fidget
Lemon magnet
Thanks guys for these recommendations. There's a lot to work through.
I hadn't thought about RAW support when I posted, but my workflow will include these more in the future, so is a must.
I have PSE6, this likes to import images for me and file them in a date uploaded order. It will catalogue them too but I lost the will to continue to learn it given that IT seemed to be in control.
Free trials are very useful too.
Thanks also to Johan for the link to the storage system, I must confess that my workflow is 90% digital and increasing, so my neg storage system can stand alone.
Dave
I hadn't thought about RAW support when I posted, but my workflow will include these more in the future, so is a must.
I have PSE6, this likes to import images for me and file them in a date uploaded order. It will catalogue them too but I lost the will to continue to learn it given that IT seemed to be in control.
Free trials are very useful too.
Thanks also to Johan for the link to the storage system, I must confess that my workflow is 90% digital and increasing, so my neg storage system can stand alone.
Dave
cabbiinc
Slightly Irregular
If anyone is into Bibble Pro it's been bought by Corel and is on sale until Jan 15 2012. I've never used it but some say it rivals Lightroom or Aperture.
http://www.corel.com/corel/product/...dcs_action=&url_coupon=&storeKey=&mapcounter=
$79 if you already own Bibble 5, PSP X2 or better, Apple Aperture, or Lightroom. $99 if not. Bibble was $150.
http://www.corel.com/corel/product/...dcs_action=&url_coupon=&storeKey=&mapcounter=
$79 if you already own Bibble 5, PSP X2 or better, Apple Aperture, or Lightroom. $99 if not. Bibble was $150.
Tim Gray
Well-known
I'm interested to see what Camerabits comes up with in the new Photo Mechanic Catalog. I use Photo Mechanic all the time for scans and other images which are currently stored by date in folders and it's fantastic. I can't imagine using anything else for tagging and captioning. But it's getting hard to find images that I don't remember when I took.
fidget
Lemon magnet
Thanks for more suggestions.
I am fairly settled with image editing applications, so don't really want to use another.
I was looking for something with a simple interface that will allow photo browsing, captions, grouping and key word searching.
I didn't know, but my W7 installation already has "Windows live photo gallery" which looks, so far, to be just the thing I need. I've loaded a free version for XP so will play with it a little. It seems to be able to handle some raw files, so may do the job.
Dave
I am fairly settled with image editing applications, so don't really want to use another.
I was looking for something with a simple interface that will allow photo browsing, captions, grouping and key word searching.
I didn't know, but my W7 installation already has "Windows live photo gallery" which looks, so far, to be just the thing I need. I've loaded a free version for XP so will play with it a little. It seems to be able to handle some raw files, so may do the job.
Dave
I use a "disintegrated" method, as opposed to "integrated". 
First, like Chris I treat all images in groups I call "rolls", as indeed the arrangement began with film. I used to number rolls serially, as BW147, or CN147, or CT147 depending on the type of film, and then of course the individual frames are numbered on the film strip. I still treat a logical group of digital files as a "roll" and renumber the files accordingly... but I changed to date-oriented numbering back in 1993, then with film. A group of pics shot or finished today would have a "roll number" of 120111 and the tenth image would be 120111-10.
I use a shareware program called GraphicConverter on the Mac for further minor editing the TIFFs outputted by the RAW processor, into JPEGs of upload size, which all go into the same folder for easy browsing. GC also has a Browser feature like PS, so this is where I poke around to scan what I have and pick something to upload, and of course it's displayed in file-name order, which also means chronological order due to my naming convention.
But this still doesn't address that lost feeling where I need more data to zero in on the roll or image I'm looking for. This is solved with a database program (FileMaker for Mac) which has full freedom to design your own solution or modify a template from the group of samples supplied with the program. I modified one... It references the roll number, frame format, number of images in the roll, and a text block with freeform description of the subjects. On another form is tech data with the gear, related notes, and processing notes.
Another form has info about enlargements made, prints given, shows, etc. With this, the subject commentary has the "keywords" and I can search both on this and any entries in any other fields in the same search.
This works well for me, but it arose out of many years of record-keeping on 4x6 file cards! I have used CaptureOne for RAW processing, but have moved to Lightroom. I do not let Lightroom "import" files from the camera or SD card... I do that manually with the Mac Finder with a card reader, and place each cardful into a folder as a "roll" which I put with other roll folders. This is the point where I name the folder with the roll number and rename all the files inside it. Then I'll crank up Lightroom and open ("import") that folder-ful right where I put it, process the pics to TIFF which are saved to a subfolder in its "roll" folder. An easy organization that helps me find stuff pretty quickly... Because my use of Lightroom is recent and tentative, I have not let it be essential for file mangement; the Finder is fine for that.
First, like Chris I treat all images in groups I call "rolls", as indeed the arrangement began with film. I used to number rolls serially, as BW147, or CN147, or CT147 depending on the type of film, and then of course the individual frames are numbered on the film strip. I still treat a logical group of digital files as a "roll" and renumber the files accordingly... but I changed to date-oriented numbering back in 1993, then with film. A group of pics shot or finished today would have a "roll number" of 120111 and the tenth image would be 120111-10.I use a shareware program called GraphicConverter on the Mac for further minor editing the TIFFs outputted by the RAW processor, into JPEGs of upload size, which all go into the same folder for easy browsing. GC also has a Browser feature like PS, so this is where I poke around to scan what I have and pick something to upload, and of course it's displayed in file-name order, which also means chronological order due to my naming convention.
But this still doesn't address that lost feeling where I need more data to zero in on the roll or image I'm looking for. This is solved with a database program (FileMaker for Mac) which has full freedom to design your own solution or modify a template from the group of samples supplied with the program. I modified one... It references the roll number, frame format, number of images in the roll, and a text block with freeform description of the subjects. On another form is tech data with the gear, related notes, and processing notes.
Another form has info about enlargements made, prints given, shows, etc. With this, the subject commentary has the "keywords" and I can search both on this and any entries in any other fields in the same search.
This works well for me, but it arose out of many years of record-keeping on 4x6 file cards! I have used CaptureOne for RAW processing, but have moved to Lightroom. I do not let Lightroom "import" files from the camera or SD card... I do that manually with the Mac Finder with a card reader, and place each cardful into a folder as a "roll" which I put with other roll folders. This is the point where I name the folder with the roll number and rename all the files inside it. Then I'll crank up Lightroom and open ("import") that folder-ful right where I put it, process the pics to TIFF which are saved to a subfolder in its "roll" folder. An easy organization that helps me find stuff pretty quickly... Because my use of Lightroom is recent and tentative, I have not let it be essential for file mangement; the Finder is fine for that.
gavinlg
Veteran
Lightroom does everything better than most.
fidget
Lemon magnet
Thanks for your help guys.
I don't want to pay for a new editing suite when all I want is the organiser bit.
I loaded up "Windows live photo gallery". It will allow the creation of image collections for uploading to some of websites, which is where the "live" comes from, I think. It also has some basic editing features. I didn't want any of these.
It is pretty well spot-on what I wanted in a simple and flexible database/search system.
It will allow images to be appended with a rating (0 to 5) stars, keywords and a caption.
Images can be searched as a rating alone or as a character string within the directory name, file name (inc extension), keywords and caption (all of these simultaneously).
Raw files supported (browsing) with the downloading of codecs.
Looks to be simple enough for me! (and free).
Dave
I don't want to pay for a new editing suite when all I want is the organiser bit.
I loaded up "Windows live photo gallery". It will allow the creation of image collections for uploading to some of websites, which is where the "live" comes from, I think. It also has some basic editing features. I didn't want any of these.
It is pretty well spot-on what I wanted in a simple and flexible database/search system.
It will allow images to be appended with a rating (0 to 5) stars, keywords and a caption.
Images can be searched as a rating alone or as a character string within the directory name, file name (inc extension), keywords and caption (all of these simultaneously).
Raw files supported (browsing) with the downloading of codecs.
Looks to be simple enough for me! (and free).
Dave
sepiareverb
genius and moron
+1 for me. I really like Bridge, as do I like Photoshop. One can make collections in Bridge, lots of them, so getting to images can be pretty easy. Lots of metadata options also, so as long as you're somewhat diligent in doing something more than just dropping the pictures onto a hard drive they can be found. Bridge is quite a program once one takes the time to learn what it can do.
I have a filing system based on my years of analog shooting, and it has served me well- Bridge does make it easier to find digital images than some analog ones tho.
Lightroom is very good also, but I just don't get along with the tools like I do in PS. I have several colleagues who won't go back to PS from Lightroom.
Richard G
Veteran
Johan, is wrapping negatives in A4 really OK? Does it have to be some particular paper, like acid-fee...? I really like the look of your system, physical and digital.
majid
Fazal Majid
Since you're on Windows, Lightroom or IMatch. You want a keyword-based system that supports hierarchical keywords. Here's how I did it back when I still used Windows:
http://majid.info/blog/image-category-management-with-imatch/
http://majid.info/blog/another-guide-for-new-imatch-users/
I would really reconsider Lightroom if I were you. The power of the LR workflow is simply unbeatable on Windows, only Aperture on Macs comes close.
http://majid.info/blog/image-category-management-with-imatch/
http://majid.info/blog/another-guide-for-new-imatch-users/
I would really reconsider Lightroom if I were you. The power of the LR workflow is simply unbeatable on Windows, only Aperture on Macs comes close.
cabbiinc
Slightly Irregular
Earlier I stated that Bibble was now bought by Corel and renamed AfterShot Pro. Well I tried it for a while and I've got to say that's the worst program I've ever tried to edit images on. To say it's unintuitive is an understatement. I've never tried any of the competition, LightRoom or the like, but I'm pretty disgusted with ASP. It's painful to use.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
I don't like using editing software like lightroom or aperture for catalogues. They really are not designed for that, and will get pretty unwieldy when you get to where I am, with thousands of images that you frequently search when someone buys one and needs a print made or a file prepared for a licensed use.
I use Microsoft Expression Media, which used to be iView MediaPro. Its now sold by Phase One under a different name. This is designed just for cataloging. You put the files where you want on whatever internal or external drives you want, and import them into the program's database. They aren't moved, it just makes a thumbnail and a larger preview that get stored in the DB.
It automatically imports your keywords and descriptions, and other file info data you input in Photoshop, Lightroom, or whatever when you edited the image. It can do RAW as well as JPEGs and Tiffs.
You can create categories to put images in and an image can be in more than one category if you want. This doesn't affect the original files, its just for organizing the catalog. Searching for an image by keyword or title is FAST. When you need the original file to print or edit again, it opens the Mac finder or Windows explorer with the original file highlighted for you! The best catalog I have tried for professional use and I think I have tried them all). It does one thing and does it right, without a bunch of other crap to get in the way.
I use Microsoft Expression Media, which used to be iView MediaPro. Its now sold by Phase One under a different name. This is designed just for cataloging. You put the files where you want on whatever internal or external drives you want, and import them into the program's database. They aren't moved, it just makes a thumbnail and a larger preview that get stored in the DB.
It automatically imports your keywords and descriptions, and other file info data you input in Photoshop, Lightroom, or whatever when you edited the image. It can do RAW as well as JPEGs and Tiffs.
You can create categories to put images in and an image can be in more than one category if you want. This doesn't affect the original files, its just for organizing the catalog. Searching for an image by keyword or title is FAST. When you need the original file to print or edit again, it opens the Mac finder or Windows explorer with the original file highlighted for you! The best catalog I have tried for professional use and I think I have tried them all). It does one thing and does it right, without a bunch of other crap to get in the way.
astro8
Well-known
+1
Yes Chris, Thorsten Overgaard also recommends this for the same reasons you've stated.