Photo Database Software

For the digital shutterbug, a photo database software program is an absolute must. Anyone who has taken a photo in the past few months knows how easy it is to go overboard the clicking of that smooth little shutter button now that the cost of film and film processing is no longer a consideration. Photographs are spontaneously taken of the grand and the mundane, not just once but multiple times. Before long, hundreds of images are taking up space on the digital camera's memory card and something has got to be done with them. Even a basic digital photo management software program can bring order to the chaos of hundreds, if not thousands, of photographs cluttering up a computer hard drive.

As with the growth of any popular industry, companies have sprung up to meet the needs of consumers who have grabbed onto the digital photography bandwagon with no plans of going back to traditional film cameras. These photographers, whether amateur or professional, novice or advanced, need a way to store and organize their photographs. Well-known companies have been joined by new upstarts to provide storage, maintenance, organizing, and printing capabilities to consumers. After opening an account with a specific business by registering with a username and password (and providing whatever identifying information that is requested), a consumer can upload photographs to that company's website. But some people prefer storing their treasured photographs on a personal computer system. For these consumers, photo database software developers have created a wide assortment of products that provide an excellent alternative to online photography sites. The only difficulty now is for each consumer to choose the best program that will meet his or her needs and requirements. A multitude of options are available and many have similar features. Almost any digital photo management software should, at the very least, provide organizational and search-and-find options. Many have more advanced cataloging and publishing features.

The foundation for any storage or retrieval system begins with appropriate and thoughtful organization. When digital images are first moved from the digital camera to the computer hard drive, they should be organized into folders and subfolders as soon as possible. For most families, an easy organizational system might begin with a folder for each calendar year. Subfolders could be named for each month or for specific events that occur within the year, such as a child's birthday party, the class trip to the zoo, or spending Thanksgiving with the in-laws. Each photo should be annotated or given a caption. With the use of its search feature, the photo database software can then retrieve specific photographs based on the use of keywords. This makes it much easier to find the one photograph a person wants without opening a lot of folders to do so. Of course, there are other ways to organize folders. Some people may find it easier to think in terms of categories. For instance, all Christmas pictures would be placed in the same main folder. The sub-categories may be by year or some other designation that makes sense to the person setting up the organizational system. The psalmist wrote: "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way" (Psalm 37:23). Order, whatever the categories and structure, is always better than a chaotic mishmash.

Small business owners and hobbyists can also take advantage of digital photo management software to promote their products and interests. With the phenomenal growth of online auctions, many individuals need sharp, focused images of the items they wish to sell. A digital camera is an inexpensive and quick way to get quality photographs that can be uploaded to the auction site. Hobbyists, such as coin and stamp collectors, may wish to host a website that showcases the individual pieces of the collections. Here again, a digital camera can take a quality photograph that can be easily inserted into a website. With the appropriate digital photo management software, the images can be organized and sorted for easy viewing and selection. Some software packages have the capability of cataloging both photos and graphics. This can be a beneficial feature to the collector when designing and updating a website.

A small business owner may wish to distribute print catalogs of her store's products in addition to selling them online. She will need a photo database software program that provides the capability to create documents. Though most programs include templates for making and printing photograph albums, this small business owner will want advanced applications for designing a professional catalog that uses the photographic images she has taken of her products. These more advanced applications usually allow detailed information to be attached to each image and the capability for the information to be changed or edited at a later date.

It practically goes without saying that the photo database software program will have such basic functions as red-eye reduction, cropping, and rotation of photographs. Amateur photographers with advanced skills, along with the professionals, will most likely choose programs that offer additional features for editing digital images. Prospective consumers will also want to pay attention to such important features as printing options and the ability to share photos with others. The digital photo management software industry is a competitive one. Consumers can take advantage of free trial versions to be sure they make the best choice for the storage and organizing of their digital photographs.

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