Digital Photo Organization

[Larry Messaros]

Ok guys and gals. What software are people using to keep their digital pics organized??

I am currently using Windows Explorer and just creating folders for all of my pics. It's starting to get away on me. Is there something better out there? I'm not looking for altering the pics, just organizing via attributes, e.g. vacation, mountains, animals, friends, house, pets, dogs, etc, etc, etc. Something fast and simple without having to input lots of text. I like point-and-click type stuff.

Mike, I know you have an extensive collection, what's your view?

Dave, I know from your CampADK site that you spend a lot of time behind the camera, how do you do it?

Anyone else?

Thanks

 

[mikeschn]

Since I put a lot of photos online I use jalbum and exifer, but Jasc has a Photo Album that might be just the thing you are looking for.

http://www.jasc.com/products/photoalbum/

Mike...

 

[campadk-TNT]

Hi Larry,

I know the feeling. I have over 8,000 photos, just from 2004 and another 15,000+ for previous years. What I do is create folders for each year and then within those folders create a folder for each 'event'. Other miscellaneous photos go into monthly misc folders for each year.

That works well for finding a particular photo based on a time period/event, but doesn't help to find the 'wifey pie in the face' shot. I manage that by using a photo database I wrote and signing caption and keywords to each photo. I am sure there are lots of photo album products that can do that for you however. I just don't like a lot of them... or they are just too big and bulky to use. My photo database allows me too easy create photo albums of our various trips (see the photo album section of our campadk.com site). It's not perfect, but I plan a bunch of new features on my next version.

Zoombrowser that cames with Canon Cameras is pretty good for managing photos.

If you not doing a lot of search and reworking past photos just simplying organizing photo folders by year and event should work fine. With Windows XP just set your folder options to show thumbnails so you can easily locate a specific photo in a selected folder. Use 'View as a Slide Show' to view all the photos in a selected folder.

 

[asianflava]

What I do is create folders for each year and then within those folders create a folder for each 'event'. Other miscellaneous photos go into monthly misc folders for each year.


Zoombrowser that cames with Canon Cameras is pretty good for managing photos.

That is the exact same system I use. I also have a "projects" folder where I store pics to a specific project like, "Trailer Build" or "Engine Swap" or "Shed Construction." These projects usually take me a few months, this way I can keep all the related pics together.

I jusy bought a Canon camera last week, I'll try the Zoom browser that came with it. I bought the 7.1 megapixel S-70, I really wanted the 5 megapixel S-60 but BBY didn't have it. I kinda had to buy it there because I had $50 gift certificate from work, plus I got a 12% off coupon in the mail. Yesterday I went to Fry's to buy a 2gig Compact Flash Micordrive, they had a Hitachi on sale for $109. Of course they were out of them by the time I got there.

 

[Larry Messaros]

Thanks Mike and Dave,

I downloaded the trial version of Jasc Paint Shop Photo Album 5 and it's exactly what I'm looking for. I've just spent the last couple of days rearranging my pics to get ready to start assigning keywords.

I seem to have a 13 year old daughter who happens to be grounded for a month which also meant losing computer priviledges, so it looks like I have some free labour for a while in exchange for computer time.

I also use JAblum and it works great.

Asianflava,

Wow! A 7.1 megapixel! I'm only using a 1.0 megapix Kodak (a couple of years old) but it does what I want it to do for the most part. It would be nice to be able to have less grainy larger prints, but it'll have to wait for right now.

 

[asianflava]

Asianflava,

Wow! A 7.1 megapixel! I'm only using a 1.0 megapix Kodak (a couple of years old) but it does what I want it to do for the most part. It would be nice to be able to have less grainy larger prints, but it'll have to wait for right now.

I am still using my 5 year old 1.3 megapixel Olympus though. One thing I REALLY like is the fact that "I don't care what happens to it." I can leave it in the garage getting coated with sawdust. Take it on our annual camping trip on the beach, take it out on a boat, etc.

I thought there was a problem with it, it would take almost 60 seconds to write a picture. That was really annoying because if you didn't get the shot, chances are slim that the people will stay posed for that long. Turned out to be the memory card, started using the 8mg card (that I never used) and it works like a champ.

I don't know how long it will last but it seems to be OK. I also wanted a camera that has manual features but still pocketable. My new one has just about all the ones I can think of, as well as some special effects like auto bracketing and 1st/2nd curtain. Will be going to Vegas in a few weeks, I'll definitely be bringing both cameras.

<img src="http://www.geocities.com/moshead2002/Canon.jpg" width=293 height=113> New camera

<img src="http://www.geocities.com/moshead2002/Olympus.jpg"> Retiree

 

[mikeschn]

I'm using the Olympus 5050z. It's got all the features I could ever want... plus manual overides on everything.

It's only 5 megapixels. But it's enough for what I do. I can have prints made at the store and they are sharp. And of course, for the board I end up resizing everything to 640x480...

http://www.wrotniak.com/photo/c5050/

Mike...

 

[Marck-TNT]

I'm using a Fuji Finepix A205

Doesn't do all I wish, but works well enough for me.

2.0 megapixel w/ CCD

 

[Rondacker-FRF]

I'm using a Nikon Coolpix 885.

3.1 megapixels.
I use MGI photosuite 4.0 or 8.06 to resize pics to 640 by 480 for the internet. I take the pics at the highest resolution, they come out nice when I get prints at Walmart. They seem ok on my pages too!

 

[mikeschn]

I'm using a Nikon Coolpix 885.

Oh cool... that's what I was using before I bought the 5050z. Now Michelle is using the Coolpix 885... It's a good little camera!

Mike...

P.S. For resizing photos I use PaintShopPro8.