Field Notes / photographs

Organizing a photo collection

Keep memories searchable without an elaborate system.

Import into dated folders

A simple year and month structure works across many applications. Preserve original camera files before editing. Add a short event name when it helps, but avoid renaming thousands of files merely to satisfy a perfect scheme.

Choose a small set of favorites

Mark the photographs you would want to find quickly or print. Favorites can be a useful layer over a large collection without requiring every image to be categorized. Keep edited versions separate from originals so that an enthusiastic crop is reversible.

Preserve context

Dates and places become harder to remember over time. Add captions for important events and names when you know them. Export a small sample with its metadata and confirm that another application can read it. Back up the collection before any large cleanup.