The Best Backup Services and Cloud Storage for Photographers | Tips for Keeping Your Files Safe and Organized

October 8, 2025

As a photographer, I can’t imagine anything scarier than losing all of my files. My clients would lose their precious memories and I would definitely never be hired again! It’s taken me years to figure out the best way to keep my files safe and organized, and I want to help you do the same! It takes some getting used to, and I still spend entire days going through old files (from before I had this system down) and putting them into folders. It’s taken some trial and error in terms of the best way to name folders and the easiest way to find the files later. But now, my files are exactly where I need them to be and I know they are safely backed up.

Backblaze and Smugmug are the two main services I use for backup and storage and they are game-changers. I use Backblaze as an online backup system that continuously backs up my external hard drives (all 5 of them and over 23 TB!) and it only costs $99/year for UNLIMITED STORAGE (!!!!!!). The best part is that you can access your files from anywhere and download them directly to your computer. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been traveling and realized I forgot to move some files onto my computer to edit. So I just log in to my Backblaze account, download the folder, and I can get straight to work. If one of your hard drives crashes, Backblaze can send you a new one with all of your files on it. When you log into your account, it’s basically a mirror image of your finder window, with all of your hard drives and folders exactly the way they look on your computer (see screenshot below). It’s actually the greatest service ever invented. Use this link to get a month of service from Backblaze for free!

I use Smugmug for all of my client galleries. I upload my edited images straight from Lightroom (using a lightroom plugin) into a gallery and then send the link to my clients. My favorite part about Smugmug is the app, which I use to download images from any of my galleries and upload to instagram, facebook, etc. I have the Portfolio plan which is $246/year and includes UNLIMITED storage. I have wedding galleries up there from 10 years ago that my clients can still access. They can also order prints and other gifts directly from the gallery. Use this link to sign up and get a free 14-day trial! I’m telling you, it’s so worth it. I keep all of my folders on smugmug super organized too, which makes the app even easier to navigate and find files when I’m traveling. See the screenshot below to get an idea of how you can organize your different types of photos!

Honestly, I’m always looking for the most affordable way to run my business (I’m a bit of a cheapskate) and these two services are life-changing to me as a photographer. I’ve spent a lot of hours researching backup services and gallery services, but these two take the cake for me. I’ve been using them both for YEARS and I haven’t had any issues.

After a photo shoot, I come home and upload the files to my hard drives, which are then safely backed up to Backblaze (so if my house burns down with my memory cards AND my hard drives, they are still safe). Then, after I’ve finished editing a shoot, I upload the final images to a Smugmug gallery. My files are then safely in 3 places, 2 of which are online, accessible from anywhere, and safe from a house fire.

In terms of organizing my hard drives, I wanted to share a screenshot sample of my folders. This has proven to be the best way to not lose files and it’s pleasing to look at with my OCD brain. I also scan my film negatives at home, so I keep those files separate from my digital files. Essentially, the format is YEAR>MONTH>PHOTOSHOOT. I also have video files and other things that I make sure to keep separate from my photography.

I hope this helps you find an easy and affordable way to keep your files safe. It can be overwhelming when you first start organizing everything, but it’s so worth it when it’s done. It’s also important to name your files something that you’ll remember, in case you need to find them later. When I export my final images, I make sure to use keywords that I won’t forget. For example, if you took a trip to Florida with your family, you could name the files FloridaFamilyTrip2020. Then, ten years from now you won’t have a hard time finding the images.

If you found this post helpful or if you’d like to see more of my work, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards cameras, film & processing. Find out more here!

Please feel free to leave any questions or comments below, I’m happy to help! I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during this crazy time!

<3 Myles Katherine

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

Fujifilm 200 Color Negative 35 mm Film Review with Sample Photos in Paris, France!

July 23, 2025

(By using the affiliate links and/or codes in this blog post it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

For years, I’ve always gravitated towards Kodak film stocks, but lately I’ve been branching out and trying more Fujifilm options. There’s something incredibly nostalgic about 35 mm Fujifilm, probably because it was common in the 80s and 90s for disposable cameras to be pre-loaded with a version of color Fujifilm or Kodak, and I specifically remember the way that Fujifilm disposable looked from my childhood.

I decided to try out the Fujifilm 200 Color Negative film with my Canon Rebel K2 while I was in Paris, France. I have a full blog post and YouTube video about the Canon Rebel K2, if you’d like to learn more about it! It’s a fairly average 35 mm camera, but I find it to be the perfect travel camera, especially if you’re just getting into film photography.

Going through these photos from my trip to Paris reminds me of why I love shooting film photography on my trips. Every image just feels sentimental and memorable. With film photography, there is just more thought and decisiveness that goes into creating an image than it does with digital photography. Every photo costs money, so each one is intentional and important to me.

Overall, I’m pleasantly surprised by this film in that it captured quite a bit of detail in the shadows for a 200 ISO film. I do find it to be a bit grainy for a 200 speed film, but the color tones are beautiful. I absolutely love the slight green tint that I find Fujifilm to have because it’s almost as if the images have already aged a bit. It reminds me of looking through old photographs from my childhood that have turned a bit dusty or discolored after sitting in the photo album for a decade or two. Sometimes though, the slight green tint can become a bit difficult to deal with in post-processing if you’re photographing out in nature or with lots of foliage. There can just be too much green. In those situations, I’d probably prefer to use something like Kodak Portra 160 or 400 because they have more natural color tones.

For the price though, Fujifilm 200 Color Negative is a fun, reliable film stock. I don’t find it to be too oversaturated, which can be an issue with other low-price film stocks. One issue I tend to have with cheaper film is with skin tones. I often end up having to pull out red, yellows, and oranges but I didn’t find myself doing that with this film. I actually didn’t want to mess with the color tones too much in post-processing because the magic of Fujifilm is that it does have that vintage greenish tint to it.

I definitely want to try out this film with one of my more expensive 35 mm cameras so that I can really see what it’s capable of, especially with a wider aperture that may decrease the visible grain. But overall, I have no regrets using this film on my trip to Paris and I will definitely continue to try this film out more in the future!

WHERE TO BUY FUJIFILM FUJICOLOR 200 35 MM FILM

Amazon

B&H Photo

Or pick up a Fujifilm disposable camera if you really want to go for the full retro film vibe!

I’ve included a full roll of images from Paris using my Canon Rebel K2 below. I hope this post helps you decide if Fujifilm 200 is something you want to try out! If you’re on the hunt for other 35 mm color films, make sure to check out my post The Best Color Film for 35 mm Cameras | Top 5 Best 35 mm Color Films.

If you found this post helpful or inspiring, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards cameras, film & processing.

If you have any questions, I’m always happy to help! You can contact me here, or leave a comment below! Thanks so much for stopping by! You can also check out my B&H Photo storefront & Amazon Storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :) Have a magical day!

<3 Myles Katherine

Minolta AF Tele 35 mm Camera Review with Kodak UltraMax 400 Sample Photos in San Diego, California

June 28, 2025

When I stumbled across the Minolta AF Tele in an antique shop and noticed it was fully functioning, I knew I’d found a gem. I’m always on the hunt for vintage point-and-shoot cameras because they are great for traveling and because they each have their own character and vibe when it comes to the photos. I have another 35 mm Minolta camera, the Minolta Maxxum STsi, which is one of my all-time favorite 35 mm cameras. You can read my full review of that camera here! Before the Minolta Maxxum STsi, I’d never had any experience with Minolta cameras, but I’m started to learn that they are definitely a standout when it comes to vintage cameras.

I decided to take the Minolta AF Tele with me on a recent trip to San Diego and I’m obsessed with how the images turned out. Not only was it incredibly easy to use, the photographs also have the perfect retro film vibe that I wanted for my California photos.

HISTORY

The Minolta AF Tele was originally produced in the late 1980s to early 1990s and was created as an accessible camera for beginners and professionals alike. The specific model of the camera featured in this blog post was manufactured in Japan. You can check the bottom of the camera for an imprint to see where yours was produced! The Minolta brand, in general, is a Japanese company, though some of the Minolta cameras are manufactured in other countries as well. I’ve learned over the years that if I see that a camera was produced in Japan, it’s usually a slam dunk. They also typically have a nice aesthetic design and seemingly last forever.

Point-and-shoot cameras really started to gain traction in the 1980s so it was a bit of a competition between all of the major camera companies to produce amazing compact film cameras that were easy to use for the average consumer. The Minolta AF Tele was one of those cameras, though maybe not quite as popular as cameras like the Canon Sure Shot ( I’m still on the hunt for one of these). I find it to be unique and interesting and I definitely never plan to give mine up!

(By using the affiliate links and/or codes in this blog post it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

FEATURES

The standout feature of this camera is it’s dual lens system. While it is a compact camera, the lens has two different focal lengths that you can easily switch between. There is a 35 mm f/2.8 lens and a 60 mm f/4.3 telephoto lens. There are other versions of this camera, like the Minolta AF Tele Super, that have slightly different lens options built into the camera.

The Minolta AF Tele also has a built-in flash, a fill-flash button, a self-timer, auto advance, auto rewind, and a tripod mount. This camera is fully autofocus, so there is no need to worry about taking the time to manually focus. However, this also means there are really no manual features at all, so you’re a bit limited when it comes to creativity.

There is also no option for multiple exposures. There is a film rewind button on the bottom of the camera, but it rewinds the film roll all the way back to the beginning, so you will be shooting over your entire roll. While you can still overlap images in this way, it gives you way less control than a camera with a dedicated multiple exposure feature.

The fill-flash button is also a nice addition to the camera, especially if you are shooting with a subject that is back-lit. The main flash will automatically come on when the camera senses there is not enough light, but it’s nice to have the option to turn the fill-flash on when needed.

The camera will automatically set the ISO for your film as well, as long as the film is DX coded, which most films are.

It takes a Lithium CR-P2 battery or two AA batteries, which is a very interesting feature I’ve never seen before in a camera. But it’s definitely nice for those moments when your battery dies on you while traveling and AA batteries are the only ones you can find.

And obviously, one of the best things about these point-and-shoot cameras is that they are compact and easy to travel with! While the Minolta AF Tele is a bit more bulky that other cameras of its class, it is still a nice, small size compared to 35 mm cameras with detachable lenses and zoom lenses.

Lens fully extended

Back of the camera

FINAL THOUGHTS

I’m kind of obsessed with this camera. The dual lens system is just plain fun to experiment with and gives you that little bit of extra zoom when you’re traveling if you see something farther away that you’d like to photograph. I’m also pleasantly surprised by the sharpness of the lens, especially at the 35 mm setting. It seems a little softer when using the 60 mm lens option. I’m a little bit bummed that there is no multiple exposure option, but I usually assume this is the case with most point-and-shoot cameras from that time period. It’s a rare feature that most people didn’t care for, particularly the average, everyday consumer. This camera is somewhat limited in terms of creativity, considering it doesn’t have any manual features other than the fill-flash, but it’s still a super fun point-and-shoot that is great for capturing candid moments with friends and family, and for traveling with a 35 mm film camera that doesn’t weigh a million pounds or take up a ton of space in your bag.

This is definitely one of those cameras I’ll just quickly grab when I’m running out the door for a family day or a night out with friends. I’m sure it will be joining me on many more trips in the future too. If you see this one out in the wild, snatch it up! I got lucky and found mine for $20, but it seems that the average going rate is about $25 to $70. I’d pick one of these up sooner rather than later if I were you, because these vintage point-and-shoots just keep getting more and more popular!

For these photos, I used Kodak UltraMax 400 35 mm film, but if you’d like more film recommendations, make sure to check out my blog post, The Best Color Film for 35 mm Cameras!

WHERE TO BUY THE MINOLTA AF TELE 35MM CAMERA

<3 Myles Katherine

SAMPLE PHOTOS

And of course, I have to share all of my favorite photos from my trip to San Diego with you!!!