 |
Image Archiving
By Michael Schwarz
As photographers begin to accumulate huge collections of digital images, the importance of creating functional archives of the images becomes even more critical. A good image archive combines a secure and dependable method of storage along with a logical strategy of embedding metadata into the images so that the archives can be searched to allow quick location of specific images.
Let's look at the two issues separately while keeping in mind that there are multiple appropriate ways of doing things in digital photography. Everyone has different needs, one size does not fit all. We'll start with the use of metadata. Creating a consistent strategy of embedding metadata, in this case IPTC data that should describe who, what, when and where of the photo is critical. If possible this should be done as early in the digital workflow as possible. This information can then be utilized by cataloging software when we want to search for specific images. The first step is simple one and involves correctly setting the date/time function in your camera. There are two kinds of metadata available to us in our digital images. EXIF data is the data embedded by the camera into our image files. This type of of data will include camera settings, camera identifying information in addition to the date and time the image was taken. This last detail is usable for us only if we've setup the date and time accurately in our cameras.
The second type of metadata is IPTC data. This is text data in predefined fields that we can add to our images. This information can include just about anything we want to say about our photos, but should at minimum include the date the photo was shot, the location, the subject and any other thing we might want to use to describe our photos. The use of keywords-a limited pre-defined set of words that we can use to help us search for images can be vital if we are trying to manage a large image library. I prefer to add the majority of my IPTC data on image download. My favorite tool for doing this is Photo Mechanic by Camera Bits (www.camerabits.com). Photo Mechanic is a powerful multi-functional browser tool. Photo Mechanic has a feature called the IPTC stationery pad. You can pre-populate the stationery pad with information about your image and have Photo Mechanic embed this data as it downloads (or ingests in Photo Mechanic speak) your images. Once downloaded, the images open as thumbnails in a browser window, with a one-button link to the image's IPTC data, allowing you to make quick modifications to that information.
The strategy of image storage will always be a blend of paranoia and practicality. Unlike a film dupe, a digital copy is virtually identical to the original, with no loss in quality when done properly. So making multiple copies of our images is a good strategy to ensure their survival. Perhaps no part of the archiving strategy will reveal the different paths taken by photographers than the number of backup copies and the media used by each photographer. A secure archive, at the very least, will have two backup copies in separate locations. My archive utilizes three backups on two different media types in two different locations. One copy resides on an external hard drive which is stored in my office. A second copy is stored on gold DVD or CD media,. It should be noted that there are tremendous disparities in the lifespan of DVD and CD media. A third copy of the images is stored on another external hard drive at a different location. Another type of storage that photographers might consider would be photo specific online storage such as PhotoShelter. This method would also add the ability to allow photo buyers to search a photographer's archive as long as the photographer has made an effort to embed useful IPTC data to the image.
The final piece in the archiving puzzle is cataloging software. Good cataloging software is essentially a database of photographs made up of an image thumbnail along with searchable image metadata. Good cataloging software further allows you, if you choose, to store you images on a different volume or even a different computer. Individual photographers should consider Extensis Portfolio or iView MediaPro (recently purchased by Microsoft). Cataloging software can be setup to automatically add images to its database or it can wait for you to do it manually. Once the images are added to the database it becomes a powerful tool.
A simple example of cataloging functionality might look a little something like this. Suppose I get a request from an editor for a photo of mountain biking in North Georgia. I open my cataloging program and tell it to search for photos with the phrase "mountain biking" embedded in it's metadata. To be accurate I may have to do multiple searches for variations of the phrase, so I might do "mountain bike", "mountain biking" or "mountain bikers". Up will pop thumbnails of images that meet the search criteria. I will most likely need to further refine the search to images shot in Georgia. The thumbnails are linked to slightly larger versions of the images to make it easier to choose selections. The cataloging program will also tell me where the original versions of the images are which allows me to pull the full-res original versions of these images.
For photographers that do not have a functional image archive, get going soon. Your image library will only be growing larger and the longer you wait the more work you'll have waiting for you. But before you start, think out your plan carefully, you'll want to create an archiving strategy that will be viable for a long, long time.
Michael A. Schwarz (www.michaelschwarz.com) is a freelance photographer based in Atlanta, GA. He is an instructor of the
Nikon School (www.nikonschool.com) and does digital photography consulting with Blue Pixel (www.bluepixel.net)
Michael Schwarz's Bio
|
|
|
|
