So you just got your portraits done and the photographer offers only a CD because its the best way to save your images for life - or is it?  After all we have all been led to believe digital storage will be "SAFE FOREVER," right?  But now that I got your attention, the most precious memories are at risk because that photographers only offered a CD.

MURPHY'S LAW?.

I am sure you have heard of Murphy's Law.  You know "What can go wrong will go wrong!"  These things happen;  you get busy after your portraits shoot and forget to print them out from the photographer who placed everything on a CD for you.  You finally sit down to order prints only to find a huge scratch on CD, or the thumb drive is corrupt and formatted all your images.  What do you do?  If your lucky your photographer who you only paid $100 bucks if that will have a backup drive with you images on it.  But at that price they can't afford back up drives so they format everything one their done with you.  Many things can happen to you CD.  My kids used our CD's as Frisbee until they invented the thumb drive.  They also used them as mirrors playing dress up, UFOs with the dolls.  To help you make it simple, don't rely on just digital copies.  They get destroyed faster than you think.  Have your photographs printed professionally.  You will enjoy your images that much longer.  It's like stocks, diversify to protect yourself.

OBSOLETE.

You heard me right! Don't think the floppy disk was a first warning to how the digital world works.  CDs are on its way out as well as technology becomes smaller and smaller.  There are plenty of examples in the computer/software industry to force devices to go extinct.  It's that creative destructive economic engine.  Be safe always choose a photographer that prints there work and offers you a backup encase its gets destroyed one way or another.  

Don't think about the day to day!  Think long term, 18 years from now!   There is discussion about the new digital photo formats.  This could be the beginning of the end for your typical jpg format.  It's no surprise that a brand new file format would be superior to a nearly 30 year old format.  But standardization must take place first.  If RAW demand increases and is added to the general software use, jpg, may slowly dwindle away destroying millions of images because the increase in computer hard-drive capabilities using more power with less money.  Soon technology will move to future formats.  

PRINT.

Just remember, the best thing you can do to save your portraits is have them printed professionally by your portrait photographer.  Not onlyy will they ensure it looks good, but they will ensure the highest quality.