Qotd

No longer a feature of Google +, Google Photos is now an app all of its own. It’s an impressive piece of software too; considering the fact that it’s free.

The only downside to using the service is that it limits your photos to 16MP, but for the amateur photographer this shouldn’t prove much of a stumbling block.

What it does offer that makes it an invaluable tool is automatic uploads of your photos to the cloud and a powerful organisational element which can categorise your photos by places, dates and even people – via facial recognition.

All of this within a free, clean app. So why wouldn’t you try it? Here’s how to get started:

First of all, you’ll need to fill up your library with all those precious pictures that you would like to backup. The best way to do this is via Google’s Desktop Uploader, which will allow you to upload the photos all at once.

You can download the app at: photos.google.com/apps. From here you will go through the short sign-up process – unless you have already signed up for Photos.

Then simply select Desktop Uploader to download the app. The next step is to organise your settings. It’s a very simplistic settings page, you’ll be offered the option to choose which devices and folders the app will scan to automatically upload the photos.

The other decision you’ll need to make at this stage of the process is what quality you want your photos to be uploaded in.

You have two choices here: High Quality or Original. High quality is the free option, which Google defines as pictures up to 16MP. With this you get unlimited storage- which is rather appealing.

For the more professional photographers among us, the Original option will be the go-to. The Original option saves your photos by utilising Google Drive Space.

You have 15GB of free storage which won’t take long to use up. Thereafter, Google will charge you $1.99 or $9.99 for 100GB or 1TB respectively; but the obvious bonus is the image quality which seems a fair trade at such prices.

Now all that’s left is to access the desktop uploader and select Start Backup. The folders and devices you have selected will be scanned and the photos within transferred into your Google Photos library.

From now anytime you put photos into the designated folders it should automatically upload to your Google Photos Library.

It works efficiently in the background, so Google Photos is a brilliant, low maintenance way of protecting your memories.

If you ever want to change the folders and devices you are using simply access the Preferences folder within the app to change the settings.