Help with computer based photo album

[bob.phillips]

Having now accumulated thousands of picture on the PC, I'm now starting to lose track of what it is I've taken, where it was taken and when. So I really need some sort of digital album facility to sort them into various categories and allow me to put in comments against each picture and also retain the EXIF data.
Can anyone recommend something - free software would be good, but not essential.

Thanks,

Bob

[MeadsMan]

Hope you have backed them up on external hard drives or saved them to DVDs Bob.Apart from that,I would like to hear any ideas for keeping my photos tidy,and easy to find too.

[ron1863]

This may suit you:

http://www.photo-freeware.net/photo-albums.php

[bob.phillips]

Thanks Ron for the web site. I did say 'album' in my title and that seems to be what the web site you suggested does deal with, but I probably am looking for more like something that helps me 'sort out' and catalogue my pics, including the option to add text for description. Maybe my existing software does it, but I can't find how to do it. Meadsman seems to be interested in a solution too, so at least 2 of use could do with some advice.

Regards,

Bob

[ron1863]

Try this one Bob:

Photo-Freeware.net - Fotomat - Digital Photo Manager Download

[charlieb]

Picasa? Picasa 3: Free download from Google

[ron1863]

I've got it preloaded on the laptop but have never used it as it also came with Photoshop Elements preloaded too - excellent.

[Words]

There's a range of 'photo management' packages around all of which will allow you to tag photos with key words. I've never had the patience to use them though.

The first step is keeping them in date order. When I upload photos from my camera, each day's set goes into its own folder in the form year_month_day (so yesterday was 2009_06_27). This helps Windows keep them in order. I have also set my Canon software to name the files in date sequence when they're uploaded, so a photo from yesterday will automatically be numbered as 270609xxxx (where the xxxx = the frame number). This means I can identify the date of any shot just by the file name. The third bit of this process is to edit an example of each key subject (so one fox, one kestrel etc) and name it as fox_270609xxxx etc. That way whatever the software limitations I can always search the hard drive for subjects, and know which day to look in for more.

It sounds complicated but I've found it far quicker and consistent than trying to tag every shot (unless you batch similar subjects together).

[MeadsMan]

Editing one of each subject taken from each dated folder is a very good idea Words.I am half way there as all my folders are pretty much in date order,but I don`t have a clue what some of them contain As you say re naming one of each subject will make it much easier to track down certain subjects,as My Windows XP does not seem to recognise raw files or folders.

[Hobjob]

All new photos go into directory / folder with reversed date
as above - windows then files them logically, usually with a one
word reminder as the venue / occaision.
e.g. 2009-06-13 Strumpshaw
This is not the final destination folder.

(Because I am so inefficeint I have each year filed under a directory
of AAA - Unsorted - using AA keeps it at the top of lists
Sadly this is a very large folder!!! and there are still some files from 2003)

I then batch rename the contents using Place_date_canonnumberminusIMG
so for Strumpshaw Fen they will end up
IMG_7514.JPG --> StrumpF_14Jun09_7514.JPG
(use a v simple and free proggie called "rename")
This takes about 2 minutes only.

I then batch edit the Exif iniformation.
Vista allows you to do 10 at a time I gather.
I was using a free miocrosoft add-in called
"microsoft pro photos tools" - crashed too much.
I now use
"Exif Pilot Pro"

(Works really well, but could follow windows conventions a bit better.
I will add greater info about place, occaision, copyright etc.
With large numbers of photos this can take a few minutes, as each
file has to be re-written with new info at the start of the file.
My machine is oldish now, and my techy son says this would
take no time on a dual core machine)

I usually edit in that folder, making temporary folders for
species etc.
At this point, whilst in Photoshop, I will add species info to the
file is relevent, or maybe names of people at a party.
Edited photos get "saved as", so original is left.
I add an "a" before the dot
StrumpF_14Jun09_7514.JPG --> StrumpF_14Jun09_7514a.JPG
this makes sure they stay in order and I can tell at a glance
which files have been edited, and delete originals if appropriate.

Then I will re-file to a species folder, or events folder, family folder etc..

Finding files I then use Copernic Desktop search, which nowdays
finds on exif data too.

I have found this sytem works easily in practice - bit it is
crazy to have to use so many different proggies; this becomes very
fast though after a few days, and well worth the trouble.

I also love Powerdesk Pro 7.0
This is a "my computer" sophisticate; Allows window to show two
different directory structures vertically or hosizonatally,
can file view so photos can be seen,
synchronisation, copying paths and files as text, favourites for
the hard drive, formatting, size manager, ftp, quick launch bar
all common zips etc, and a host of other things.
I've been using it for about 18 years

[alisonthompson]

Expression Media is a good package for creating an image catalogue. It allows you to search on image data, keywords etc and will locate/reference all matches, even if images are on an external hard drive that may not be plugged in at the time of the search. Images can also be added to user defined categories / folders to improve organisation.

It's not free, but it does do a very good job.

[bob.phillips]

Just managed to get back to the site after a couple of days. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll give each of them a look and hopefully settle on one that is suitable.

Thanks again,

Bob P.

[rogpow]

I've used iViewMediaPro for many years now for catalogueing 25,000+ photos and it works very well.
Microsoft got their hands on it the other year and rebranded it Expression Media, but I believe it still does a good job.
As Alison mentioned it's not free but it's been worth every penny for me over the years.

[ollyk]

Originally Posted by bob.phillips

Having now accumulated thousands of picture on the PC, I'm now starting to lose track of what it is I've taken, where it was taken and when. So I really need some sort of digital album facility to sort them into various categories and allow me to put in comments against each picture and also retain the EXIF data.
Can anyone recommend something - free software would be good, but not essential.

Thanks,

Bob

I think it is worth trying Picasa. While it may not offer exactly what you want it is a great birds eye view of your hard drive picture contents and allows for some easy picture editing / enhancments too Very slick interface too!