[Newt]

Just curious how you folks that catalog/inventory/organize your images do it? I'm starting to get a few and just have in folders by date and area/trip. TIA NN

[Tom]

My Process: 1) Create a separate folder for each hike 2) Weed out the non-keepers ASAP (use delete button) 3) If you have 2 pictures of the same or similar shot, keep only the best (if you can't decide, it doesn't matter which one you delete ) 4) Empty trash frequently to remove temptation to restore 5) Get a CD-RW burner and backup your data (on CD-RW)

[Newt]

Thanks Tom. Sounds like what I do except I don't have a delete button. NN

[MCaver]

Before I go deleting photos left and right, I want to make sure my monitor is calibrated correctly. I've had it be WAY off before, which meant I kept photos that were really too light to everyone else, and no one ever said anything. My ultimate goal is prints, so I want to make sure I have the absolute best photo as possible to start with. Until I can be sure my exposure as I see it is exactly how it will print, I'm going to be very hesitant to get rid of all the extras. For now, I've been burning off every photo -- good or bad -- onto CDs and storing them. Once I get the calibration thing down, I'll go through them all and pic out the best ones and start paring down the list from there. Right now, I just have a directory on my hard drive with 2Gb of photos named P5049148.jpg or some such. And that's just from the last 6 months! To burn them off, I put them in a directory for where they are from -- United States/Washington/Mount Rainier National Park, for example -- and name them whatever it is, with sequential numbers for multiple shots of the same thing, i.e. Christine Falls 01, Christine Falls 02, etc. Ultimately, I want a master database that shows me thumbnails, gives a location and description, and tells me what CD it's on.

[Alan Bauer]

Oh, I've been involved in the digital world for some time now...currently pack a Nikon Coolpix 5000 with me along with my SLR gear. That camera is really a wonderful addition to my bag for expanding my macro and wildflower photography this past year! When it comes to workflow, that differs a bit whether it be transparencies or digital files I'm dealing with, but the flow has the same start/finish goals. I have over 35,000 slides filed away (with likely 20,000 more that may someday...for now only caption them as need be for sending out or if I want to be able to pull them someday quickly since I like them). It's pretty simple: 1. Ruthlessly edit each box of slides over the light table. I can spread out three boxes of images at a time on the light table and have them edited over in about five minutes. I used to keep 80% of my images....now years later and having higher quality work to deal with I find I'll only be satisfied with 50% most times unless the entire roll is of a hot subject. 2. Slip the keepers that I want filed away into temp pages and head to the computer to use Nortons Slide Captioning System. Create slide captions, print them out, label slides, and file away. Non-captioned images go chronologically into pages/binders so I can still pull unlabeled images later knowing a certain set was done in May 2002 for example. Digitally, it's even a faster process: 1. As Michael states, monitor calibration is critical. I do this every few weeks to make sure I'm close. 2. Load DigitalPro 1.5 which is my workflow master-minded software created by Moose Peterson and David Cardinal---created FOR photographers. Built in loupe, filing systems you can create in it, keyword and caption entering systems, etc.... You can edit your images (delete works well here too ) and just point to where you want them to go--you set up the filing system you are using ahead of time (THIS is the important part of planning) and then can have your captioned digital images automatically go to a location for the subject you are working over. 3. Archive/backup all new work. I have my filing structure on a 120gig external hard drive. While I really have always loved seeing photos organized by "where where they taken" systems, this failed me very quickly years ago. I will not remember where that perfect photo of a hedgehog cactus was taken when I want to send it in for submission but rather just want to find the photos of it! Thus, after utilizing ideas from about 20 photographers who have systems including in excess of 200,000 images I have a filing code that I stick to to this day and it works very well for me. I have about 25-30 codes and they go like the following: FL-NW: Northwest native flora FL-ORN: Non-native ornamental flora BK-H: Backcountry-Hiker in photo BK-W: Winter backcountry BK-TR: Backcountry-trail in photo W-WF: Water-waterfall W-CK: Water-creek W-LK: Water-Lake W-OC: Water-Ocean W-RIV: Water-River M: Mammals I: Insects AMPH: Amphibians B: Birds and so on. The key to making this all easily searchable is having a standard to follow in captioning images and what keywords you use for subjects. Thus even if I've got a photo of a ptarmigan atop Mount Dickerman (B filing code) I'll easily be able to pull the image if I want "What birds on Mount Dickerman do I have" since I've added Mount Dickerman to my subject and caption. So...I can pull THAT image of a ptarmigan atop Dickerman with Mount Baker in the background in about 20 seconds...I do the keyword search in the software and it gives me the unique image #, say 14588. So I go to my files, pull out the folder holding 10 sheets of images "B 14333 - B 15599" and will find my image. Done. Digitally, it's the same. I file my digital images in folders with the same filing code names as above. I caption them and give keywords. To give one more level of detail I like NAMING the file to give the description of the images often as well so if sent to someone they have the caption info for the image just by reading the last part of the filename. Like: BK-H-2268_Backpacker starting fire in winter snow_VERT.jpg This is quick since the software will incrementally number images I edit over and thus only then I add the filename extension info if I want to. Otherwise it'll just go as BK-H-2268.jpg and the software will list this image if I search for "fire starting". Sorry if this bores the brains outta anyone....but I felt it was worth sharing since I spent over 5 years getting my system working (and most professional photographers I know have spent the same amount of time and still find ways to tweek things!). Alan

[polarbear]

Have to agree with the damsel there about having alot of also-ran photos. I only use maybe one roll of film on each hike, but have slide carousels stacked to the ceiling On the other hand, the few people I show them to do enjoy them, or so they tell me I always hand out the no-doze before a showing. Note that even if you're not a great photographer, you can still enlarge a nice photo and give it to someone who will enjoy it forever. There's alot of people with bare walls that don't even have a nice photo to enjoy.

[Alan Bauer]

Absolutely! There are so many ways to put a smile on a persons face simply with one of your photographs as a gift or thank you for virtually anything. Try going beyond just giving someone a photo print too. Look into creating a yearly calander to make 10-20 copies of for friends, family, or business people you want to thank. Create a set of 6-10 notecards that you can crank out a set of them anytime you want to show someone a nice gesture. Some initial setup time and you're ready to create create create and really make people smile. That's the joy of digital. I've created calendars for many people the past 5 years. I've created scrapbook-style memories of people for weddings and even a requested one for the death of a family member. But....it's still the fun of seeing a 13x19" print of a personal "mega-keeper" image sitting on our table just hours after coming home from taking the photo! Of course the kids will have it mucked up in minutes if I'm not careful.....

[#19]

[Steve]

I'm looking at getting the HP photosmart 850 4MP camera. Initial tests from dpreview indicate the optics are quite nice. At $500 it will have to wait.

[Dean]

Tom, have you run across any great prices on the Canon S-230? My son in law is lusting after one big time. I told him I know someone who often is aware of the best place/deal to get one. Good guys doesn't seem to have any in stock. I'm trying to keep him from fondling my G3 as he thinks the G3 is THE camera. (I agree) Thanks

[Tom]

Dean, most of the super deals occur pre-christmas. Right now your best bet on the S230 would probably be dell's home store (10% off, free shipping, no sales tax). You can use ebates.com to save another 2% (i.e. $353 at the end of the day).

[Dean]

Thanks Tom. My son in law will follow up on your info and he says to tell you thank you.

[Backpacker Joe]

Thomas, the Connon G-3's are out! Check this iout: http://www.epinions.com/Canon_PowerShot_G3_Digital_Camera_Digital_Cameras Do you have an opinion on this Mr.? TB

[Tom]

BPJ, the G3 is getting great reviews. Cascade Hiker has one. I actually played around with a G3 for a few weeks. The only real downside I saw vs. the G2 is that it was slightly less pocketable (due to the 4x zoom), but otherwise had some very worthwhile improvements. I would also consider the Canon S45 if you value compactness and are willing to give up the G3's swivel LCD, battery life, infrared remote control, hotshoe, F2.0 lens, 4x zoom, etc., but still want great picture quality. For a few hundred bucks more than the G3, Sony has the F717 but I'm not keen on its form factor or the fact it uses proprietary memory stick (which costs more than compact flash and only goes up to 128 MB, not to mention it most likely won't be compatible with the new memory stick that is coming out).

[Newt]

Now that my insurance $ has arrived I'm taking a strong look at the G3. I'm wondering if anyone has any input concerning good vs bad brands of memory as I'll be upgrading to at least 128 possibly 256. Thanks, NN