File organisation & storage

[simondodd]

What do you all keep in terms of files long term?

Once you have stacked and processed your images to you remove the raw data files and just keep the stacked image or do you keep any of the raw data or master files as well?

My folder with all my images is over 70Gb for just 14 different targets (some targets have multiple nights of data) and I'm wanting to tidy things up a bit without losing the ability to rework the images if I change my processes...

I keep everything on Dropbox as I use 3 different machines for my images, one connected to the scope setup, another to do the stacking and another to do the processing due to the different capabilities of each machine. By using dropbox everything is everywhere when I need it.

Any tips?

[Handy_Andy]

I tend to take raw and jpegs, then using the jpegs as proofs get rid of poor raw files. Organisationally I file them according to target. You could always have a central HDD connected to your router as a data storage hub rather than using online storage all the time

[simondodd]

So you still keep all your raw data then and don't trim it down once you've stacked it?

[Handy_Andy]

Not all as we all have crappy spoiled subs so I ditch those, keep the best so that you can add to them later on. You can use them for pictures with data captured on different seasons, or make mosaics with adjacent framed subs in the future

[kirkster501]

I keep my cosmetically corrected, calibrated and registered lights.  I bin the original lights, roasts, darks and flats once I have my calibrated data.