By Varina Patel,on January 23rd,2012  
Take a look at these two photos of the same waterfall. Notice that the water in the image on the left is overexposed. This is a common problem when shooting scenes like this. The brighter water tends to lose detail even though the rest of the scene is properly exposed. The image on the right is properly exposed in every area. Notice the clear details in the water. I used our iHDR manual blending technique to make sure the entire image was properly exposed. How do you know when you need more detail,and when you don’t? Take a look at the scene you are photographing. Can you see details in front of you? When I was was photographing this waterfall on an overcast day I could see details in the flowing water. However,if I look directly at the sun,I can’t see any detail at all…so if I’m shooting into the sun,I don’t expect to be able to see details in my finished image. The photograph below shows what I’m talking about. You can see lots of detail in the trees and the mountains…but the area right around the sun is “blown out”. In this case,it looks natural. 
Of course,it’s important to keep in mind that photography is art. Only the artist can decide how much detail is right for a given situation. To Learn more about our iHDR Technique check out our online webinar recordings: 
By Jay Patel,on January 9th,2012 “Why do you need a full frame camera?” We have heard many different answers to this question…“Because most pros use Full frame camera.”“Because a full frame camera is better than a crop factor camera.”“Because a full frame camera has better dynamic range or tonality.”“Because my photos come out better on a full frame camera.”We believe that both crop factor and full frame cameras have their pros and cons,and we often use one over the other when the situation calls for it. Let’s start with the full frame camera. Because of its larger pixel size,when compared with its crop-factor counterpart,it is typically associated with lower noise levels at higher ISO settings. (We are comparing cameras that appeared on the market at about the same time…not ones that were introduced several years apart). So,our first choice for shooting low-light or night photography would be the full frame camera because of it’s high ISO capabilities. There are also more options for prime lenses that fit a full frame camera –including tilt-shift (T/S) lenses in the wide-angle range. Sure,these prime lenses can be used on a crop factor body…but their effective focal length will be longer. When shooting with a wide-angle T/S lens,we prefer to use a full frame camera.  Night Shot with Full Frame Camera What about a crop factor camera? One of the biggest drawbacks of the crop factor camera is also its biggest advantage - the multiplier effect. The crop sensor increases the effective focal length of the lens you are using. The crop factor makes a wide-angle lens longer (an 18mm lens with a 1.6 crop factor has an effective focal length of 28mm) –and a long lens even longer (a 400mm lens on a 1.6x crop camera has an effective focal length of 640mm)! That means that a crop factor camera is an excellent choice when you are shooting wildlife. Macro photographers also benefit,because the multiplier effect gives the photographer a larger working distances and more DOF for the same field of view.  300mm lens with 1.6x = 480mm effective focal length When using a wide-angle lens on a crop factor body,the near DOF limit is a lot closer than the equivalent focal length lens with a full frame camera. As a result,a crop factor camera can get closer to the subject than a Full frame camera for the same field of view. Crop factor cameras are great when you want to get really close to your subject and still shoot wide. We were awfully happy to have a crop factor camera in Utah’s slot canyons!  10mm with 1.6x = 16mm effective focal length So the choice between a crop factor camera and a full frame comes down to the situation. There’s no “right”answer here! We like to have one of each so that when we are in the field,we can choose the right lens for the job. By Varina Patel,on September 5th,2011 Jay and I have six kids between us. Four are mine,and two are his. They range in age from 8- 14. Here’s a shot of the six of them from a recent trip to West Virginia. Betcha can’t guess which three are adopted…or maybe you can. ;) (Don’t worry –they’re proud of the distinction.)  We are always busy –homework,school programs,soccer games,martial arts classes,show choir,and all the other things that are part of having kids. It’s great fun –but it’s also hard to find time for the things WE love to do. Lots of you have kids,too –and one of the questions we hear a lot is this:
— “How do you balance family and a photographic career?” — Well,it’s not easy. We work a lot in the evenings and on weekends –and we try hard to make sure that the kids have our attention when they need it most. That means that family time is usually more important than getting those photos from our latest trip processed. 
Fitting travel into a busy schedule takes creativity and lots of advance planning. We travel about once a month (if possible),and in most cases,our children stay at home with a trusted adult. Most of our trips last for just a few days –we generally travel over a long weekend –so we try hard to put ourselves in the best possible location at the right time. Research and flexibility are essential. Before we leave home,we do some serious research. We’re looking for sunrise and sunset times,weather patterns,tide charts,topographical maps,various shooting locations,and the advice of park rangers,local residents,and other photographers. We make sure we know a lot about a variety of potential shooting locations. 
Even with good information,we never decide exactly where we’ll shoot until we’re on location. We may plan a trip months in advance,but we wait until we’re there to decide where to shoot. We’re watching weather patterns to make sure we have the best possible conditions…and we’re willing to drive long distances to reach the best destinations. Our plans are constantly changing based upon cloud cover,humidity levels,and the angle of the sun. If the weather is bad or the light isn’t right for shooting,we explore the area. We look for locations with interesting foreground and background –and we note the topography of the area for future reference. We’ll return to choice spots when conditions are right –maybe a day or two later,and maybe on another trip. We try not to waste any of our travel time,so that future trips might be more fruitful. 
Although most of our trips are child-free,the kids do travel with us about once a year. This year,they joined us for a trip to West Virginia,and in past years we’ve taken them to Olympic National Park,Lake Michigan,Yellowstone,Grand Teton National Park,Dinosaur National Monument,and The Everglades. We’ve also been to Florida and Colorado with the kids. Those trips are generally geared towards the children rather than photography –so we’re less likely to shoot for our portfolios when the kids are with us. However,if the skies are fantastic,they can listen to an audio book in the car or play nearby while we shoot. These shots were taken from the side of the road in Yellowstone National Park –the kids were listening to a music CD while we photographed the storm clouds at sunset.:) When the children are with us we choose locations that are child-friendly (no 2000 foot cliffs!),and we looked for daytime lighting conditions that accent the location. Waterfalls,for example,are just beautiful in overcast conditions –and children love the falling water. 
When we travel with the kids,we’re also concerned about bed-times…so that means late sunset and early sunrise photography are not going to happen. If you can manage it,why not travel with the kids during the winter months? Our kids are all in school now,so winter travel is difficult,but younger families can take advantage of off-season hotel rates and enjoy parks without the crowds that tourist-season brings. Why not take the family to Death Valley in January or February? (Jay and I have been there many times,but not yet with the kids.) Summer weather in the Mojave Desert is remarkably unpleasant –unless you like scorching heat and bone-dry weather –but the winter months are wonderful. Death Valley is nice and warm in winter,and passing storm-fronts make for wonderful skies. When children are along,shorter winter days mean you can shoot both sunrise and sunset while your child is awake. And best of all,a playing child makes a perfect “point of interest”for those wide angle nature shots. Although they aren’t part of my public collection,some of the photos I’ve taken of my kids are my favorite shots. 
So,get out there and shoot! No excuses!:) And have fun –because that’s what having kids is all about! By Varina Patel,on September 1st,2011 This is a question I received via email some time ago –and my response. I know –I’m getting into dangerous territory with a post on RAW versus JPG…so try not to freak out if you happen to disagree with me. I’m ok with that. Really. YOU can shoot whatever format you want. I’ll stick with RAW. 
“If your images are shot in RAW,have they been adjusted for sharpness,density,saturation and the like?
My wife keeps telling me (she shoots jpeg on a G6) that my final images are not ‘real’because they were ‘done’in Photoshop. I say they are very real because the finished image once it goes thru the RAW processor is what I saw in my mind’s eye when I took the shot in the first place… …Do you have an opinion on this? We are on the cusp of sleeping in different bedrooms,sharing parts of the dog and so on. Regards,
- A” Here’s my response… So,let’s start by looking at this analytically. What is the difference between a JPG and a RAW file? In order to create a raw file,the following steps take place in your camera: 1. Photons reach the pixels on the sensor
2. An electrical charge is created on each pixel
3. The charge is converted to voltage
4. The voltage is amplified
5. The Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) measures the volts and assigns discrete values
6. The ADC converts this information into binary That’s it. That’s a RAW file. Now…to create a JPG file,the camera does all that too…and then it does the following: 7. Uses a Bayer Interpolation to create color information (remember –your camera can’t see…so it is using a mathematical equation to make a decent guess at the correct colors. Sometimes it is correct –but not always.)
8. White balance adjustments are made (again –the camera is blind,so it uses a complicated mathematical equation to guess at a neutral tone)
9. Makes a series of tonal adjustments including contrast enhancements,etc…in fact…all those things you can do for yourself in the RAW converter are just done automatically in a JPG file
10. Sharpens the image (another algorithm…sharpening is applied indiscriminately across the entire image. Whether it needs it or not.)
11. And last…but certainly not least. The camera compresses the data. Which means it throws away any data it didn’t use. If it guessed wrong about the correct color balance –that’s too bad. The correct data has been thrown out. If the contrast is too high,or the sharpening is too extreme…you are out of luck. The data is gone and it cannot be recovered. Ever. So. If you shoot RAW,those last five steps are up to you. Luckily,you aren’t blind. (At least,I’m assuming you aren’t.) You know how the scene looked in reality. So,rather than relying on a series of blind mathematical equations,you can rely on your own vision. Is it perfect? Will you get it right every time? Nope. But it’s a whole heck of a lot more reliable than the camera. How does processing a raw file compare to developing an image in a darkroom? Well –Photoshop (or whatever software you use) is your digital darkroom. You use it the way a film photographer would use a darkroom…to brighten or darken areas of the image,to adjust contrast and luminosity in specific areas of the image,to adjust color and so on. Developing an image in a darkroom is completely different from processing an image in Photoshop…but it accomplishes the same purpose. Would you say that a photographer who shoots film and develops his own film in the darkroom isn’t a photographer? And would you say that a film photographer who takes his film from the camera and sends it off to have the developing and printing done by someone else is superior to the one who does it himself? It’s a strange argument,really. In the past,a photographer who didn’t do his own development was considered “less than”by those who did all the work themselves. Those who did their own developing thought that those who didn’t weren’t “real”photographers. But now,with the advent of digital photography and Photoshop,the photographer who actually goes beyond the release of the shutter to handle the processing of the image himself is in question.:) And finally –does it really matter? It’s art. Photoshop is a tool. Just as a brush is a tool for a painter,and the kiln is a tool for a potter. So in the end,does it really matter? Just enjoy photography for what it is. Art and pleasure. An expression of what you love and who you are. Love it. Don’t fight it. ;) RAW or JPG…in the end,it’s the reaction of the viewer that makes a difference. And the pleasure the photographer gets from the process of creating. Certainly not the file type. So yes. My photographs are shot in RAW and adjusted in the Adobe RAW converter and Photoshop. The colors are as close to the reality of the scene as I can make them (most of the time). I’m not perfect –but I do try.:) But it doesn’t matter to me which file type other photographers choose. It’s their art I’m interested in seeing. Have a great day. And my best regards to your wife.
Please don’t try dividing the dog. I hear that gets messy. Varina By Varina Patel,on August 22nd,2011 One of our readers sent me the following question:
—
How you choose which images to show on your website gallery and which to put on photo sharing websites? And then there are those that go to stock agencies…I guess my question is:how do you decide what goes where?
— This is an interesting question because much of the decision-making process is unconscious. I don’t use any kind of checklist to determine which images will be added to my online portfolio,which will be posted online,and which will never leave my computer. I don’t use a complicated method –I just go with what feels right. In fact,I feel much more strongly about choosing the images that I don’t show. I think it’s important to be your own worst critic. I’d rather have ten really good images than ten thousand mediocre ones. If a photo isn’t good enough,it gets tossed out. That said,I’ll try to provide a basic overview of my decision-making process for where images end up. For what it’s worth… My online portfolio is home to landscape photos,macro and detail shots,and nature images. You’ll find the occasional small animal or insect there,but not much that isn’t a part of the natural world. 
I am known,primarily,as a nature photographer –so although I shoot all kinds of photos,you won’t find stock shots or portraits in my portfolio. They go directly to stock agencies –and most people who know my work don’t even know that I shoot for stock as well. 
I do have a special “showcase”gallery on my website that is reserved for my favorite images –and there you’ll find shots that just make me particularly happy. It’s the default gallery when you go to my site. 
When I want to post on a photo sharing or networking site,I’ll probably choose some of my recent favorites. Something from a recent trip –so friends and fans can see what I’ve been working on –or something I was playing with recently. 
And then there are competitions. This is a whole different ball game. I choose competition photos for impact. A technically perfect image isn’t enough –if you want to win,you need to choose a photo that jumps out and calls for attention. 
So –there it is. Nothing mysterious here. I prepare a photo,decide if it’s worth showing to the world,and if I think it is,I get it ready to add to my portfolio. When I feel like sharing something,I’ll grab whatever catches my eye that day –and when I want something with some extra pop,I’ll put a little more time into my selection process. It’s as simple as that.:)
By Varina Patel,on August 12th,2011 Here’s a common question:How many shots do you take on-location? I generally shoot lots of images –but as I shoot,I delete the ones that aren’t worth keeping. Let me walk you through a typical morning shoot. I’m up bright and early,ready to shoot. Here I am at Graveyard Flats in Banff National Park (Alberta,Canada). Lovely mist is rising,and the world looks positively blue. The sun isn’t up yet,so I set up my camera for a long exposure. I take my first shot…maybe it’s a little underexposed,so I take another to correct the damage. I will compare the two images,and then delete one of them. I might take another shot or two from a different angle. But each time I shoot,I compare the tiny image on my monitor,check the histogram,maybe even zoom in to check the focus…and delete any image that isn’t quite right. When I get home,I choose the one that looks the best and delete the others after I’ve processed. (ISO 100,20 seconds at f/7.1) 
The light changes as the sun nears the horizon,and I want a shot that shows the strange landscape surrounding the lake. So,I set up my tripod for another shot. I follow the same steps,and I’ll pay close attention to my histogram. I need to make sure that I’m capturing the entire range of light as the sky gets brighter…and that my shadows aren’t too dark. The histogram shows me that I need just one image for this photo –but I take two anyway…one a little brighter than the other,just to make sure. In the end,I don’t need that brighter shot,so after processing,I delete it. 
While I’m waiting for the sunrise,I try out a couple of compositions. This one survives because of the mist still hanging around the mountain,and the appealing curve of the lake…but I’m hoping for something better. 
Now the sun is rising over my left shoulder. I’ve been waiting for the sun to light up the top of the mountain because I want to capture its reflection in the lake. My tripod is already set up with one leg in the water at the edge of the lake. I’ve found these interesting stones that make appealing foreground objects,and I have my camera set up low and as close as possible. I’m glad to see a little bit of mist still hovering at the base of the mountains,and although the sky is clearing,I still have some pretty little clouds hanging over my mountain. 
At this point,I might have 10 or 15 shots from this location. A few bracketed images,a couple of different angles and compositions,and shots from different times. When I get home,I’ll pull the images off my card and compare them at a larger size. In this case,I end up processing four images. And then,I take this last shot and convert it to black and white. Everything I haven’t used gets deleted. In the end,the file for Graveyard flats contains 9 files…four RAW,4 processed color tifs,and a black and white tif.
Five processed shots. Typically,just one will end up on my website - and the rest will never see the light of day…unless someone asks specifically for an image from this location. I know so many photographers who shoot thousands of images at each location –and if that’s what works for you,by all means,keep doing it! For me,the problem with that approach is that I can’t process all those photos. So,if I shoot and keep that many,most will never get any attention. Worse –the good ones get lost in amongst the junk. On an average day,I’ll leave a location with 2 to 5 images (maybe as many as 20 if I’m bracketing). Even if I visit several locations in a single day –and get great skies all day long –I won’t end up with more images than I can handle. So the question is this…how hard is it for you to delete photos as you shoot? I know lots of photographers who won’t delete anything until they see the image at full size on a good monitor…and others who don’t delete at all. Ever. Do you come home with 50 shots? Or 5000? By Varina Patel,on May 20th,2011 
Jay and I don’t enter competitions very often,but every now and then it’s fun to print up a few images and see how they do. I recently entered two images at a Cleveland Photographic Society pictorial competition. The two images tied for first place. Now,that’s not necessarily typical. Sometimes I win,and sometimes I don’t. But it did get me thinking. How can a photographer –any photographer –select a “winner”for entry in competition? There’s no sure answer,but there are a few things to consider. I’ve judged my share of competitions,and I’ve heard comments from hundreds of judges over the years. The fact is –there’s a lot of repetition in comments from the judges. They notice the same things over and over again. So here’s a checklist. This is what I’m thinking when I choose an image for submission. I’d love to hear your comments. I’m sure many of you have experience on this subject! Add to the list! 1. It’s all about IMPACT. Choose an image that grabs the eye of the judge. Your image has to stand out among many –so make sure it catches the eye. 2. Simplify! Get rid of distracting elements. I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve heard a judge say “That thing in the corner is really distracting…”I’ve said it myself. Many times. It’s tempting to include as much as possible in your photograph –that pretty tree is so nice,and the little barn in the distance has such character,right? In the end,less is more. Do those elements add to your image? Remove any clutter before taking the shot or compose the shot so that only the most important elements are included. If necessary,crop. 3. Get your exposure right. Technical stuff matters. Check for blown highlights,and make sure the image isn’t over or underexposed. Correct exposure makes everything better. 4. Don’t overdo the processing. Some judges love it,and some hate it. But in most cases,if processing is distracting,you’ll end up losing points. Be careful of over-saturated colors,over-sharpening,and unnatural-looking HDR. Also keep in mind that many judges have seen the same Photoshop filters a thousand times. It may look new and exciting to you –but unless it really enhances the image and makes it unique,skip it. 5. Provide a clear “point of interest”. How many times have you heard someone say,“I don’t know where to rest my eye.”Make sure there’s a clear point of interest. Otherwise,you’ll hear about it. 6. Crop carefully! “Give your subject space,but not too much space.”“Get rid of distractions.”“Don’t crop off someone’s ears or the top of their head.”“Don’t chop off the legs of the elk…”or “the reflection of the duck.”“Either cut out the element –or include all of it…don’t cut it in half.”Cropping depends upon the image,and the rules are flexible. 7. Presentation matters. It’s usually best to choose a black or white mat when you enter an image in a competition. Your photo may look great in a double gold and green mat –but if the judge finds it distracting,you’ll probably lose points. Let the image stand on it’s own merit. The images here were presented at the largest possible size (11×14 for this particular competition) with a three-inch white mat. I’m sure there are a thousand more –but those are the bits of advice that come to mind right away. What do you think? Do these two competition-winning images meet the standards I’ve listed here? Please feel free to add to the list by submitting a comment. I’m sure many of you can offer some pretty good advice to others who are nervously sorting through images in search of that one winning shot. 
By Jay Patel,on May 16th,2011 We get this questions frequently –Do we prefer to use GND filters in the field,or high dynamic range (HDR) processing in Photoshop? Our answer is always pretty much the same. The important thing is to understand the advantages of each option,and to know when to use one of the other –or both. Each option has it’s place. We teach our students how to use GND filters during our on-the-ground workshops…and we teach our manual HDR blending techniques in our webinars. These two images of Mount Adams Wilderness in Washington were taken to show a quick comparison. Jay used our manual “Intelligent High Dynamic Range”technique –dubbed iHDR somewhere along the line. He blended two bracketed images using layers and masks. The goal when we’re blending images is to preserve the natural shadows and all the detail in the highlights. In the end,we want to create an image that is as close to our memory of the reality of the scene as we can bring it.
The second image was taken in exactly the same spot –just a few minutes earlier. For this shot,Jay used a 3 stop Graduated Neutral Density (GND) filter. The filter successfully brought down the highlights in the sky,so that the camera could capture the entire dynamic range in just one shot. You may notice that the trees at the base of the mountain are much darker in this image. That’s a result of the use of the GND filter. 
In this case,the GND filter worked well to reduce the brightness at the top of the image,but it also darkened the trees more than we’d like. For this particular image,the bracketed and blended shot is just a bit closer to the reality of the scene that evening. In the end,it’s all about understanding the options that are available. Take the time to experiment with GND filters,and HDR processing. Find out what works best in any given situation –and most importantly,make the effort to understand WHY that approach is best. To learn more about our iHDR process check out our recorded online webinar below:
By Jay Patel,on January 4th,2011  Continued from Part One –Organizing your Photos
In the first post on this subject,I talked about organizing your digital photo files. Now,I want to talk a bit about handling specific files. Beyond my clean organizational system,I use two simple techniques to help keep everything organized. First,when I download my files to my computer system,I rename them using the Adobe Bridge download application. It allows me to change the name of the file to anything I like,and I use this feature to make my life easier. If the photos are from Utah,each file gets the prefix “utah”. After that,I use the number already assigned by the camera. Those numbers just let me keep things flowing along in chronological order. So my file name for this shot from our recent trip is new_mexico.CR2. Why does that little label matter? Well –most of the time,I can tell you exactly where any given photo was taken (though I may not remember what I had for breakfast this morning)…but all those desert shots might start to look the same after a while. Some of my less memorable files could be hard to place –especially several years down the road. If I can’t quite place this image in the future,that little file name will help jog my memory…“Ah yes. Right-o. New Mexico. Now I’ve got it!” Ok –so that’s the first thing. The second? Key-wording. Now,hold on! Come out of the corner! Quit knocking your forehead against the wall! It’s not as bad as it sounds! After every trip –and before I process anything at all –I keyword my files. I don’t do this one file at a time. I do it in chunks. Let’s say I just pulled 100 photos off my memory card. My first step is to break them down into the appropriate files. For this trip,I needed three files within my New Mexico directory…White Sands,Valley of Fires,and Bosque del Apache. Once the photos are sorted,I select all the images in one file and start key-wording. Now,I’m not talking about going nuts,here. This should be a quick and simple process. If I start getting too specific,I’ll have to keyword each and every file individually. Instead,I want to give a general overview to help me find a file if I need to search for it later. This image from White Sands gets these keywords:Desert;National Park;New Mexico;Sand Dunes;USA;Varina Patel;White Sands National Monument. That’s all the information I’ll need to find the file in the future…and if someone else is looking for it,my name gives them a little help,too. All these keywords are included in the meta-data for my file,so it is transferred to my website and to Visual Wilderness each time I upload a file. I only have to do it once,and that makes me very happy. Since most of the images in this file are similar,all these keywords apply to the rest of the files too,so I can keyword an entire set of files in just a few seconds. Some images will need specific keywords –and I can select a few at a time (or just one) if necessary. I have one shot of Jay in this bunch of photos,so I selected it separately and added one keyword:portrait. Done. I have a standard list of keywords that I always use –so I just browse my list and check off the appropriate keywords. So,that’s how I do it. What about you? I’m sure many of you have simple tips or suggestions that might help others streamline the organization process…or get it started. Why not pass on your ideas to others who could benefit from them? We’d love to hear from you,and I’m sure many others would too. Good luck,everyone! By Jay Patel,on January 1st,2011 
Happy New Year,everybody! We had a great time in New Mexico last week. What a great way to finish the year! This shot is from White Sands National Monument. The beautiful white sand was great fun to shoot –I love the minimalistic quality of the finished photos. Those of you who are familiar with most of my work know that I tend to prefer very simple scenes. So,the location couldn’t have made me happier.:) I uploaded my photos to my laptop while we waited for our delayed flight out of Albuquerque –and I took care of descriptions and keywords during the flight. I like to keep things organized –but I know that this is a major stumbling block for many digital shooters. How many of you have made a New Year’s Resolution to get your photos organized? And how many are avoiding the issue altogether? If you go looking for that pretty shot you took in 2005 or 2007 –you know the one I mean…the shot from Florida or Maine or Arizona…the one with the interesting patterns or the fantastic sky –how long will it take you to find it? Will you find it at all? Is it buried with thousands of other images in the depths of your computer? In one of hundreds of cryptically labeled files? How many folders are labeled “vacation”? How many shots should have been deleted long ago –but are still waiting in folders within folders? How many times have you looked at the mess of files and folders on your screen and thought,“I really MUST do something about this mess!”But where to begin? It’s a lot easier to organize a digital file system than it was to organize all those prints we used to have in envelopes and boxes –waiting to be labeled and put into albums. Unfortunately,most of us have more digital files than we can count. We can shoot as much as we like…no need to worry about the cost of film. We can easily ignore the enormous number of photos in our collections…just close the window on the computer,and the mess is gone. And so it grows,and grows,and grows. So,here’s my recommendation to get started…Don’t Touch Anything! Just take a few minutes to think. What kinds of photos are you taking? What categories will work for you? Would you rather sort your photographs by date or location? Do you have photos that should be deleted? Would keywords helps you find your images when you need them? When I started organizing my files,I decided to begin with the current year –rather than going back to the beginning of time and trying to organize old files first. That way,any new files that enter the system will be introduced into a clutter-free environment. Those old files have been sitting there for years –they can sit a while longer. Why not start clean in 2011? Then,when you are sure you like your filing system,you can work backwards,one file at a time.  Take a look at the structure I’ve chosen for my own system. It’s really very simple. My photographs are sorted first by year,and then by state (or country). You might argue that it’s best to sort by month as well –and that may work well for you. However,Jay and I tend to return to a location more than once in a year –so that only serves to complicate the system for me. Besides,each photo is tagged with a date in-camera,so if I need to know the month,I can easily look it up. I sort by location so that all my photos from that location are together. If I need to find a shot from,say,Ke’e Beach,I’ll open my 2009 folder,click on Hawaii,and choose Kauai. All the beaches and locations we visited on the island are listed alphabetically,and I just select Ke’e Beach from the list.
Now,you’ll notice that I have just two years represented here. 2009 and 2010. I back up ALL my files to our Drobo system (double back-ups just in case) –but I archive my older files. All these images take up a whole lot of space,so I can’t keep them all on my computer. At the beginning of each year,I move one years-worth of files to the drobo,make sure they are accounted for –and delete them from my main system. They are still easily accessible,as long as my computer is connected to the drobo –and I free up all that memory for new images. I should also point out that the files represented here are landscape photographs only. Family photos are filed separately,so that I can find them more easily. I also have a file called “Portfolio”. Every single processed image –landscapes,events,portraits,family photos –gets a space here. When I am finished processing,I simply create a small JPEG file with a frame a signature (you can see my frame on the White Sands photo up there) and save it to my portfolio file. When I’m not sure which photo I want –or when I want to show someone a selection of my work –I can browse my portfolio. There are all kinds of options for sorting your files…do it any way you like. What matters is that you can find what you are looking for –without getting too frustrated. So take a few minutes to think about how you want to sort things and then jump in and get started. It’s not as hard as you think! Continue reading Part Two –File Names and Keywording | |
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