Pedro wrote:
I am interested in opinions regarding the best photo organizer software. It is time I got all my photos organized, and this group knows a lot about that subject. Your advice would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Pedro
Bridge. Well, I don’t know if it is the "best", but it’s the one I use. I haven’t found any that I would switch to.
I guess it depends on what you want an photo organizer to do. I use the Windows folder system for the root of my organization, so I’m not looking for an organizer that uses its own file and folder system.
I need to be able to see my photos in a small size with a bunch on the screen. I also need to see them with a quick, large preview. Ideally this should easily be configurable.
I need it to associate file types to what I want it to open with. Ideally, these associations need to be separate from the Windows associations. For example, in Windows I want JPEG files to open in my browser. In the organizer I want JPEG files to open in my editor. I also want to be able to open an AI file in CorelDraw or in Photoshop.
I also want to run Photoshop batches from my organizer. It is where I look at files and Photoshop is what I use to edit them; the two had better work together in batch mode.
Of course, there is all the normal stuff like being able to view EXIF and other metadata. I should be able to rename, delete, copy, and move stuff inside the organizer. It should do this without screwing up itself or Windows.
Bridge does all this for me and does it very well. It is fast, simple, and does everything I want. OK, it is a little slow in the cataloging process, but I very rarely have it catalog hundreds of pictures at once. If I do, I plan for the time for it to run.
I haven’t found anything else that will do all this and do it better – for free. Apple’s Aperture looks very nice, but I would have to move back to Macs AND pay $500. Besides its editing features aren’t close to Photoshop’s.
Clyde
PS – I do use Copernic Desktop Search for my searching.