How to organize your photos
Nov 21, 2011 18:31:15 #
How do you keep some sense of order in your photo collection? What kind of file name, arranged by date or subject?
I've been pretty lax, name folders with the date and a brief subject: dog scenery sailboat type thing. For "special" shoots A more elaborate folder name.
Now I've got about 24000 photos and it's getting to be a real pain to find a specific photo when I want it.
I'm in the process of grouping all "like" photos together -- airplanes, spiders, dragonflys, etc.
I use Photoshop and Bridge to handle my pics.
Thoughts? Ideas? Sure things?
I've been pretty lax, name folders with the date and a brief subject: dog scenery sailboat type thing. For "special" shoots A more elaborate folder name.
Now I've got about 24000 photos and it's getting to be a real pain to find a specific photo when I want it.
I'm in the process of grouping all "like" photos together -- airplanes, spiders, dragonflys, etc.
I use Photoshop and Bridge to handle my pics.
Thoughts? Ideas? Sure things?
Nov 21, 2011 18:37:31 #
Im trying to figure this out too as I am ready to start backing stuff up on an external HD. The hard part is deleting. I have bene making file groups for UHH actually and it has me thinking. But i think I am going to go back and provide geo and tag them so they can be cross referenced. Do you have a program that tags. Ill be watching here to see what others have to say.
Nov 21, 2011 18:56:11 #
I keep all of my stuff in folders on my computer and then I have all those inside one folder simply labeled pics. I use descriptive names for each folder. Like Max (pics of my dog), Holiday's and then what year, Vacation and the year, So and So's wedding, etc. Of course I don't have 24000 photos either. I have like a 10th of that. I don't use any of my programs to keep them organized I do it myself on my hard drive. My system works for me because I remember specific events and things. I really think it comes down to filing them in a way that helps you remember them.
Nov 21, 2011 19:21:17 #
dfalk wrote:
How do you keep some sense of order in your photo ... (show quote)
I have mine sorted by year, then event, person, place or thing.
Nov 22, 2011 01:02:20 #
dfalk wrote:
How do you keep some sense of order in your photo ... (show quote)
I suggest you pick up Adobe Lightroom 3 and then obtain some tutorials off of the web or a book or two.
The power of lightroom is that it is one heck of a database program and you can organize/find your photos.
Good luck.
Nov 22, 2011 01:59:22 #
robert-photos wrote:
quote=dfalk How do you keep some sense of order i... (show quote)
i just ordered lightroom 3 from amazon half price at $150, arrives tomorrow
Nov 22, 2011 07:58:09 #
photocat
Loc: Atlanta, Ga
I usually work in project mode.
I have a folder with all the originals, a sub folder for called work files that contain only a copy of the image worked on and the another sub folder named prints.
I then make a contact sheet and file under the same name as the above, and then when when I want to work on something, i can just view the contact sheet ( holdout from my darkroom flow) pick which file, go to the original folder click on the correct file number and go from there.
All folders are on external hardrives, none on my working computer. Only the file I am working on remains on the computer until i finish.
Have four external harddrives all mirroring each other, one is keep off site unless backing it up to match the others.
I looked at lightroom and if i was shooting a 1000 images a week it might be helpful, however, since I already have my flow worked out it just makes my head spin.
That is not to say that it doesn't have value for others.
I have a folder with all the originals, a sub folder for called work files that contain only a copy of the image worked on and the another sub folder named prints.
I then make a contact sheet and file under the same name as the above, and then when when I want to work on something, i can just view the contact sheet ( holdout from my darkroom flow) pick which file, go to the original folder click on the correct file number and go from there.
All folders are on external hardrives, none on my working computer. Only the file I am working on remains on the computer until i finish.
Have four external harddrives all mirroring each other, one is keep off site unless backing it up to match the others.
I looked at lightroom and if i was shooting a 1000 images a week it might be helpful, however, since I already have my flow worked out it just makes my head spin.
That is not to say that it doesn't have value for others.
Nov 22, 2011 08:23:00 #
I use a similar scheme, but I want to streamline my workflow and hope Lightroom 3 will aid me. I also hope Lightroom replaces Photoshop for most of my work. Photoshop upgrades are becoming too expensive to keep up.
photocat wrote:
I usually work in project mode. br br I have a fo... (show quote)
Nov 22, 2011 09:01:09 #
Over the years I have fought how to keep my pictures is some sort of order in order for me to "find them". I now use a home-made perogram in Excel. I enter a title in each horizontal cell and then this program allow me to sort anyway I wish. I use CD to get the digital pictures off my computer, I do not trust computers, I number the CD and attempt to ID what is on them, the year,month ,date, how many pictures are on the specific event,locaation or what ever. Make as many cells as you like. I have a master list of numbered CD with what is on the disk. I then sort them into anything I wish. Used it for severaal years and it works for me. External hard drive is also a good back up.
Nov 22, 2011 09:17:31 #
Just one note, CD's depending on the quality may only last 10 years before they go bad. Better to use a hard drive or even better online backup.
I store our photos in folders by year-month-"day title". As long as you can remember roughly when you took the photo its very easy to find. Also I use an online back up for $3.75 a month unlimited space. Any changes or photos added to the directories gets backed up that night automatically....
I store our photos in folders by year-month-"day title". As long as you can remember roughly when you took the photo its very easy to find. Also I use an online back up for $3.75 a month unlimited space. Any changes or photos added to the directories gets backed up that night automatically....
Nov 22, 2011 09:23:48 #
I just passed the 73,000 photo mark. My organization is very simple. Let's take a picture of a baby flamingo as an example. Here's the organization structure for it:
Russel Ray Photos
-Fauna
--Sky
---Birds
----Flamingos
-----Babies
Categories under Fauna are Land, Sky, Water, Other.
My other main categories with Fauna are Flora and Other.
Other includes buildings, cars, trains, locations, events
I actually had to hire a guy six months ago to help me get organized. At that time I had 57,000 pictures.
When I name the picture I don't mind using all the keyword tags in the name since I do my organization using Windows Explorer. I'm trying to use Lightroom and/or Photoshop Bridge, but I just don't find that they meed my needs yet.
Russel Ray Photos
-Fauna
--Sky
---Birds
----Flamingos
-----Babies
Categories under Fauna are Land, Sky, Water, Other.
My other main categories with Fauna are Flora and Other.
Other includes buildings, cars, trains, locations, events
I actually had to hire a guy six months ago to help me get organized. At that time I had 57,000 pictures.
When I name the picture I don't mind using all the keyword tags in the name since I do my organization using Windows Explorer. I'm trying to use Lightroom and/or Photoshop Bridge, but I just don't find that they meed my needs yet.
Nov 22, 2011 09:29:59 #
TheBrit wrote:
I store our photos in folders by year-month-"day title". As long as you can remember roughly when you took the photo its very easy to find.
That's what I used to do, but after 30 years and 73,000 photos, it's impossible to remember anymore, especially if you go to the same event year after year.
Nov 22, 2011 12:45:03 #
In ten years CD's will be gone and there will be another device in use. There are CD;s that are onthe market today that are suppose to last 100 years..I would be here when they go bad.
Nov 22, 2011 12:52:22 #
I just erase 'em all after I offload from the camera. Makes it so much easier. :)
Actually, I create folders by day, with description, organized by year/month so I can keep them sorted chronolgically, e.g.
"2011-10-15-Party at Cousin Mikes with the gang"
"2011-10-21-Municipal Court Hearing"
"2011-11-21-Cousin Mike gets released after 30 days"
and so on...
In addition, any really noteworth pics get copied to subject folders like Birds, Landscapes, Sunsets, Cats, Dogs, etc etc...
Actually, I create folders by day, with description, organized by year/month so I can keep them sorted chronolgically, e.g.
"2011-10-15-Party at Cousin Mikes with the gang"
"2011-10-21-Municipal Court Hearing"
"2011-11-21-Cousin Mike gets released after 30 days"
and so on...
In addition, any really noteworth pics get copied to subject folders like Birds, Landscapes, Sunsets, Cats, Dogs, etc etc...
Nov 22, 2011 13:06:21 #
I'm using Birds / Flowers / Architecture etc. , but Flowers may have to be split by color . . . .
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