I was wondering if anyone is aware of any good and easy to use photo collection software. I am not really looking for software that can edit photos, I have programs that can do that.
What I am looking for a database or whatever where I can enter information about a photo like date, location, railroad, subject, road number and the like. Then be able to search the information by the sections if possible.
For example see if I have any photos with something with number #2016. I really haven’t been able to find anything out there like that. Any ideas ??
Any database would provide that ability - it’s all in how you set it up.
F’rinstance, you might have columns with the image ID, location (as in on the computer, in a box in the basement, etc), date, where the image was taken, a category (ie, locos, cars, stations), and some key words (numbers, sunset, bridge, what-have-you). In fact, you’d probably want several key word columns, just in case you shot a certain train on a bridge at sunset…
While this wouldn’t provide a direct link to a given image, it would allow you to run sorts on certain key words, which would narrow your search.
The biggest thing would be to be consistent with your parameters so you don’t miss an image you were looking for that was a sunset because you used the key word “dusk” instead…
Or you could do what I do. After editing down to what I am keeping, I rename each digital image, as in 2016-02-24Aa Podunk XYZ2026-ABC7483. That provides date, location and road numbers as part of the file name. The “Aa” is to keep the images in the correct sequence; the next train or location might be “B”. Sometimes the desired sequence differs from what actually happened, and that can be achieved.
Several other advantages. It does not depend on any software that could disappear. Files that accidentally get dragged and dropped into some other folder are easily identified.
Digital images usually have two background files. The EXIF is created by the camera and provides information about exposure, camera and lens. The IPTC file is where you can enter additional data and expanded comments. It’s a good idea to put your name in the copyright field, and you can even add contact information.
Railfan Atlas is a, “map interface for exploring Flickr’s railroad photography” using the listed geographic location (geocoding) of a picture. So if search Clinton Iowa, for example, you’ll find a lot of photos of UP & CNW.
