Ultimate Organization Tool?

I've been contemplating the best way to organize all my photos. I've got about 2-3 thousand photos, and I'm sick of having them all over the place or crowding the space on my HD. I use Lightroom as of now, because Bridge isn't my bag. It's too bulky for me. I want something thinner.

What do you guys think about online storage? What about external HD, but then the pain of editing any of the photos.

How do most of you label events? Do you use keywords, and if so, what's your software or app of choice?

I'm fully aware this is a common question, for thats why I ask. I want a vast array of options. So, the more input and or ideas, tips, tricks whatever... is cool : )

Later onnn

 

Application of choice is iPhoto. Of course, you need a Mac but that's a bonus!

 

Well, in your opinion is is...:er:

JK:mrgreen:

 

what about us non-Mac users?

I've been curious about this as well....

 

hahah i just label events manually in separate folders in My Pictures
definitely not perfect but its my best option hahah

 

I have Lightroom, I have Aperture, I have Extensis Portfolio... and I have scrapped them all (for this job anyway) in favor of iPhoto.

 

I love lightroom because I am a very technical person and the program gives a lot of editing options also allowing you to work in photoshop. I think the organization on it is great with the categories you can make.

 

I use regular ol' windows explorer.

I think you have a huge task in front of you. I have all my
*does a file count* 27,165 pictures
( MY GOD!!! I have that many!?)
organized in to categories, and then dates that i shot them. But i started the system the first time i uploaded my first set of pictures.

 

I just use the Computer's File System:

Like sorting negatives, you will need to figure out a way to sort you files. It's a highly personal process, here's mine: I have two major folders, My Images and My Pictures. My Images is for my creative work, whereas My Pictures is for friends and family snaps (and thus accessible to my wife for making albums, email pics to others, etc.)

I will create a folder for a special occasion, like a ski trip we were on for four days. All RAW files go into a sub folder. I will work on the RAW files (deleting bad shots, cropping, color correcting, exposure settings, etc) and then save them as JPGs so my wife has access to them. Sometimes I have images that I like a lot, and do more than a little work on (B&W conversions, dodging and burning in layers, etc). I save the working files as PSD files, and put those in a separate folder as well. Then I also save a JPG from the worked-on file for the family picture collection.

So my tree looks like this:
My Pictures
-2008 02 Ski Trip
--2008 02 Ski Trip RAW
--2008 02 Ski Trip PSD

I also keep a general dump-all file for a particular time period. Q stands for Quarter, so all shots not part of anything special from Jan 1 to Mar 31 get dumped into the Q1 folders.

My Pictures
-2008 Q1 Pictures
--2008 Q1 Pictures RAW
--2008 Q1 Pictures PSD

For my creative work, I do it slightly reversed. I shoot a lot of RAW files, but don't bother to convert most of them. Once the files have been worked on, Bridge shows them with the changes, though the beauty of RAW is that with one click I can go back to the way the camera shot them. So that means my first folder within My Images will hold the RAW files, and a sub-folder contains the few JPGs I'm going to create.

So my file tree looks like this:
My Images
-2008 01 Veene Street Junkyard Shoot
--2008 01 Veene Junkyard JPG
--2008 01 Veene Junkyard PSD

There's also a Q folder into which I dump creative shots that I took while at certain events with my family. So:

My Images
-2008 Q1 Images
--2008 Q1 Images JPG
--2008 Q1 Images PSD

Oh, and then you MUST maintain a regular back-up system. Either copy your folders to another external hard-drive, and/or burn them on to DVD-ROMs. I know many people who burn their RAW files directly to DVD as soon as they unload them from their memory card, so at least they'll always have the digital negatives if everything goes kaplooey. But I suggest you back up all your files regularly, not just the RAWs.

 

... having said that though, it is a great idea to have the discipline to add a keyword system, and a good application with which to search it.

I don't, and I know I will have to start taggging soon (+60,000 image files.)

 

I use file system as well on external drives. I shoot all RAW so I use DPP to view the images, search for them and edit.

LisaK, Have you used DPP or ZoomBrowser?

 

With 60K of images, how do you find a shot that you took 10 years ago unless you can remember the date you took it? Maybe key words would help there. I have seen where allot of people use the date system similar to what you are describing but, for me, I would have trouble remembering yesterday, let alone 5 or 10 years ago. I am still looking for a way that will work good for me.