File management is a spectrum of activities and approaches. We are all somewhere on that spectrum based on past experience and where/how we share our photo art. If you just want to share online, then you won't continue on the spectrum to home-based printing. If you will never use a print service bureau, then you won't continue on exploring archival papers and imaging processes.
Along with cloud file storage and ubiquitous USB thumb drives came the demise of CD/DVD optical storage. Charlene reminds me to "future-proof my photographs" and other important documents by moving to the latest storage media - in triplicate!
My computer experience is Macintosh-based since 2012 when I retired from supporting Windows and Macintosh and online learning systems. If you have Windows resources to share, give me URLs and a brief description and I will add them to this website.
All of file management begins with saving, previewing and moving files. Naming files used to be important but our iPhones have their own scheme of naming files - we just have to get out of the way.
This is a beginning outline. Help me improve it.
Moving camera photos to iOS
- SD Card adapter
- WiFi on camera
Moving Files to/from your computer
- iCloud - sync
- Files app
- Dropbox account
- PhotoSync app
- AirDrop
- Lightning/USB-C cable
Prepare your computer / external hard drive
- Clean off Desktop, use Stacks to collect related files
- Add folders for new edited photos
- [Subject, Location, Effects, etc? Something meaningful to you!]
- Add folders for original photos
- Select folder and drag to add to Finder Sidebar
- Use caution when renaming image files
- Backup your computer and external hard drives
Preview & Review your photos
- Add Comments
- Add Keywords
- Add Tags
- Delete
- Mac Finder Views [icon, list, columns and gallery]
- Sort list by name, kind, size, dates, tags
- Quick Look - select file then Spacebar and Arrow keys
- Select file then File > Get Info (Cmd + I)
- Gallery view with metadata details in right pane [Rotate, Markup & More...] Use View > Show Preview Options to customize details
- Spotlight Search of contents and Internet
- Finder Search, add multiple criteria
Resources for learning more and confirming your workflow
As of 2/17/2020 my Mac computers are still running the Mojave, MacOS 10.14.6 with current security updates. To get Help with your current operating system use the Finder > Help > Mac OS Help or the Help > Search feature. Review the Optimize Storage > Manage > Reduce Clutter > Review Files option. New to me as I review this Help feature and the little details too insignificant to mention in a WWDC rollout presentation. Similar optimization features are available on iOS.
Apple Books also has free MacOS related User Guides for laptops and desktop computers. The MacBook Air with Retina Display Essentials or MacBook Pro Essentials. If you are using a desktop then the iMac Essentials guide is for you. Here is the link to see all the Apple Computer Guides in Books. The trick here is the books reference the newest MacOS, Catalina.
Notes to add:
Safari Reading View, Save as PDF, Merge PDFs & Save to Books
To be continued, after my bike ride.