Working in the creative industry, you’ve likely spent the past few years creating and gathering digital photos for projects of all types. Now, you may find yourself wondering how to sort thousands of pictures and manage your photo library to ensure all your images are accessible and easy to find.
Organizing photos in different formats and locations can be tricky, particularly if you’re short on time. Fortunately, we have a few tips and tricks to help you manage your images. It’s time for a photo organization overhaul!
What is the best way to organize photos?
If you’re constantly asking yourself “how do I organize my photo library?”, you’ve come to the right place. Both individuals and businesses face the challenge of managing photos quickly and efficiently.
1. Create clear folder and file naming conventions
Museum curators and librarians are masters of organization – and we recommend borrowing from their playbooks. Start with file naming conventions to keep track of photos. Give images a descriptive name instead of uploading photos and leaving them with the standard _00189_45 type of name – this will make them far easier to find.
For example, if the image is of Buckingham Palace under a full moon, then label it as such. With a simple keyword search, you’ll be able to easily access and manage images whenever you need them.
2. Implement metadata management
Photo organization requires a system for storage and access. If you’ve ever tried to find your photos on Google Drive when they were in the Apple cloud, you likely understand. To organize thousands of photos, you first need a reliable storage system in place – and then, a system for tagging and categorizing.
This is where metadata comes in handy. You can label an image by color, size, location, date, and other categories, making them easy to find when needed. No more rifling through dozens of files!
3. Make use of auto-tagging software
Auto-tagging software uses AI to recognize and tag imported images automagically. Simply search by date, color, image, or other tags to find your desired photo. At BOOM, our photo organization software tags imported images, so you don’t even have to think about it.
Organizations looking for a more efficient way to handle and share photos will love the productivity boost from auto-tagging.
4. Utilize cloud storage systems
Cloud storage systems make it easy to access and organize your photos across devices. The new generation of data asset management systems offers many benefits for businesses that want to tame the onslaught of data and make it easy to retrieve the correct image at the right time.
Our photo organization software tool promotes a simple and efficient workflow, from photo creation to distribution, allowing you to manage each stage in one easy-to-use platform.
5. Manage offline storage hardware
Sometimes, you may want to back up your photos for extra security or free up room on your computer. With external hard drives and USBs combined with cloud storage, you can enjoy the advantages of maintaining your digital photo library both online and off.
If you’re looking to answer questions such as, “how do you sort thousands of pictures?” or, “how do I organize my photo library?”, the answer will vary depending on whether you’re an individual or a business.
A business needs robust tools to simplify photo organization software, such as auto-tagging features, version control, and other security measures. On the other hand, individuals can typically meet their personal needs with simple good file management and cloud storage.
The benefits of DAM for photo organization
Organizations need powerful photo organization tools to scale and remain competitive. Digital asset management helps streamline workflows, ensuring a team has everything they need in one place.
From batch processing to commenting and approvals within the same tool, reliable data asset management software skyrockets productivity and maintains brand integrity, because everyone is working with the correct versions.
Find out more about managing photos and imagery online with BOOM Worksite
Discover how you can manage photos and imagery online and at scale with Worksite.
