Lets discuss storage , storage options and how to find a picture (Page 2): Big help, thanks...

davidcaley Loc: Utah

jerryc41 wrote:

A while back I started using LR keywords on import... (show quote)

Big help, thanks

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

This is where a program like Lightroom shines. It has many ways to organize your photos including the way you do it by putting them in a folder that is dated and has a brief description. But this often isn't enough. So by using keywords and ratings it helps you find what you are looking for. I have a keyword "dogs" to help my find any dog that I've taken a picture of. But I didn't us this keyword on my own best friends, because I know their names so in that case I created a keyword for the name of each pet dog I've had and put those keywords under a parent keyword "Pets". So I can find every pet I know by name, or if I know the name just search that keyword. It's not hard to assign keywords to your images if you keep up with it every time you upload a card full of images. It's even easier if your pictures have a common subject so that you can use one keyword for all most of the images you are categorizing. Ratings is another way to organize them. If I rate and image with one to five stars, then I can just search for any picture with a certain keyword that has 1 star rating or above. That way I can look only at the images that I felt might be worth a second look. When I first started rating images, I used my stars liberally. But now I'm much more conservative. When I run across a bunch of images rated at 5 stars, I usually remove them completely or re-rate them to much fewer stars. This is because I didn't know what I was doing 6 years ago when I started using LR to organize my images. Good luck finding your pictures.

bdk wrote:

Yup we've discussed it many times in the past . bu... (show quote)

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

via the lens wrote:

It's easy: I use Lightroom and key word and can find any photo in literally seconds.

Yup... IF you have and use Lightroom.
Unfortunately, Lightroom and I were not made for each other. And of course I'd be silly the spend the money on Lr when the only function I might use is tagging (or key-wording), when I already have that function for free, built into my Windows 10 (and earlier in Windows 7).

If you like to use the Star-rating, it can also be done in File Explorer, same way as adding Tags.

Finding either tags (key-words) or stars, also is a matter of seconds in File Explorere.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

Morning Star wrote:

Yup... IF you have and use Lightroom.
Unfortunately, Lightroom and I were not made for each other. And of course I'd be silly the spend the money on Lr when the only function I might use is tagging (or key-wording), when I already have that function for free, built into my Windows 10 (and earlier in Windows 7).

If you like to use the Star-rating, it can also be done in File Explorer, same way as adding Tags.

There are many editing programs that will do the same thing and if you are happy with Windows 10 then stick with it. But each program will require a user to become familiar with it. They all work well and each user simply needs to be satisfied with the program they choose. I was just answering the question that was asked and keywording is one of the many reasons that I love working in LR. LR does much more than keyword, it allows you to easily organize and find your photos, edit your photos, export into any format the software has an algorithm for, use photos in plug-in programs and then pop them right back into LR to keep with all your other photos. One of the things I really like is that I can take a photo of, let's just say a bird, then use the Transform panel to enlarge the photo so that the subject takes up more space within the frame (an assumption here is that I was using my longest lens and it really still was not long enough). The program, once learned, can save valuable time in editing as edits can be done through a mass edit approach for the first round. It's a really good program, as are many other programs.

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

Thanks all that wrote, I have LR, hate it, never use it, I spent all my time trying to learn PS but now I think I'll see if I can learn at least how to use key words .....

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

via the lens wrote:

There are many editing programs that will do the s... (show quote)

Hi,

Not sure why you would "hate" LR. It's actually a pretty good program once you understand it. Most people have a problem with the importing process and getting that right: once they learn that they move forward rapidly. Try this web site for some info: www.viathelens.net. Also, the Lightroom Queen is good. It really can make your "photography life" more simple and save you time. Good luck.

ElderJames

Morning Star, I'm very interested in your Tagging system in Win 10. I followed your instructions to create tags just fine, but then you said,
"Next, right-click on the any one of the headers in the main part of the Explorer screen.
A box listing the column-names will pop-up, with the ones used, checked.
Click on "More" at the bottom, scroll down to "Tags" and check-mark it."
I've right-clicked all over the place, and all I get is a question about whether to display the ribbon bar or minimize it. Clearly I've missed something. It looks like you say we can add a display of the contents of the Tag header, and that would be very useful.
Can you help me get there?
Thanks!

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

ElderJames wrote:

Morning Star, I'm very interested in your Tagging ... (show quote)

Open Explorer and navigate to any folder that has photos in it.
Under the View tab on the top left, select Details.
On my computer, the headers of each column in the main panel of the Explorer, are: Name, Date, Type, Size, Tags. Depending on what is selected on your computer, these may be different.
Right-click on any one of these headers to make the pop-up show up.
At the very bottom of the pop-up is the word "More..." - Click on that and scroll down to Tags, then click on the square in front of it to check-mark it. Click OK. Done.

gsmith051 Loc: Fairfield Glade, TN

In LR I use key words and categories which help a great deal. Every once in awhile I need a certain photo and I can't find it. What a pain trying to locate it. Very interested what others have to say about it. George

ElderJames

Thanks for the quick response. I think I was confused by the "Details Pane" and the "Details" in the display listings. I've got it now, and my experiment with the Tag popped up just as it should. I appreciate the tip!

papakatz45 Loc: South Florida-West Palm Beach

bdk wrote:

Yup we've discussed it many times in the past . bu... (show quote)

I use lots of key words at time of import. For this picture: dogs, animals, parks (name) plus yymmdd.
Then save keywords to metadata. Can then find in PS Elements or Widows file explorer.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

My system uses a camera code / date code / image number. This gives each file a unique name. Next, when I'm running backups of what I shot today, I'll extract the directory listings and input them to a database. In some cases the additional data is meter readings / exposure / filters used / etc. There are subject and location fields as well. Then save the newly entered data. A simple SQL search will retrieve the images. I've been using this system for longer than PS or LR have been out. It works well for me.

Now, sure, people will complain about the amount of apparent work that is involved. That work will be less tedious than searching the way you had to do yours. The searches are quite fast, too. Oh and one of the data fields is a thumbnail of the image.
--Bob

bdk wrote:

Yup we've discussed it many times in the past . bu... (show quote)

Shaker Loc: New England

Does Lightroom work in Windows 7...?