Building an image library

[D. King]

As my library of images continues to grow I'm haunted by the idea that one day I will need to find something quickly and it won't be on my hard drive because I've had to nest it in one of several external HD's.

Unless I have a foolproof system of logging it could be a real mess.

What software should I be looking at that will give me a detailed catalogue with names and dates and locations -- and one that hopefully will let me print it out and tuck it away somewhere just in case?

[alainbriot]

I use Extensis Portfolio for image cataloging. I also use disk cataloging software to catalog all my external disks.  Between the two it takes me a few minutes or less to find any photograph in my collection of nearly 100,000 images.

[mikeseb]

You need DAM software as Alain said. I use iView Media Pro, having switched from Portfolio 2 years ago. Each has its strengths and weaknesses; I like IVMP's interface better on the Mac. PF has a useful Smart Folders feature IVMP lacks, and is said to be much better for a shared/networked multicomputer setup. Either one would do the job for a single user.

Even more important is to develop a well-thought-out scheme of organization even before you start fooling with a cataloging program. Peter Krogh's The DAM Book is an excellent resource; check out his discussion forum for more.

[alainbriot]

Also, make a careful choice when deciding on which Digital Asset Management software (DAM) you will be using to catalog your images because the last thing you want to do is re-catalog and keyword thousands, if not tens of thousands of images!  Once you develop a substantial image library you are pretty much locked with that software unless you are willing to spend days recataloging everything.

[DarkPenguin]

Actually, that's why you get everything into the image files themselves.  All my tags are in the keywords.  I can take those files from app to app and lose nothing other than my version stacks.  (I'm looking at that.)

One of the points of the DAM book as that organizing software comes and goes so you want to make sure the information is in the image files.  This is one of the great arguments for Adobe DNG.  All that stuff sits in the file so you don't need to keep an image/sidecar pair for each picture.

Edit: It should be noted that I probably have simpler requirements and that I do not have 100,000 images cataloged.  So minor issues for me could end up eating days for others.

(Is the managing megabytes forum getting a new use?)

[alainbriot]

One of the points of the DAM book as that organizing software comes and goes so you want to make sure the information is in the image files.  This is one of the great arguments for Adobe DNG.  All that stuff sits in the file so you don't need to keep an image/sidecar pair for each picture.

Edit: It should be noted that I probably have simpler requirements and that I do not have 100,000 images cataloged.  So minor issues for me could end up eating days for others.

(Is the managing megabytes forum getting a new use?)
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I agree but since I started cataloging long ago (I started in 1995) I have numerous images in Portfolio that would take forever to re-catalog the way that has now become standard.  

Even then, re-cataloging images that have embedded keywords is still very time consuming, especially when large numbers of images are involved as you mention.

[loesch]

Why not just use Lightroom?  The file structure is still yours to organize as are the file names.  Keywords are part of the file itself.  Lightroom catalogs all of your files into a database (not the files themselves) and you can find anything very quickly.

[KAP]

I agree but since I started cataloging long ago (I started in 1995) I have numerous images in Portfolio that would take forever to re-catalog the way that has now become standard. 

Even then, re-cataloging images that have embedded keywords is still very time consuming, especially when large numbers of images are involved as you mention.
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I use Aperture, for organising a library, i haven't found better. I import into Aperture and backup to the vault system on two other drives. As an experiment I pointed another DAM software program at the Aperture library, it found the files without a problem and could read the keywords etc. So if ever I need to switch programs I know the much needed keywords will come. I also like to have good location information in the title, just incase the keywords ever get lost in translation.
Keywording is more time comsuming than the photography for me. Also having the location in the title means it's easy for the SMART folders to organise on the fly without me having to search. An example would be if the title started with the word Cambridge, those images immediatly get added to the Cambridge SMART folder. You can add many different filters to the smart folders as you please, instant sorting of images.

Kevin.

[fraser.crozier]

I haven't heard the term IPTC, XMP in relation to metadata. If you literally mean the "keyword" portion of a file, then this is a legacy way of adding metadata.

Keywords are searchable, but often won't import into the newer systems unless you tell it to bring it in. It is critical that any metadata is embedded directly into the files XMP core.

Sizes of each catalog speak to how bulky the database is for each "section". The bigger the catalog, the more like the possibility of crash and burn unless the db is mirrored to an SQL db.

Cumulus is about to integrate with CS3. This presents a direct route into the world of hard core metadata driven catalogues.

As for LIghtroom and Apeture, be very wary of relying on the internal "library" functionality. You lose the library, you lose the intelligence with it.

[Don Libby]

I too am in the early process of changing how I store and categorize my files.  My current storage device is a 2 terabyte Buffalo Station.  I currently have a very simple method of storing my RAW images by date and place.  Images that I’ve worked up are stored by place and date.  As the years go by (it’s been 3 now) I’m beginning to see that I might need a better way to store and categorize my files, thus this message.

I think this search would be much easier had I not gone the way of Windows XP 64 bit.  I went 64 bit due to the fact that I operate a computer with 8GB of RAM.  I went from 2GB on my old computer to 8GB since I do multiple image panoramas in medium format. (my travel computer, a laptop is maxed out at 4GB RAM).  

With this in mind I have begun a search for DAM software that supports 64 bit so far with no luck.  I came across this thread today and barring other considerations currently rethinking Lightroom as loesch suggests.  

Is there someone out there running Windows 64?  If so what have you done?

Any and all suggestions are welcome.  I’m headed over to Adobe site to recheck Lightroom.


Don