New Here! How do I organize?

j10a11

TPF Noob!
Joined
Oct 21, 2014
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Can others edit my Photos
Photos NOT OK to edit
Hello there everyone! My name is Jordan and I have been practicing photography for about 1 3/4 years now. I've come very far since I first started in the quality of my pictures.

However, there are still MANY things that I still don't know how to do, from making the best pictures I can to the best camera gear to how to store and organize my photos. In fact, that last thing is what I need the most help with right now.

I have accumulated quite the number of pictures from many different events, but I don't know the best way to organize them. I recently bought an external hard drive and am currently planning on importing all of my photos onto it. (I will also be using a few different backup methods.) I have begun the process of importing, but with the mass number of photos, it is simply overwhelming. I'm not sure what the best approach would be to get all of this organized. Any ideas?
 
It takes time, do it. Dual monitors helps a great deal. I have mine in folders by subject matter and each folder sorts by date. I create the folders first and split the screen on one monitor with all the mess on left side of screen and drag and drop in the proper folder on right side of screen. 2nd monitor is used to drop misc pics that may need a different folder name.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
Have you photo software? Lightroom, picassa?
 
It takes time, do it. Dual monitors helps a great deal. I have mine in folders by subject matter and each folder sorts by date. I create the folders first and split the screen on one monitor with all the mess on left side of screen and drag and drop in the proper folder on right side of screen. 2nd monitor is used to drop misc pics that may need a different folder name.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
That sounds like a really good method. Thanks!
 
Have you photo software? Lightroom, picassa?
Not yet. That is another of the things that I have yet to figure out. Haha!
 
Picassa is free. Download it from Google search. Set it up to watch your "pictures" folder and drag all your picture folders into that parent folder. Inside picassa they 'll all be organized by date taken. Its a start
 
Don't need it. Just use the file manager... Windows is called file explorer

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
Welcome!
Don't use the file system. There are so many things you can't do that way. As stated, Lightroom seems to be the most common tool. Picasa is free. I use ACDSee. There are plenty more out there. Do your homework, pick one, learn about how people are using it, and then dive in.
 
Welcome!
Don't use the file system. There are so many things you can't do that way. As stated, Lightroom seems to be the most common tool. Picasa is free. I use ACDSee. There are plenty more out there. Do your homework, pick one, learn about how people are using it, and then dive in.
Why? Just trying to organize, does the software you mention distinguish portrait, landscape, or by date etc. and organise them automatically? I just did my daughter in laws nested up mess and all I did was search *.jpeg on the whole drive, sorted by dates and moved them into the newly created folders by year. Then backed them. Easy. If she was using Linux, it would have been even easier.Then I could see using software from then on to edit and such. I think your making harder, unless I'm missing something.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
Welcome!
Don't use the file system. There are so many things you can't do that way. As stated, Lightroom seems to be the most common tool. Picasa is free. I use ACDSee. There are plenty more out there. Do your homework, pick one, learn about how people are using it, and then dive in.
Why? Just trying to organize, does the software you mention distinguish portrait, landscape, or by date etc. and organise them automatically? I just did my daughter in laws nested up mess and all I did was search *.jpeg on the whole drive, sorted by dates and moved them into the newly created folders by year. Then backed them. Easy. If she was using Linux, it would have been even easier.Then I could see using software from then on to edit and such. I think your making harder, unless I'm missing something.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Yes, and more, so much more
 
File system browsers such as Windows Explorer are getting better. The ability to display thumbnail previews as well as some Exif data makes them usable in this way. But they lack other organization tools such as keywords, tagging, image adjustments, better image viewing, quicker navigation, image selection filters, import tools, renaming, correction for camera clocks out of sync, etc. Once you go there you'll never want to go back.

But, I do understand where you are coming from. I like to have file-level control of my images. That's why I use ACDSee instead of Lightroom. With ACDSee I can get all the great management tools and still be able to move things around on the file system.
 
OK, I'm just old school I guess. All the features you mention are great for post, did not realize it could sort various ways automatically. I was thinking more organization as opposed to learning curve of new software.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
OK, I'm just old school I guess. All the features you mention are great for post, did not realize it could sort various ways automatically. I was thinking more organization as opposed to learning curve of new software.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

It's really a great program built with photographers in mind. "Lightroom is the essential tool for organizing, editing, and sharing your photography." And it gets better and better.
 

Most reactions

New Topics

Back
Top