How I Protect Your Digital Memories (And How You Can, Too)

While updating my contracts recently, I found myself thinking about all the behind-the-scenes steps I take to protect one of the most valuable things I can deliver to you — your digital memories. These aren’t just images, they’re the story of love and your adventure in Moab’s wild beauty.

Now, if you’ve read through my contract, you might’ve noticed a section that sounds pretty strict. (I see you, Section 7.) In short, it states that I’m not liable for certain unforeseeable events like equipment failure or a meteor shower taking out my hard drive. Okay, not that exactly — but you get the idea. This language is important because things can go wrong in the digital world. But I want you to know that I don’t just leave it up to chance. I have systems in place to protect your images every step of the way.

Here’s what that looks like:

My Workflow: How I Guard Your Gallery

Before the big day: We set clear expectations. I use a detailed wedding day questionnaire and two pre-wedding planning calls to make sure I understand what matters most to you: any must-have moments, special guests, and sentimental details.

During your wedding: I shoot with TWO Canon R6 mirrorless cameras, each with dual card slots. That means every photo I take is automatically backed up as I shoot it. If one card fails, I’ve got the other. If both fail on one camera (wildly rare), I’ve got a second camera also capturing the day. Double cameras + double memory cards = extra peace of mind.

After the wedding: Your images are downloaded to my secure work computer, which I back up weekly.  Then I immediately back them up to a second external hard drive. Once edits are complete, the Lightroom catalog (the brains behind your final photos) and a JPG copy are uploaded to the cloud for one year. Your gallery lives in multiple places during editing, and once your final gallery is delivered, I urge you to download, save, and print what matters to you most.

What Happens After Delivery?

Once I deliver your gallery, you are the keeper of your digital memories. I release liability at that point because it’s your turn to safeguard them — back them up, save them to your own cloud, and print the ones you love. (A dusty hard drive on a shelf is a good start, but printed memories on your walls are even better.)

That said, if something goes wrong — lost drive, a tech crash, fire, etc. — please still reach out. There is a small fee for file retrieval, especially if digging into old drives is required, but this may be covered by your renter’s or wedding insurance. Your memories matter, and I’ll do everything I can to help you recover them.

5 Questions to Ask ANY Photographer Before You Book

1. Do you use dual card slots while shooting?This is the easiest way to protect files while they're being created.

2. How do you back up images after the shoot?A thoughtful backup process is a must. (More than one location = more protection.)

3. How long do you store client galleries?Some photographers delete files after 30 days. Make sure their storage policy matches your needs.

4. Is there a fee to access old files later?It’s good to know up front what options you’ll have if you lose your files in the future.

5. What steps do you recommend clients take to protect their images?Your photographer should be educating you—not just delivering files and disappearing.

At the end of the day, this is your story. I’m here to capture it and deliver it with care, but I also want to empower you to protect and celebrate it. Back up those photos, print your favorites, and let them live in the real world — not just on a screen.

And if you ever need help retrieving them again? You know where to find me.