Digital Photographer's Software Guide - Bertemes - Net

5
Cataloging
Sorting and cataloging are normally two very different activities in photography. Sorting
takes place immediately after the shoot when the photographer decides which shots have
the potential to advance further in the workflow. At what precise stage these selected
shots should be given names and keywords is a subjective decision, but they should never
be stored or archived without cataloging. Millions of great images languish nameless in
archives, never to see the light of day again because nobody knows they exist.
Magazines and newspapers that assign photographers to different jobs tend to combine
sorting and cataloging at the earliest opportunity, using a product such as Photo
Mechanic (which is described in Chapter 2, “Image Viewers”). This is because they are
dealing with so many images from so many sources, each with copyright and permissions
data; they would soon lose track without doing so. Even a regional newspaper may
originate over a million shots a year, each one needing unique identification.
There is little doubt that cataloging is a tedious business, only marginally more satisfying
than completing a tax return. Because it requires thought, it is impossible to automate
completely. Most cataloging systems provide predefined categories into which you can
drop the images, or standard keywords you can apply to the images. It is important to
use a defined vocabulary, otherwise a search for “car” will yield nothing if you have
tagged them all as “automobile.” Better still, use as many keywords as possible. They all
help to cross-reference your images and allow you to refine a search until you are left
with a manageable selection for browsing.
Digital asset management (DAM) systems, which are covered in a separate category in
this book because they handle other media as well as images, are totally dependent on
good cataloging. They all have cataloging facilities of their own, often brought to bear