The basics

PHOTO ORGANIZATION
AND MANAGEMENT
78 ADVANCED PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 5.0 FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
Organizing your photos with Photoshop Elements
With no fi lm or processing costs to think about each time we take a picture, it seems that many
of us are pressing the shutter more frequently than we did when fi lm was king. The results of
such collective shooting frenzies are hard drives all over the country full of photos. Which is
great for photography but what happens when you want to track down that once in a lifetime
shot that just happens to be one of thousands stored on your machine? Well, believe it or not,
being able to locate your fi les quickly and easily is more a task in organization, naming and
camera set up than browsing through loads of thumbnails.
4.01 Add picture details in-camera
Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0 | Diffi culty level – Basic | Related techniques – 4.02, 4.03, 4.04, 4.05
Getting those pesky picture fi les in order starts with your camera set up. Most models and
makes have options for adjusting the numbering sequence that is used for the pictures you
take. Generally you will have a choice between an ongoing sequence, where no two photos will
have the same number, and one that resets each
time you change memory cards or download all
the pictures. In addition, many models provide an
option for adding the current date to the fi le name,
with some including customized comments (such
as shoot location or photographer’s name) in the
naming sequence or as part of the metadata stored
with the fi le.
In-camera labelling >> Most cameras
provide options for selecting the way in which
fi les are numbered. The continuous option
ensures that a new number is used for each
picture even if memory cards are changed in
the middle of a shoot.
Book resources at: www.adv-elements.com
To adjust the settings on your camera search
through the Set Up section of the camera’s menu
system for headings such as File Numbering and
Custom Comments to locate and change the
options. Ensure that number sequencing and date
inclusion options are switched on and, where
available, add these comments along with the
photographer’s name and copyright statement to
the metadata stored within the picture fi le.
4.02 Organize photos whilst downloading
Suitable for Elements – 5.0, 4.0, 3.0 | Diffi culty level – Basic | Related techniques – 4.01, 4.03, 4.04, 4.05
As we saw in the last chapter Photoshop Elements 5.0 includes the Adobe Photo Downloader
utility that move pictures from your camera or memory card to the computer. As part of the
download process, the user gets to select the location of the fi les and the way that the fi les are to
be named and numbered, and automatically stack, tag and apply metadata to the photos.