Below is a proposal for organising my photo management system.
I'm a hobbiest photographer with over 30 years of pictures to file. I have read extensively, including this forum and sort best practice to developed a plan to do achieve an organised scalable system.
I would appreciate sharing of experience by providing comments on my suggested plan of action and questions I raise below.
My Objective:
Organise and manage existing legacy photos and provide a system for future photos that is not tied into specific system or vendor. For example where possible Metadata free from vendor specific format or database.
Background:
My collection consists of many photos in over 50 folders, these are:
a) Scanned picture that are now JPGs,
b) Shot JPG,
c) Raw (new and existing).
I files my pictures on my PC & external back up copy.
I file: /my pictures/<YYYY>_<MM>_<Location_Event> for example: /my pictures/2013_04_Yorkshire_Family_Weekend.
On some of my digital pictures I have included the Metadata using Google Picasa v3. Most of my scanned pictures have no Metadata as yet.
I own and aim to use Lightroom 4 to do Post Production and photo filing and management whilst also continuing to use Google Picasa for viewing & Face Recognition (at least until I feel fully confident in Lr).
Suggested plan of attack:
Stage 1)
Add "My Picture" folder, including sub folders to Lightroom Library, Standard View.
Stage 2)
Continue with /my pictures/<YYYY>_<MM>_<Location_Event>
For example: /my pictures/2013_04_Yorkshire_Family_Weekend.
Stage 3)
Use Lr to apply to both existing and new photos file name format as follows: <My Initials>_<YYYYMMDD>_<Key_Words Inc_Location_Event_Description>_<sequence xxxx>
For example:RB_20130420_Peru_Cusco_Holiday_Shots_0001
NB: Regarding Version Control for RAW I will use Lr inc use of "Virtual Copies", for Jpeg I will use additional field for Developed JPEGs of <vX>
For example:RB_20130420_Peru_Cusco_Holiday_Shots_0001_v01.jpg
Stage 4)
Manually use Lr to add Metadata & Ratings to all pictures to date.
Metatdata: Include "My Name" to all pictures, "Date" by Windows folder, "Keyword" by folder, "Additional Keyword" to 3* and above.
Rating: 1&2* no action required, 3*+ maybe further editing if time permits.
Stage 5)
Run "Save Metadata to file" in Lr. This will run Metadata to file for JPG and to XMP side car for RAW files.
Stage 6)
Import new shots to new folder using "/my pictures/<year><month number><event>" structure. As they are in sub folder they will be included automatically to Lr library.
Stage 7)
Create JPG in same folders as RAWs for Developed Photos.
Stage 8)
Back up "My Photos" and Lr dbase on regular basis as per Lr best practice.
Questions:
1) Is Lr more powerful than Google Picasa for Renaming File & Adding Metadata?
2) Once I "Save Meta Data to Photo" in Lr will I be able to access it in Google Picasa?
3) Can I automate the Importing of new shots to Lr and have it maintain / build upon my existing file structure?
4) Any recommendations for Keyword Schema to include in Metadata?
5) Does my approach above seem sensible?