CDs, USBs, Digital – What is Best?

Does how your images are delivered to you actually matter?

And if it does, which method of delivery is best: CDs, USBs, or Digital Galleries?

I photographed my first solo-wedding in 2009.
After learning as much as I could & shadowing multiple photographers, I really started putting effort into building my business in 2012 & by 2013, I was officially shooting weddings on my own. I delivered all of those “early days” wedding images (in addition to the other portrait sessions I was shooting) via CD. I ordered these super pretty CDs that came in customized cases – they were so pretty!

However, it wasn’t very long before I saw the “writing on the wall” and realized that CDs were on their way out.

So, toward the end of 2014, I began switching over my image delivery to USB drives.
Again, I ordered custom drives for each of my couples and had these really beautiful wooden boxes created to go along with them.

However, around the same time, I also began to offer digital galleries and before long, I completely dropped the USB drives & solely delivered images via a digital gallery.

It never ceases to amaze me though – that today, in 2021, I still see people asking for recommendations for a wedding photographer who would deliver a USB, or even crazier, a CD, of images.

And, believe it or not, there are still photographers out there who deliver wedding images on a CD! (If you are one of those photographers – more power to you! It just blows my mind because I haven’t had a computer with a CD-ROM drive in it for over 8 years! So, even if one of my clients requested a CD, I couldn’t burn one for them!)

Here’s a question: Does the computer you are reading this post on have a CD-ROM drive?

Wait, you aren’t even reading this on a computer?
Right! Analytics tell me (and I’m not unique, this is across the board) that most people are accessing the internet via their phones or tablets. And guess what? Your phone & tablet definitely does not have a CD-ROM drive or a USB port.

But, does it really matter how you receive your images?
What are the pros & cons between CDs, USBs, and Digital Galleries?

CDs

Pros – It is a physical product that you can hold in your hands. It’s not a physical print, but being a tangible item tricks the brain into feeling like it is! Let’s be honest: wedding photography is expensive & it’s nice to receive a physical product at the end of the day.
Cons – Does the computer you have at home have a CD-ROM drive? I’d be willing to bet, especially if you’ve bought the computer within the last 3-5 years, that it does not. And if you have a computer that’s older than that, it’s likely an item that you’re considering an upgrade to in the near future. I hate to break it to you, but new computers simply do not have CD-ROM drives! So, let’s say you can view your images today – but what happens when you get a new computer tomorrow & you can no longer view your images? It’s a scary thought that you could have a beautiful, tangible CD, that is completely inaccessible. (It almost seems silly to compare CDs to cassette tapes, but they have definitely headed in that direction!)
Additionally, CDs do wear out. Even if you keep them in their case (don’t even get me started on how easy it is to ruin a CD with tiny scratches & fingerprints!) CDs do eventually wear out & become unreadable.
Bottom line: they do not last forever.

USBs

Pros – Besides it being a physical product that you can hold in your hands (just like a CD), more than likely your current computer still has a few USB ports (even if you have to use a dongle to adapt them). In fact, you can usually even plug a USB into a tablet with the right adapter. Physical products are really wonderful things to have!
USBs have stood the test of time better than CDs – they’re not easy to bend, break, or scratch – so those are big advantages!
Cons – Like CDs, USBs are unfortunately on their way out. I bought a new MacBook Pro last year & it does not have a CD-ROM drive or USB ports. I can plug in a USB drive via an adapter, but if I lose that tiny little cord, I’m in trouble!
Additionally, USBs are easily misplaced because they’re so small. USBs are also easily overwritten if you aren’t paying attention to what you’re doing (so be careful)!

Digital Galleries

Pros – Having your images delivered digitally is obviously the newest & most “current” way of receiving your images in 2021. You receive your images faster (no waiting for drives to be delivered in the mail) and at higher resolutions than what is typically saved to a CD or USB (after all, those drives have space limits). Digital galleries are typically available for much longer periods of time (mine are 10 years) and are easily & quickly accessible across multiple devices (meaning: your phone & tablet).
Cons – Unfortunately, a digital gallery is the absolute opposite of a “physical product” – you cannot touch or feel it, or stick it in a drawer. A few years ago, this used to be a really tough obstacle to get past, but in 2021, it’s becoming less and less of a “con”. We are becoming more and more comfortable downloading digital music, movies, books, & games, and never owning a physical copy.
You do have to have an internet connection to access digital galleries. Again, this is becoming less of an obstacle to get past, as most everyone has data plans on their phones.

But does it really matter?

No matter how your images are delivered to you (CD, USB, or digital gallery) – digital images are just that – digital. They live on a computer screen.

No matter how you receive your images, I cannot stress enough: Please print your images!

Digital images are fantastic, but physical images are so much better. Print your photos and frame them for your walls, put them in albums, and give them as gifts for other people to enjoy.

No matter how your images are delivered to you – if they are “digital” – you are only half way there! I encourage you to sit down & print your photos into tangible, physical prints. Trust me, you won’t regret it. And your children & grandchildren will thank you (especially when their friends’ legacies are handed down to them via CDs & USBs that, like records & cassettes, are inaccessible any longer).