As a former scientist, it is super important to me to have things well organized. I know exactly how many salad forks are in my silverware drawer, and they are arranged in such a way that I could find them in the dark – for those salad emergencies when the power goes out.
So when it comes to organizing your wedding and event photos, I have a rock solid system for finding your pictures FAST. For the past 4 years I have used Aperture. And I hope and pray that Apple doesn’t stop supporting the best photo management program in the world. It’s the pro version of iPhoto, and easily the best thing you can do to improve your photography. You can download a free 30-day trial from the Apple website, but if you want to buy your own version just use this Aperture
My workflow is super simple, and hasn’t changed for the last 4 years. I’ve looked at EVERY single tool – LightRoom, PhotoMechanic, Bridge, and a bunch of other programs, and for me, and my style, this is the way to go.
I create folders for every Year using the shift-⌘-N keystroke, and then create new projects for every client for that year. If the new folder gets put in the wrong place, don’t stress, you can simply drag it to the place you want it to live – I have to do this all the time.
shift-command-N creates is the keyboard command to create a new folder in Aperture
Then I import the images (⌘-I) making sure that I add keyword descriptions to every single image. Humans think in pictures, but computers think in text – so I have to help out my little computer friends with some simple steps. Every single image gets at least three keywords: Clients’ name, location, and event type. Usually I also provide more – like adding in wedding vendor names, and descriptions of wedding dresses, flowers, and cakes – the thinks that brides usually search for on Google. And that is the step that gives me such high search rankings (that and blogging everyday).
The photos are imported to my multi-terabyte RAID server – and that’s where they live forever. I never have to touch, move, or change them again. All the edits and improvements are made in the Aperture database, and applied to the originals when I use the Aperture export tool for Flickr, Facebook, or Photoshelter.
I sit back and have a beer while the import happens – If I’m using my older G4 – I can enjoy my beer, but with my new G5 tower, I have to slam that brew like I was a freshman on my first Spring break.
Later, as I work on the project, editing, arranging, and making the photos look amazing, I create albums, books, smart Projects, and light tables (for inspiration boards) within each project.
This way I don’t have an original version, and edited for blog version, an album version, and a 4×6 for Mom version. I have one Master, and then apply a 900 px wide export with sharpen, and logofor the blog, a fully retouched export for album version, and a 4×6 crop with lighten and color boost export version for Mom. I can also take the different versions and stamp the instructions on other photos across different years and projects. This is a HUGE timesaver, and allows me to self-fulfill orders in a matter of minutes.
And, when a client from two years ago contacts me and finally decides they want a wedding album, I simply go to the Projects pane, find the year, drill-down to the client’s name, and begin to work. No need to relocate files, swap hard drives, or mess around with DVDs.
I almost forgot to mention the best part. When I am on the road, and want to work on a project, I simply export the entire project from my office computer to my Macbook Pro. I can then work on all the images, album layouts, and stuff while I am crammed onto a tiny airplane seat. Then when I get home, I simply re-import the project, and keep on working. It’s seamless.
Use a simple file structure to keep all your projects in Aperture organized
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