duhi Loc: Rochester, NY

Looking for a very simple method of categorizing and storing photos on a computer. Seen many suggestions for sophisticated storage capabilities and edits. Just need a simple storage. Thanks.

Ourspolair

Folders: Date, Time, Subject.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

Agreed about the folders and the date, and the subject is the title of the folder e.g. Zoo 7-16-20. I keep it simple. No Lightroom for me, just Bridge. I can find what I want relatively quickly. Maintenance is low, unlike LR.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Drive
.....Photos (main folder)
..........Month/year (1020)
.................Sub folders (subject, animals)
.......................Sub folders (subject specific animal)

Etc.... Used to work for me before Lightroom. No I have Lightroom set up very similar, but with collections, after dated folders.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I find filing by dates worthless for me as I can never remember when I went where, but I can remember the where. I always use numeric months as character months don't sort in sequential order (2020-02-07).
I don't use a cataloger, but put tags in the image metadata.

Main folder\
.......\subject group 1
.............\subject 1
...................\date 1
...................\date 2
.............\subject 2
.............\subject 3
.......\subject group 2
.............\subject 1
.............\subject 2
...................\date 1
...................\date 2
...................\date 3
.............\subject 3

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I use various cameras during a photo day. My very simple naming process takes place during the transfer of the files from camera to computer. So, let's say I'm using my Nikon D800 for a session today. The photos are transferred and renamed during the transfer D800-20201020-<exposure number in three place format>. So the first photograph would be named D800-20201030-001.

Following that, I will add a session number to the date. This occurs regardless if there is more than one session. So the final file name is D800-2020103001-001. The additional 01 is added as a bulk edit to the transferred files.

Let's say I also used my Nikon F to do a few photograph. When I scan those negatives the same process would be used using the frame number of the negative scanned, e.g. NIKF-2020103001-024,

This provides a unique identifier to each photograph and makes constructing or adding them to a database easier. The procedure is easy, takes seconds to perform, and is very database friendly. Most importantly of all is that I don't rely on a photo software to do this. I don't think it's a good idea to rely on a photo processing program to organize photographs.
--Bob

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

I was unable to make my organizing simple. I take many photos at concerts. The same photo may include singers, musicians, be at a particular annual event, etc. This required the ability to have "virtual copies", or "collections".

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Bob, do you enter each photo into a database? If not, and you do not know the photo id number, how do you find a particular photo?

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I extract the EXIF data from each photo in a directory. This is done programmatically. So, it's just a highlight the files and press go. That fills in a spreadsheet which then gets imported to a database. I also include a small jpg with each input. This allows me to query on any of several attributes.

There is some work to this but in the long run it's easier to find the files. So, a little effort upfront saves a lot of time on the backend.
--Bob

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Sounds like you are doing very similar to what Lightroom or any other dam does. If I remember right, you have been programming a lot over he years. I used to dabble a little bit, but that is a lot of work. I commend you. Good job.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Frank, thanks. Having been a system admin and programmer for a number of years helped.

The reason I tend to NOT use Lr for cataloging is that, in itself, "condemns" one to stay with Lr or lose their database "catalog" if they should choose to go with another. I tend to compartmentalize my operations. Additionally, I can install this database on a server and have access to it with any web active device. That helps when meeting with anyone interested in seeing certain types of photos I've done.

You're correct in that any reasonable Document Management Software or Digital Asset Management application will do the same thing.
--Bob

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Have you ever thought of marketing it.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Frank, after the big layoff in 2001, another programmer and I, in order to keep our skills sharp, decided on writing a stitching program. We spent the better part of a year working on it, while still attempting to find employment. In a fair assessment, it does as well as most, and in some cases better. I tend to use it for all of my pano/stitching needs. It's a bit slower but also a lot more meticulous.

We thought of marketing it. However, we also thought of how much free time we'd lose by doing so. Although it is rather straight forward, there are those that need tech support no matter what. We decided to just keep it to our selves, or at worst use it during interviews to show what we could do.

So again, how much time do I want to spend doing tech support? Selling it to another company is akin to selling one's children.
--Bob

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

I see what you mean Bob. It would become a headache and time stealer.

I did not get into programming that much. I did some, but not much.... When I was working in hydro plants for Pacific has and electric, I ended up in a temporary position helping design a data base for maintenance scheduling and planning. We hired a programming outfit to do the actual programming. I helped design the block diagram flow, I did help a to tiny bit after they got going with the programming. I led the testing phase with a few others under me. And would make note of needed changes. As it went along I learned how to make a lot of the minor changes myself. I ended up being the main instructor, and taught the rest of the maintenance crew how to use the program and get work orders. I was hoping it would work into a full time job after the programmers turns the finished program over to us, but they decided my duties as an electrical technician was better suited. My co trainer got the job, with zero programming experience. It's been so many years I don't remember the language, but I think dBase iii.

It was fun while it lasted, but I'm glad it was temporary.

tcthome Loc: NJ

Agree with others on subject & date. If you have a lot of different dates photos shot in the same month you can go full date or just the subject, month/year. I would do a main Pictures or Photos folder &, within that do yearly (eg. 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 etc.) . Then within each yearly folder subject & date. You could take it 1 step farther & have subject list (eg. car shows, travel , family, etc.) & then give the name of the car show& or date or whatever. The most important thing about doing this is, it has to make sense or feel logical for you.