photo organization software

[swan_tower]

Dear Internets,


What is your preferred program for organizing photos on your computer?

('Cause I need something better than what I've been using, stat. What I have been using = uh, nothing, actually, just the Windows file system.)


Thanks,
Nearly One Thousand Photos From Japan

Comments

[jsbangs.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

Picasa. I wouldn't swear that Picasa is the best photo organization software in the world, but it gets the job done for me.

[moonandserpent.livejournal.com]

This is my sentiment as well.

[aulus-poliutos.livejournal.com]

Lol, I cam back fro Norway with 3000 photos. Windows file system works for me, so no idea what else is out there.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Wait, what? People organise their photos...?

(Um, any suggestions for a Linux user...?)

[tapinger.livejournal.com]

I like digiKam on Linux. It makes it easy to go through a bunch of images, rotate, and rate them (1..5 stars), plus it has some nice batch processing features. It has a lot of features I don't use so I can't speak to those. :)

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[green-knight.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I am using the (Mac) File system. I group pictures in folders by location and topic. My Japan folder had subfolders for Tokyo, Worldcon, Ninjas, etc - this makes it relatively easy to locate images.

I also keep 'best of' folders - they're usually about 10% of images from any day out, the most memorable, the one most likely to be shared and shown to other people.

The Mac file system has the advantage of allowing the colour-coding of images which I find very helpful, but I haven't seen anything else to do it.

As for tagging each photo... I tried. Several times, but there just aren't enough hours in my day, or spoons in my drawer, and there's little _need_ - so far, I've been able to locare the images I wanted with far less effort than tagging things would have taken.

[spiffikins]

I currently use "folders with names and dates" - but a photographer friend who does professional shoots and ends up with thousands of photos each weekend, swears by Adobe Lightroom.

[silvergryphyn.livejournal.com]

Another vote for the file system for underlying organization. On top of that, I use Picasa for easier viewing, etc. I also have used Extensis Portfolio as a much cheaper alternative to some of the really pricey ones.