Archiving Software

[machiela]

Good Morning, I am new here and have a question.
I am a single dad of four, my wife passed away about 18 months ago. I have over 22K digital photos and some misc files (mpegs, .psd's) of our family. In this pile are some duplicates with and without the same file name (some may be same name, different folder). I was wondering what my best option for organizing these files is. I would like to:

• organize files, put in files by year then month (if possible)
• Delete (or file duplicates in separate folder) duplicates even if filename is different. (DSC001,jpg, DSC001copy.jpg)
• End world hunger

I thought I would come to the experts for some advice. I really appreciate the help. I have exhausted my Google search. Maybe there is no such animal.

machiela
Boynton Beach, Florida

 

[ronlane]

Welcome Machiela. Sorry for your loss. There really is no one best way to organize your photos. It all boils down to personal preference.

The one piece of advice that I would give you though is to back them up on an external hard drive for safe keeping. This will insure that you have those memories for later.

As for deleting the duplicates, that would be up to you. I personally have my raw files and the corresponding tiff file if I do any editing in PS.

 

[machiela]

Thanks Ron! I guess that is why I could not find anything. Lets go into business and develop something that does! I do have everything backed up and in the safe deposit box at the bank.

Thanks again for your speedy response

 

[ronlane]

Do you have Lightroom as your photo editor? If so there are some ways to organize them in there.

organize photos in lightroom - YouTube

KelbyOne also has a class on organization in LR.

Sorry, I didn't think about these in my earlier post.

 

[Designer]

I use a Mac, so maybe you don't have the same choices, but as I recall when I went looking a couple of years ago, there were several from which to choose.

I use a duplicate finder called "Photo Sweeper". It will sort according to date or file name, as well as image similarity. It gives me the choice of deleting or saving each file as it identifies similar or matching files.

As for archiving, I don't have any particular application for that purpose.

 

[sscarmack]

Exactly what ronlane said, Lightroom has saved my life.

 

[KmH]

Though I had a photography business for 30 years, I learned a lot about digital image file organization and management from the expert that wrote this book:
The DAM Book: Digital Asset Management for Photographers

 

[dennybeall]

All good advice - especially making copies of everything and putting that away.
If I had that to do I would start with folders and name them by content, then I'd probably use Bridge to batch rename the pictures in each folder with subject and date. Then I'd go with Lightroom and add tags and such to use for sorting.

 

[table1349]

Though I had a photography business for 30 years, I learned a lot about digital image file organization and management from the expert that wrote this book:
The DAM Book: Digital Asset Management for Photographers

Now that is some DAMn good advise.

 

[The_Traveler]

And back them up, starting now.