Creating a bit-for-bit image of the original drive using a write blocker is the best practice to ensure data integrity and non-repudiation, as the write blocker prevents any write operations to the original evidence which could lead to claims of evidence tampering. Simply copying files may not capture hidden or system files and could alter metadata. Remote mirroring could introduce changes to the data during transmission and is not forensically sound for evidence acquisition. Photographs do not capture the data in a manner suitable for analysis or court admissibility.