How to Organize Your Digital Photos

Organizing images or finding a particular photo caninstance, if I download a series of Halloween
seem a daunting task. Having a digital photophotos, during the download process I will have
management system in place for archiving andmy photo manager software rename all the
cataloguing your images will make the processimages using "Halloween 2007" in the name. Later
much simpler.you can rename individual photos if you wish. For
Besides devising a consistent method forexample, by adding "Lisa_Linda" within the file
cataloguing your images, using a photo organizername you can later do a search to find all images
or album software program will make managingof Lisa and Linda. To make it easier to find certain
your digital collection a breeze. While everyone hasphotos, you can rename individual images within
their own organizing method, here are someyour folders or use the Bath Process feature to
guides based on what works for me.rename a group of photos.
Archive OriginalsTag Images
Right after downloading your photos, it's a goodTo help you find photos of specific subjects, you
idea to burn them to CD or DVD. This preventscan use your photo album software to tag
you from accidentally overwriting an original image.images with keywords. They can have a variety
You can always go back to your disk to retrieveof attributes such as date, place, occasion, and
it. To save space you can keep adding newperson. For instance, you could label a picture of
images until the disk is full. Be sure to label the CDyour daughter Kathy at her 10th birthday party
with the year and note the contents wheneverat the zoo using the keywords Kathy, 10,
you add new pictures.birthday, zoo and then be able to search for all
Delete Unnecessary Photosimages with these tags, no matter where they
After you've archived the original images to disk,are on your hard drive. This is a huge timesaver
review your downloaded images and purgein helping you find favorite pictures. Initially it can
unwanted shots. Delete badly exposed images,be quite time-consuming to tag photos, but most
duplicates, out-of-focus shots, etc. If some are asoftware will let you batch label a group of photos
little over or under exposed you can generallywith the same keywords. This greatly speeds the
adjust them with your photo software, so unlessprocess.
you have a better version of an image, you mayIt's also helpful to tag images that need editing like
want to keep some of the so-so shots and fixred eye reduction, cropping, color adjustments
them.etc.
Name Your ImagesProtect Your Digital Photos and Projects
Create a new subfolder to My Pictures wheneverCan you imagine losing that cool slideshow you
you download new photos. Don't just dump themmade of your child's first birthday? Computer
all into My Pictures. There are several methodscrashes can and will happen. Back up your photos!
for naming and structuring your folders. I like toBurn them onto CD or DVD. It's easy,
organize my folders chronologically and put allinexpensive insurance. Most PCs and laptops come
photos for a particular year into subfolders underwith CD burning software. Or, if you have an
that particular year. Other people like to groupexternal storage drive, use it to back up your
their pictures by topic, such as Vacations, School,images.
Sports, Baby, Wedding, Family, etc.Finally, don't just let your precious picture sit on
When you download images, your software willyour computer. Print them, email them, frame
prompt you for image names. Be sure to usethem and enjoy them!
relevant names, not the default "003784.jpg." For