Image management.

In general

First thing to consistently do is to download all files from external services like Dropbox, GoogleDrive, ProtonDrive whatever name they have. Why? You have no control and you (re)gain that by having them ‘physically’ on your own drive. Are those alternatives bad? NO!! But when the service goes off line… exactly that.

However keep using them to exchange files or to transport them but reverse the direction of use, put in/on them what you want to exchange or transport and remove what is done.

The second step is to simplify the folder structure and storage space. Most ideal is a server with backup structure. Not with safety copies but a backup structure. Backups enable you to reconstruct a folder and its contents to a specific moment in time while a safetycopy is just an exact copy at a certain moment in time.

Step 3: build the hive. Start with a main folder with a name like ‘Imagebank’ and build from there. Set up a folder structure that depicts your primary proces(es) on one side and the management and staff processes on the other side and refine from there. Keep in mind that your folderstructures match categories and not details. Details are for keywords and not only refine but also interconnects images that contain multiple categories. Like an image from an Aurora tour done by snowmobile, car or on foot. The last three determine how not what. Those last three can be used for more safaris and are later in the process defined for and assigned to an image.

Then a critical thing on place 4: if you use an image management database (IMD) that shows which file is where stored it obviously needs to keep track of that storage location. The Constitution Of Image Management is unforgivable by punishment of loosing a file when you are moving it from its folder or even worse: when you move the whole folder without at least letting the IMD know where you put it. In other words: ALWAYS MOVE FILES AND FOLDERS WITH THE TOOL PROVIDED BY THE IMD that way it does keep track of where it’s at and attributes assigned by the IMD go with the file.

Well this basically is everything that is to it besides making a good backup and maintaining your backup sequence. A backup sequence is a thing of it’s own. You have to keep multiple generations to be able to restore any file to any point in time and… you keep an actual backup on location and an exact copy on a geographic different location to make sure that you don’t loose everything in a burglary or fire.

  Adobe Lightroom

Link to 7 days trial and refund policy when regrets rize: https://www.adobe.com/mena_en/creativecloud/photography.html?promoid=695P7SJ9&mv=other#mini-plans-web-cta-photoshop-lightroom-classic-card

With Lightroom you get a full highly professional processing system to extensively process RAW-files, publish them and print them. The database is extremely powerful but it needs discipline and maintenance to build it and keep it on its toes. The Fins have an excellent expression fort his: Sisu! (kind of translates best as: persevering)
Your reward? Find a file within 30 seconds or less…

It is really not about being complicated but being careful and consistent is absolutely paramount.

Loads of file related parameters on which to sort and select are allready built in and on top of that there is the possibility to limitless add keywords to any file. The keywords can be added to a single file or to limitless batches at once. All this goes on in the library, the first tab on the right at the top of the application. It may look a bit overwhelming at first but it is more quantity than complicated.