Photo Organization

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Michael D. Hilliar on November 17, 2010 at 5:24pm

I used iPhoto for the longest time and i still do for just family snapshots. I keep the rest in aperture. its amazing how organized you can keep them in either program and how fast you can find a single photo. I used a PC for years and couldn't find any software I liked. If you don't have a mac go to apples website and check out iphoto or aperture you will be amazed.

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Permalink Reply by Hai Burner on November 21, 2010 at 10:46am

I just noticed that picasa version 3 by google http://picasa.google.com/ facilitates organizing photos by folder and by tags as well as providing geotagging and a star tag for favorites. It also does basic editing. It seems not a bad solution for someone strapped for time and money (free, fast, easy to use). Since the original folders are stored on your computer I don't imagine there is a size limit, but I did not find information about this. I haven't tried it myself yet. Has anyone tried this software?

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Permalink Reply by John Vogler on November 21, 2010 at 5:43pm

I use Picasa. The basic fixes are easy to use, and reversible. The file organizing is pretty easy to use, and includes a nice search option. I never thought I would use the new facial recognition feature, but it is really a nice tool. The only problem I have is that I end up with multiple folders for the same pictures don"t know which ones to delete.

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Permalink Reply by Hai Burner on November 21, 2010 at 10:55am

I found the following comparison of image organizers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_organizer

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Permalink Reply by Matt Needham on November 22, 2010 at 5:53am

My method is probably pretty lousy, but I'll tell you what I do.

I use a card reader to copy files to the hard drive. I have a file called Clients 2010 and raw 2010. Client work goes into the first one in a folder named using the client's last name or business name. If there are multiple jobs for the same client I use another layer of folders describing the job or job date. In the lowest folder tier I have a "working" folder that holds the raw files, and a "finished" folder that holds the processed jpegs.

Personal work goes into the "Raw 2010" folder. I make a new folder named by the date I downloaded the files. I can't sort by subject, because there is often multiple subjects on one card. After raw processing I move the raw files, and any other files I've created to a folder named "2010". In that folder I sort subjects: landscapes, Lawrence (my town), family, live music, etc.... In those folders I have folders named after the event/subject/location. If it's a subject I shoot often I'll also add a date. Sometimes I name these files after the title of my favorite photo in the folder, as that's probably what I'm looking for.

2010
.....Family
...........John's BDay
...........4th of July
.....Landscapes
..........Flint Hills 0610
..........Clinton Lake 0410
..........Wilson Lake trip 0710
.....Live Music
..........SpookLights 041910
..........Calamity Cubes 072710

If I were starting over today I'd probably try to work with the Lightroom cataloging system, but by the time I discovered it I was in too deep with my own system.

If I can remember what year I took the photo I can usually find it fairly quickly.

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Permalink Reply by Frank Farrugia on November 26, 2010 at 10:35am

Mine are stored by date as well

i use the following system .... Main folder - year , sub month and then by date

e.g.

2010
-- 11 November
-- 26

and also use picasa software


The problem with date filling system is u don't know the content of the folder whether it's landscapes or portraits ect.

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Permalink Reply by Lance on November 26, 2010 at 11:12pm

The date naming method would work if you added a description of the contents to each sub-folder, e.g.:

Christmas (name of main folder)
2010-11-30 Erecting tree (name of a sub-folder)
IMG_001 Putting on decorations (name of image file)
IMG_002 Placing in family room (name of image file)
2010-12-24 Christmas Eve (name of a sub-folder)
IMG_020 Wrapping Presents (name of image file)
IMG_021 Placing presents under tree (name of image file)

The Christmas folder could be used year after year. The dates on the sub-folders would lead you to the year you need in any subsequent search, and the names in the title would help you determine "where" the image you seek is saved.

Tagging the images, too, would assist in any future searches - depending on the photo management application you use.

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Permalink Reply by Gary Vernon on November 28, 2010 at 9:11am

I use Lightroom 3.3 Eric, the same software Matt was referring too,
it just ticks every box as well as being a top notch raw editor.

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Permalink Reply by Ed on January 15, 2011 at 12:00am

I use a couple of products for different parts of the workflow process/system I am building.

 

I use a hierarchical directory - sub, sub-directory structure based on a date and content descriptor combination of date-subject nearly identical to what Lance described.  This is to build a basic file directory system for the daily downloads.  I manage this for myself and my wife.  There have been times when we have shot over 2000 images each in a day.  typically we shoot about 200 images a day for both of us and we shoot about 200 days a year.   

 

Right now I use DxO for my batch post processing especially optical correction. 

 

I use the GIMP for my image editing

 

What I am trying to fill in now is the media file management and database aspect.

 

I have been looking at these  Digital Asset Management (DAM) aopplications for some time.   here are some impressions I have gathered along the way.

 

Picasa - the majority of the reviews tend to point me at a weakness,  It is not good with tagging nor tqagging with metadata.  It is free and apparently easy to use.

 

ACDSee - Not free but not expensive.  available in a home and a professional version.  Biggest difference between the two is raw image file processing.  Has a neat feature wich provides a visual calendar with thumbnails laid on each data based on the image create date.   This application builds a index which includes all images it finds on both fixed and removable media so you can locate and vew thumbnails even if the image file is not online.  Catalogues over 100 files type of mixed media formats.

 

iView Media Pro - now a microsoft product Microsoft Expression Media.  I don;t know any more about this one.

 

Windows Live Photo Gallery - another one I have looked at but quickly found it didn't meet my needs for offline image file management.

 

iDimager -  Excellent on managemant based on metadata and provides face recognition. 

 

XnVIew - Free   has good reviews, Many complain about support being somewhat lacking

 

iMatch Excellent tagging and it seems like a robust product

 

Adobe light room - it is an excellent DAM as well as a comprehensive post processing system.  It is not cheap.  I have associates in the mac world who jumped from aperture to this and are now going back to aperture.  They say that those two products seem to be leap frogging each other. 

 

FastOne Image Viewer I don't remember why,  but I have a "No!" on this. 

 

Doing a web search on any of these names should get you close to the developer. 

 

I am trying to narrow the list down before I start with hands on trials.

 

Light room and ACDSee are on the short list right now.  I am trying to determine the third. 

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Permalink Reply by Edgar Alegre on January 15, 2011 at 5:05am

I'd agree with Picasa, it's Free. A good place to start.

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Permalink Reply by Rosa Frei on January 15, 2011 at 9:23am

Hi 

I use Aperture, which is an Apple software (http://www.apple.com/aperture/), I am not sure whether you are working with Mac or Microsoft. I love Aperture and cannot live without it!

The software lets you not only organize your files very easily but you can do a lot with the that software such as enhancing the image, making slideshows and exporting them to youtube etc.

The structure of your organization is up to you. I structure the folders by Places I shoot (Morocco and my travels) and by clients/projects and then by year. 

Aperture has its price, but I know it is worth it, I bought Aperture 1 six years ago and upgraded every time, now to Aperture 3 and it is just amazing. It makes working and organizing a pleasure. 

 

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Permalink Reply by Peter Beal on January 28, 2011 at 9:19am

i use the program ''better file rename'' it lets me rename all files and all folders and still keeping the file number all files come with 3 letters and numbers like this IMG_00123 this program will change any letter or numbr to wot ever you wont sutch like IMG to ABC, or VWX, or even chyang it to a full word like IMG to Blackpool 10-12-2050 it wlialso do folders the same way not only that you can do meny 1000's at onece the very second you pres the OK butten you can also change the file format to and from .jpg to .bmp to.png, or in revers order it will do any type of file sevrel 1000 ofthem at onece

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