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Ancestry Daily News
9/16/2003 - Archive
An Easy Way to Organize Your Digital Photos
If you're like me, you've been scanning old pictures and documents
for use in a family history. You might even be taking pictures with a digital
camera. As you know, these picture files add up quickly. In fact, according to
Lyra Research, Inc, a leading digital imaging research group, American families
will store more than 15 billion photos on their home computers during 2003, and
that number is estimated to rise to 27 billion in 2005!
So, how do you find all those pictures on your hard drive? You need to have a
system in order to locate them again; otherwise you are going to be overwhelmed.
Have you ever wished that there were an easy way to find all those scanned images
and digital photographs stored on your PC's hard drive? Well, there are a number
of products available to help you get organized, such as Picasa (www.picasa.net
) and Adobe PhotoShop Album (www.adobe.com
). To find one that meets your needs type "photo organizing software"
into a search engine like www.google.com
.
Here are things to consider when evaluating this type of software.
Does it support the image format you use? Once you've created an image file (jpg,
tiff, etc.) it shouldn't matter if you've scanned a photograph or document, downloaded
from a digital camera, or shot a short movie clip. Make sure the software you
purchase supports all the formats you use. Most do, but it always helps to read
reviews beforehand to verify the product is compatible with your computer and
skill level.
How does the software work? Photo-organizing software was not created specifically
for genealogists, but for the family photographer. If you are arranging these
images for use in your family history then you might want to use a document system
like Clooz to link the images to your research in addition to a photo-organizing
package.
Does the software automatically search and organize your images into albums? If
it does then you'll probably discover photographs you forgot were on your computer.
If not, you'll have to create your own organizational system.
Are you able to label each image? This is a real benefit for genealogists. Be
sure to include basic information such as full name and dates if possible.
Will the program allow you to assign keywords that enable you to locate an image
within moments? This feature is particularly important with group portraits, and
it is a great timesaver.
How difficult is it to reorganize images? At some point, you may want to move
images from one album to another and you don't want to have to spend hours doing
so.
What photo-editing tools come with the program? Simple features usually include
basic photo editing options such as changing the contrast, removing red-eye, and
rotating the image. If necessary, continue to use your usual photo editing software
for more sophisticated changes.
Can you print copies in a variety of sizes-full page, 4" x 6", 3"
x 5" or contact sheets? Some programs even let you order prints with a single
mouse click.
How easy is it to share pictures? What's the point of taking all those digital
images if you can't share them with friends and relatives via e-mail? Find out
if the program resizes your images for sharing, or if it sends them in the original
format. This could make the difference between Aunt Mary thanking you or insulting
you.
If you haven't already considered organizing all the images you've shot, scanned,
and downloaded, now's the time. You don't have to own a digital camera to use
one of these programs. Drag out those shoeboxes of old family photographs, scan
significant ones, and share them with relatives. The one person you send it to
might be able to identify your unidentified image or add to your family photograph
collection.
Just don't forget to make a copy of all those photographs on a CD and store it
in a safe place. Remember to periodically back up your computer so you don't lose
all your digital pictures with a single computer crash.
The wide variety of programs provides you with an opportunity to finally organize
new and old family photographs on your computer. So, what are you waiting for?
Maureen A. Taylor of TaylorandStrong.com is the author of Preserving Your Family Photographs (Betterway 2001) and
Uncovering Your Ancestry through Family Photographs (Betterway 2000) as
well as a guide to family history for kids, Through the Eyes of Your Ancestors
(Houghton Mifflin, 1999). She can be reached at: "mtaylor @ taylorandstrong.com"
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