photo organization

[pixie]

Not sure this is the right spot for this question, but I'm on an iMac and it involved Elements and iPhoto and my Nikon d90.

I'm fairly new to digital photography (if you don't count pix taken on my iPhone). I have a ton of photos on iPhoto that I took prior to buying the Nikon. The Nikon gave me software with the camera (transfer NX and view Nx) and so when transfer my photos from the camera they go in there. Then I move them to iPhoto. I don't think the Nikon program does much in the way of manipulating them but it does seem to have its own photo organization system too. (I have so many new things going on here I'm overwhelmed.) Now I have elements and it seems to also store photos in folders and such.

My question to those of you that take a lot of photo's... how are you organizing them? I know I'll have to get a system that works for me but I'm sure you all have a lot of tips and such on the best way to do it. And I'd love a little of your collective wisdom.

When I upload my pix from the camera to the computer (be it on iphoto, the Nikon software, whatever...) it puts all the pix taken that day in a folder. Do you then take the pix out and put them into categories (landscape, portraits, animals, etc.). And once you put a photo into elements, do you keep the original and when you make changes to is (crop it whatever) do you keep the changed one as well?

Again if this isn't the right place for this question let me know what is but I think this is quite important to figure before I really start playing with Elements and creating copies of photos that I've manipulated and such.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Susan

[Wendy]

Hi pixie ...

... and welcome to the Village :)

Sorry about that last message ... we had someone who was posting silly messages into different threads and sadly he posted one in the thread you started. I have now deleted it.

I don't use my camera software to import the images ... I have a card reader and I import them straight into iPhoto.

I tend to use multiple iPhoto libraries and start a couple of new ones each year ... General 2009 & Holidays 2009 plus I also have libraries for things I create using Element, Restorations etc.

I do tend to keep the originals, well only if I make lots of changes ... if I make minor changes that I do overwrite the original.

Wendy

[Bob Chadwick]

I tend to organize each year by a folder, with some subfolders if there are a lot of pictures of a particular subject.

[DesertScrapper]

Hi Susan. I have a Nikon as well. I don't use the software that came with it. I do as Wendy does, just use my card reader and directly upload to iphoto from that. I'm new to MAC so I'm still learning, but it does seem to be the easier way, for me anyways, to just directly load into iPhoto.

As for my folders... oh my iPhoto folders are a mess. I'm learning though, or trying to. But my intention this week is to put them by year and then by category (xmas, soccer, etc). Speaking of, I need to make a post and ask for help on this mess I created, think I'll do that in a minute.

[ljameso1]

Key words in iphoto will really help. I keep all my pics in iphoto. I don't use my camera's software. I use a card reader. I use bridge(it came with pse for mac) to browse my card reader and only open the ones I want to work on. I save the edited images to a desktop file and then import to iphoto and attach keywords.

[pixie]

What sort of card reader? is that something you bought separately or what? I'd rather skip the Nikon software too, its just more stuff to bog down my computer. I have a printer that has slots in it for memory cards but for some reason, it has a slot the exact size as an SD slot but when I put my Nikon card in there it doesn't read it. I know it works cuz it reads off a smaller card that came with a tiny sony point and shoot camera I have.

Thanks, Susan

[ken1]

The organization of the photos is an option that only you can determine.

I should like to suggest that you burn a CD with newly downloaded picture files, before any enhancements are made - your "film." As you become more familiar with the program, you may want to go back to square 1 at some future time, and have them available without degradation.
:cool:

[Wendy]

Hi Susan ...

Yes the card reader is something you buy separately ... but they are very cheap. :)

Wendy

[ljameso1]

Any electronics store can supply a reader. Just make sure has all the slots you need.

[angelschick6]

I was using iphoto to store all my pics before I got PSE. I left those there for a while and imported my new ones into bridge. I didn't think I would go back and edit old photo's taken with my p&c but I have, so I am imported all my pics into bridge. It was too hard going between the two and now I just took iphoto right off the computer to create more space since I don't use it.

The way I organize is - by year, then by date and I try to add a title so I know what it is without opening that folder. I also have a seperate folder for my portfolio only, so my practice shots go in there, in their own folder. Now I take a LOT of pictures so I have lots of folders but it works for me. I have weeded out some from my personal library that don't fit into a theme like flowers or waterfalls and those have their own folder. Wow this sounds wayyy more complicated than it is actually is.

No help at all I'll bet - sorry!

[Geoff]

Hi Pixie,
Most cameras have an onboard system to organize photos. I know that Canon and Minolta/Sony allow some customization in their on-camera menu. Maybe the Nikon has too.
Having recently moved from PC to Mac( a month ago) I used iPhoto for a few days but found it lacking compared to the PC version of Elements Organizer - maybe just my inexperience.Then discovered Picasa 3 for Mac from Google - A free download here,

http://picasa.google.com/mac/

It can import and organize your iPhoto library, or you can use it to import photos from any selection of folders that you choose. Picasa is totally free to download and use, and it has some basic photo editing, tagging and publishing tools. Literally within 5 minutes of downloading it, I had a collage of 6 photos with text and some editing, finished and sent via email.

Picasa also can tag and name your photos in batches.

As for organizing, I learnt from my PC days that the more I did manually the better. So I’ve stuck with having all my photos in folder and sub folders according to year, month, etc. But any software mentioned in this thread can tag and organize your photos any way you choose.

When you ask about keeping the original, it depends on certain setting in each programme whether the photo is copied to the new programme, or there’s just a link to the original photo.
cheers
Geoff

[baycruisers]

Although I don't use a Mac, photo organization is largely the same concept on both platforms. I think that using a program that allows you to use tags and/or keywords (e.g., Organizer, Bridge, ACDSee Pro) and consistently using them is important, as is having a coherent folder system. Eventually, with a large number of images, the number of folders will be overwhelming and that's where tags and keywords can save the day. It takes time, but if you do it each time you download images, it can save you time in the long run. Another important step is to rename the files when you download them so you don't have cryptic filenames. Your D90 also gives you the option of numbering file names sequentially so that when you change memory cards you don't start renumbering from DSC_0001 or whatever. Check your settings menu.

If you buy a small USB card reader make sure it reads SDHC cards (most do, but a few older ones don't.) Another advantage of a card reader is that you can take it with you if you travel without a computer and you can download or email pictures from someone else's computer (Mac or PC).

[victry1]

Hi Susan,

Just came across this thread and see you got some useful suggestions. A note of interest, though-normally, with a Mac, you don't need to download the camera's software as Macs are well fitted with the proper drivers. It's very nice because if someone is visiting you can plug their camera in and download their pictures also without a worry.

I either plug my camera in directly to my computer or use a card reader. (got my card reader at Walmart)However, I don't import directly to iPhoto as I always found it to be a little slow if I had a full card. I create a new folder on my desktop, name it, then drag it into iPhoto. Then I trash the desktop folder and weed through my photos using iPhoto. I also have several iPhoto libraries-you can create or choose a library by pressing and holding the option key while opening iPhoto. As far as being really organized tho-there are better people than me on the forum for that question! :D

[ljameso1]

Susan, You can also use Bridge to browse your memory card. Works faster than doing import to iphoto from card and then can select only ones wish to work on to open.