My personal rule is to keep all photos except for the following: Accidental shot of the floor or the inside of my camera bag Flash misfire where the image is completely black The subject is blinking or making an unflattering face Major motion blur The image portrays the subject badly This is my general rule based on being an author and an educator. I sometimes need an example of a bad or blurry photo to teach how software or a photography tip can help fix it. You should create your own set of rules as a guideline. Don’t … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Create a rule for when to delete or keep a photo
organization
A simple and free content creation workflow
Editor’s Note: We welcome Scott Wyden Kivowitz to the Photofocus team. Scott is a father and photographer whose dedication to teaching photographers comes through in a straightforward and no fluff style. Scott is also the Chief Community Officer at Imagely, the WordPress Photography People. Not all photographers feel comfortable with the idea of content creation. I’m not referring to photography content, of course. I’m talking about text or video and even audio content. In this article, I will be sharing two simple workflows that can help … [Read more...] about A simple and free content creation workflow
How to work less and achieve more
I’ve been traveling again, and as usual when the schedule becomes tight, time for certain things flies out of the window and we find ourselves having to make decisions about what we really need to do and what can be set aside for a few extra days — until we get our breath back or our feet on the ground and covered by Wi-Fi again. The fine art of making intelligent workflows When our time is tight, we learn to prioritize, and there’s no skill more valuable than that when it comes to running a business or simply getting our projects done. … [Read more...] about How to work less and achieve more
How to import folder hierarchies into Apple Photos
If you're new and fresh into the Apple ecosystem and want to use Apple Photos to hold all your images, you'll want to save a bit of time on re-organizing your folders of images that you may already have made. In an update to Apple Photos in High Sierra, Apple realized that users that a folder containing other folders with images in them would have to spend a ridiculous amount of time recreating that same organization within the Photos App. Thankfully, Apple has added this simple and not very known fix along with a couple of other hidden … [Read more...] about How to import folder hierarchies into Apple Photos
The Power Of Lightroom’s Smart Collections
Organizing and finding images in Lightroom is easy when using Lightroom’s Collections. To make collections even more powerful, Adobe added Smart Collections. Smart Collections automatically gathers all images based on a few keywords you create. Here’s how to let Lightroom help you organize your images the smart way. Why Use Smart Collections? This article was inspired while I was rushing to find images to show during a keynote address for the Black Hills Photo Shootout. I’ve known about Smart Collections for years, but haven’t really thought … [Read more...] about The Power Of Lightroom’s Smart Collections
ACDSee Ultimate 10 – How To Get Your Photos Organized With Categories
How would you describe the subject in this photo? As a Fox, a Red Fox, or Vulpes vulpes? Baby, pup, or kit? Animal, mammal, canine, vulpine? The answer is all of them, and more! With wildlife photography there are many ways to classify and describe an animal. As your image portfolio grows, it becomes more and more important to have a good system for categorizing and keywording your photos so that once you have found a home on your hard drive for them you can find them again. This way you can find your images and get the right ones to those who … [Read more...] about ACDSee Ultimate 10 – How To Get Your Photos Organized With Categories
A Simple Way to Add Some Organization to Your Desktop
A lack of organization can really kick you in a sensitive area if you're on a time crunch or are called to produce a photo or document of some sort. So here's a tip: don't be a digital slob! You might be a digital slob if your desktop is littered with a bunch of folders and files to the point where you can't see the beautiful wallpaper that is supposed to be displayed underneath. You might not be a complete slob if it takes you more than 5 seconds to find a file or folder on your desktop, that just means that you're one of those organized … [Read more...] about A Simple Way to Add Some Organization to Your Desktop
IFTTT for Photographers – Part 3: Managing Your Social Media
Are you new to IFTTT? Then check out this article For my two photography businesses, I have about 9 billion different social media services, profiles, portfolio sites, and websites. Well, maybe 9 billion is a slight exaggeration. But, just keeping up with your online presence can turn into a full-time job. I would rather be spending time with my family and going out to take a photo or two, than basking in the glow of my computer screen. Whether you are new to IFTTT.com (IF This, Then That), or have been using it for a while, these applets … [Read more...] about IFTTT for Photographers – Part 3: Managing Your Social Media
IFTTT for Photographers – Part 2: Stay on Top of Your Photography Business
Are you new to IFTTT? Then check out this article first! For many of us in photography, keeping up with the business side is probably not at the top of our list of fun things to do. Realistically, most of us would rather be crafting that perfect photo than itemizing our receipts. Using an automation tool like IFTTT.com can ease the burden of the business side. Think of it as your internet friend who doesn’t mind doing the stuff you don't want to do! How to use IFTTT Here are some ways I use IFTTT (IF This, Then That) to stay on top of my … [Read more...] about IFTTT for Photographers – Part 2: Stay on Top of Your Photography Business
IFTTT for Photographers – Part 1: Save Time and Get Organized
I love technology and innovation, and thanks to it, the amazing things we can do in photography. But, like many photographers, I confess to excessive grumbling about the amount of time spent in front of the computer and away from the camera. I am always looking for something that shifts the balance from computer time to camera time. I found IFTTT.com a few years ago and by using it, many of my online “chores” are now automated. It's a tool that saves time at the computer and helps keep me organized, all for the low, low cost of free (my … [Read more...] about IFTTT for Photographers – Part 1: Save Time and Get Organized
A Client-Centric Approach to Lightroom Folders
Just this week, I took on the tedious task of completely re-organizing my Lightroom catalog. Not to say that I was using Lightroom wrong, or even organizing my photos incorrectly...I knew I needed a new system that fit my workflow better. Defining the Problem Up until this point, I had used the default import options — copying my files to Lightroom and organizing by date. I would refer back to old emails if I needed to find a specific project (in order to find the date), or (if I was smart) I put the photos into different collections. But … [Read more...] about A Client-Centric Approach to Lightroom Folders
