Keywording large culls for pro baseball

[dbacksjon]

Hey all,

I am a recently hired photo archivist for an MLB team and am having some issues with keywording speed, etc. I am looking into PM for basic culling and viewing as well as ITPC editing, etc... At this point I am using Bridge on a new Dual processor 2.3 powermac. I LOVE the way bridge allows you to setup templates for ITPC data and the way it lets me create "folders" of keywords. Here is my dilema though, it is VERY slow when i am keywording large shoots from the night before.

So here is what I have. I am getting photos from myself and another staff photographer each homegame. I ingest the photos into the hot file for that game and then use bridge to sort into game specific folders for marketing, in game players, etc... I rename with date-opponent-photoginitials-series# and then batch ITPC the shoot with the photog info. This part takes some time in BRIDGE as the beach ball of death shows up way too much. Then as I go to Keyword my files i run into some workflow slow downs. The fact that Bridge allows me to see my keywords on the side in a heirarchy and batch select groups of photos for keywording, then indiviually assign keywords to the files based on the player name, action in the shot, etc...

So here is my dilema. I want to use PM based on its speed and functionality but i'm concerned about the speed of adding keywords to each file with no keyword heirarchy system like in Bridge. KEYWORDS are my life in these photos as we will be using Extensis Portfolio 8 Netpublish Server to allow the staff to find photos by keywords and request them from me. I have hundreds of keywords i use to describe my photos and Bridge makes it very convenient to add them by "group/folder" and/or individually to the photos, it is just VERY slow even on this new machine.

Does PM have the ability to organize a keyword library effectively or it it just one LONG list of master keywords?

Thanks,
Jon

[Kirk Baker]

Jon,

I am a recently hired photo archivist for an MLB team and am having some issues with keywording speed, etc. I am looking into PM for basic culling and viewing as well as ITPC editing, etc... At this point I am using Bridge on a new Dual processor 2.3 powermac. I LOVE the way bridge allows you to setup templates for ITPC data and the way it lets me create "folders" of keywords. Here is my dilema though, it is VERY slow when i am keywording large shoots from the night before.

So here is what I have. I am getting photos from myself and another staff photographer each homegame. I ingest the photos into the hot file for that game and then use bridge to sort into game specific folders for marketing, in game players, etc... I rename with date-opponent-photoginitials-series# and then batch ITPC the shoot with the photog info. This part takes some time in BRIDGE as the beach ball of death shows up way too much. Then as I go to Keyword my files i run into some workflow slow downs. The fact that Bridge allows me to see my keywords on the side in a heirarchy and batch select groups of photos for keywording, then indiviually assign keywords to the files based on the player name, action in the shot, etc...

Nearly all of what you described can be done quickly and efficiently in Photo Mechanic.  First use the Ingest dialog with renaming to download your files.  PM can even build your main folder structure on download.  Then cull your images with the Preview window.  Then create your specific folders using the Navigator.  Then copy/move your folders from the Contact Sheet to your new folders in the Navigator.  Bridge doesn't need to enter the picture at all here...

So here is my dilema. I want to use PM based on its speed and functionality but i'm concerned about the speed of adding keywords to each file with no keyword heirarchy system like in Bridge. KEYWORDS are my life in these photos as we will be using Extensis Portfolio 8 Netpublish Server to allow the staff to find photos by keywords and request them from me. I have hundreds of keywords i use to describe my photos and Bridge makes it very convenient to add them by "group/folder" and/or individually to the photos, it is just VERY slow even on this new machine.

Does PM have the ability to organize a keyword library effectively or it it just one LONG list of master keywords?

While you *can* have one LONG list of keywords, you certainly don't have to.  First create your initial set of keywords in the Master list.  Then use the snapshot button (looks like a lightning bolt) to save your first set.  Then clear the set and add your next set.  Save and clear again.  Repeat until you have saved all of your sets with meaningful names.

Then when you want to switch between sets, just use the snapshot button to switch between your different sets.  You can then bulk apply keywords using the IPTC Stationery Pad, or individually apply them using the IPTC Info dialog.

HTH,

-Kirk

[dbacksjon]

AH! Kirk you are the man. I think we may have to go with this then, sounds perfect.

Jon
AZ Diamondbacks Photo Archivist

[dbacksjon]

One more question... when i rename to use the date I have always been using MMDDYYYY format. Is there a way to set it up so that this is the default in PM also?