setup between Photoshop Elements, Photoshop CC, Lightroom and Flickr & SmugMug
Allows easy uploading to these two cloud services

36. Auto Syncing Photo Uploads
Some cloud services do not have Auto Syncing for both PC & mobile devices
Adobe’s Photoshop CC, Elements & Lightroom all have plug-in tools for easily uploading to Flickr and SmugMug
“PhotoSync”- Good external photo syncing app
Transfer photos & videos to your favorite cloud or photo service like:
Dropbox, Amazon Cloud Drive, Flickr, Google+/Picasa, Google Drive, Facebook, SmugMug, Zenfolio, Box, 500px, OneDrive, SugarSync
Transfer “to and from PC”, “between mobile devices”, and “from camera via wireless SD card”
Can be set to auto transfer when you arrive at certain locations (geo-fencing)
Cost= $2.99 (mobile app), $0 (desktop app)

37. Some Good Mobile Photo Editors
Enlight ($3.99, iPhone/iPad)
Masks, filters, skew/refit canvas
Photogene4 ($2.99, iPhone/iPad)
Also video editor
Edit meta data including GPS location
Histogram, curves
Pixelmator ($4.99, iPhone/iPad)
Selection: free, elliptical/rectangular/MagicWand/paint
Distort, filters, layers
Snapseed (free, Google)
Masks, filters, histogram, healing, transform
Lightroom Mobile (free)
Presets (filters), histogram
Adjust: auto tone, clarity vibrancy, etc., etc.

38. The End…