How do YOU organize your photos?

05/25/2008 10:09:46 PM · #4

I organize my photos by date. Have a main folder for all images with year, month and specific date as subfolders within.

It seems to work out okay, but at times I completely forget about certain photos I have taken. When looking for a 'type' of images, such as bridges, I completely forget about them until I come across them at a later date.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

05/25/2008 10:37:43 PM · #5

I use iPhoto, (Mac) and have about 20K images in it at this time. They are filed in "Event" files, which contain each upload from the camera. They can be combined or split, and the "key" photo chosen to represent the group in the event file.
The key photos show up on a thumbs page, and scrolling up or down brings up a "date uploaded" pop up as you scroll. It is easy to locate any image that way if you know an approximate date, or can remember what group the key photo represents. I can also drag and drop events into each other, or view all the thumbs in the entire collection sorted by date, my rating, or several other options, as well as search by title or key word or date.

ETA While viewing the "Events" thumbs page, you can "mouse-over" any event key photo thumbnail, and it flips thru all the thumbs in that file.

The system that I use to keep the working file from bulking up too much is to first weed out and delete the duds with "preview" before I file them into a monthly file in my 2nd hard drive. I then view the remaining card upload as a slide show, and only export the ones with potential to iPhoto. At two week intervals, I copy the monthly files to DVD, and to an external HD. I also sub file the images in the monthly archive file by camera so that I don't have overlapping camera image numbers in the same file.

The basic idea is to file by date and time of day, sub group by month, sub group by event and camera used. Sometimes I will make a sub file (album) containing images from a trip or special event as well, which contains chosen shots, like a vacation album.
IPhoto and Aperture just rock for keeping up with thousands of images.

Message edited by author 2008-05-25 22:43:34.

05/25/2008 10:38:39 PM · #6

The system I use for photos is the same I used for data management during my graphics design years. Every project is filed in a folder of its own, the folder is named YYYY.MM.DD.Description -- for example: 2008.5.25.DPCBoats

Inside each folder will be any working folders for that project.

The reason that system works so well is because windows automatically sorts neumerically and this keeps all of your files in order over years & years.

05/25/2008 10:42:10 PM · #7

I have a folder for each of my three cameras with subfolders in each. The subfolders are named as Year-Month-Day Name. For example the most recent one is 2008-05-25 Boats.

In each of those folders, I have a 'Keepers' folder where I move the ones I want to work on. There is also an 'Edited' folder with a 'Resized' folder in it.

Eventually I will go back and get rid of all the craptastic shots that I never intend to work on. :)

ETA: Ok, now that she's chimed in, I should point out that my "organization" system is inspired by a conversation I had with

idnic during our St. Augustine GTG last year. Thanks, Cindi!

Message edited by author 2008-05-25 22:44:05.

05/25/2008 10:43:42 PM · #8

Eric cheated off my paper! ;D

05/25/2008 10:44:46 PM · #9

Originally posted by idnic:

Eric cheated off my paper! ;D

And proper credit has been given!

Happy? :)

05/25/2008 10:46:57 PM · #10

Originally posted by EBJones:

Originally posted by idnic:
Eric cheated off my paper! ;D

And proper credit has been given!

Happy? :)

Hahahaa didn't remember we even talked about files! I figured the military had stolen my filing system. :D

I can't take the credit either, really. I was taught that system when I worked for Coca-Cola in the 90s.

Message edited by author 2008-05-25 22:48:48.

05/25/2008 10:48:39 PM · #11

Well, now that you mention it. . . . I did have to go through a rather intense debrief when I got back from that trip. (Something about disrupting a parade and chasing celebrities around with cameras. . . )

05/25/2008 10:50:53 PM · #12

Originally posted by EBJones:

Sorry to threadjack, but the Lucy Liu incident was a riot!