Photo Management problem

[biancarose]

For my concert photography, I have a folder on my desktop. Inside the folder I have 2 folders,
one is called "Done" and one is called "To Do"
The "To Do" folder has the original pictures seperated by atist in their own seperate folder. These
are the images that have been uploaded, but they have not been sorted or edited. Once I edit them, I create
a folder in the folder for the edited versions of the pictures. When all is done, I move the folder
to the "Done" folder.
The "Done" folder is pictures that are of course done and need to be burned and sent to management,
uploaded to online portfolio and such. They are all seperated by artist.
Then once a month, I burn the folder to CD, label it and store it. I then delete it off of my PC.
I really do not have a need to keep them on there once I have sent them to management, uploaded
them to my online portfolio and made prints.

 

[DScience]

nice. yes ive heard great things about lightroom from my PC wielding friends. they are essentially the same program. looks like this is the solution for you.

I have a PC, and a mac. Used lightroom for both. Lightroom has slightly better editing features than Aperture...but there is not comparison in file handling, aperture eats lightroom alive for this purpose.

 

[GeneralBenson]

What is it as far as file handling that Aperture does better?

 

[itznfb]

i can't stand software that tries to manage my files. one of the primary reason i use PS+Bridge instead of lightroom. i manage all my folders manually because i like organization and control.

i have an import directory that is basically an SD card dump, i do this just for backup purposes.

then i have a post processing directory and a print directory. i use bridge to import the "good" photos into the post processing directory and work on everything there, then just save a final copy to the print directory.

of course i have each shoot in sub folders named by date_location/event such as:
2009-May-15_PGHZoo

makes everything incredibly easy to find, maintain and backup and i never have to worry about software editing the original or saving over the original.

 

[mofotodojo]

ha well I came here to tell you my method...which is similar to Tony123's method... but then you guys convinced me to buy Lightroom. Thanks

 

[WhineAndDine]

cant speak for lightroom because i haven't used it, but aperture organzies your folders in the exact way you like.

when you import photos and name the event, for example "davidson wedding" it automatically adjusts the name in your pictures directory. so if you want to go into your pictures folder and manually check pics out, its saved like this

pictures\apertureLibrary\2009\May\davidsonwedding\img_0445.jpg

it does this automatically. you dont need to sit there and rename each folder and make a folder structure one at a time. that process is grueling.

anyone with lightroom can confirm this?

i can't stand software that tries to manage my files. one of the primary reason i use PS+Bridge instead of lightroom. i manage all my folders manually because i like organization and control.

i have an import directory that is basically an SD card dump, i do this just for backup purposes.

then i have a post processing directory and a print directory. i use bridge to import the "good" photos into the post processing directory and work on everything there, then just save a final copy to the print directory.

of course i have each shoot in sub folders named by date_location/event such as:
2009-May-15_PGHZoo

makes everything incredibly easy to find, maintain and backup and i never have to worry about software editing the original or saving over the original.

 

[bdavison]

I dont like naming folders with dates. It makes it really hard to find something later if you cant remember the date. I prefer names. If I do store a date with it, its after the title of the folder/photo.

Like Mary&David2009 or Yosemite2000 or something.

However you decide to organize your photos, you have to be extremely focused on keeping it that way. Its really easy to get complacent and not do it. You'd be surprised at how fast things can get royally messed up when you dont.

Also if you use Vista, it has a search bar that allows you to type a name and it will show all results, including photos. Its much faster than opening up a browsing program. I can find a photo in a matter of seconds.

 

[GeneralBenson]

Personally, I just keyword the crap out of everything, and do metadata searches. As long as you write the keywords to the file, then you can find them with most any file handling program. I haven't used Aperture, but the keyword/metadata search functions are amazing.