Massive photo collection - Issue

[StbA]

Hi guy's

One of my clients has a massive photo collection, we're talking +- 100 000 photo's.

Obviously iPhoto is unable to handle this massive amount of pic's in one iPhoto Lib and creating more than one photo library is out of the question for him, he says it's too complicated.

I suggested using iPhoto to import the photo's from the camera's and then to export the pics into diff folders, based on:

Year / Event

Has anybody done something similar and are you happy with the solution?

[bwana]

Most photographers I know with libraries that size have had the good sense to move over to aperture.

[StbA]

Would Aperture be able to handle 100k of photo's?

[syntax]

i am not sure even aperture or LR could handle that many...He needs to implement some kind of organisational structure like u mentioned....I have seen aperture/LR handle around 10k photos, but more than that i cant say. Out of curiosity what is he storing these photos on?

I would def differentiate with date, although depending on his photos maybe category would be suitable as well

[bwana]

Would Aperture be able to handle 100k of photo's?It will handle 100,000 Master images per Project.

The main selling point I would use is that the photos can be seamlessly stored anywhere - I keep most of mine on externals with the 1/2 size jpg living on my laptop that I can use anywhere without hooking up to the external drive that particular master is located on.

Also to remember that when you make the slightest adjustment in iPhoto the images is effectively copied. That 2mb photo becomes 4mb, then 6mb, and so on . . . it soon adds up. In Aperture most adjustments mean only a change to the metadata and the master is untouched.
i am not sure even aperture or LR could handle that many...He needs to implement some kind of organisational structure like u mentioned....I have seen aperture/LR handle around 10k photos, but more than that i cant say. Out of curiosity what is he storing these photos on?

I would def differentiate with date, although depending on his photos maybe category would be suitable as wellMy library for 2008 alone is already 12397 images and we havent even got to the silly season yet :)

[paint_by_numbers]

Another solution is to use iphoto buddy http://www.iphotobuddy.com/

It allows you to create and switch between iphoto libraries easily and you can password protect a library. Best of all, it's FREE!!

[bwana]

As a matter of interest, why would anyone want to keep that many amateur photographs? I know digital cameras allow for a photo feast, but the point is surely to sift through them and keep only the best ones?100,000? You'd have to ask them.

Storage is only getting cheaper and more abundant by the day - unless it's horribly out of focus or badly exposed why not keep it? I initially threw this one in the bin but after a while and with a fresh set of eyes I decided I could do something with it.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2072/1629714207_8c7f6d57ee.jpg?v=0 (http://flickr.com/photos/bwanarsa/1629714207/in/set-72157602519689383/)

[StbA]

As a matter of interest, why would anyone want to keep that many amateur photographs? I know digital cameras allow for a photo feast, but the point is surely to sift through them and keep only the best ones?

His pic's go back to 1959

[morebroadband]

I have approx 40k photos stored in both Aperture and Lightroom 2. I have been using Lightroom more lately as it just just feels better.

Both seem to handle this amount easily - although I am due to clean up the Aperture as I did not set it up correctly in the beginning.

All photos are backed up on a Drobo.

[koffiejunkie]

+1 for Aperture


I suggested using iPhoto to import the photo's from the camera's and then to export the pics into diff folders, based on:

Year / Event

Has anybody done something similar and are you happy with the solution?

That solution only works for small numbers of photos. You lose the ability to work with metadata. If you have 60 years worth of pictures sorted into year/even folders, finding that one obscure picture of uncle Bob is going to be hard if you don't quite remember where/when it was taken. But if you diligently keyword your images in Aperture/iPhoto/Lightroom, you can do a search and find it very quickly.


Also to remember that when you make the slightest adjustment in iPhoto the images is effectively copied. That 2mb photo becomes 4mb, then 6mb, and so on . . . it soon adds up. In Aperture most adjustments mean only a change to the metadata and the master is untouched.My library for 2008 alone is already 12397 images and we havent even got to the silly season yet :)

It does store a preview, which is basically a JPEG of the image with the changes, unless you disable previews. It's only one image, (and another one for thumbnail) but it's for *every* image, instead of just the ones that have changes made. If all his pictures are JPEGs to start with, then disabling previews isn't an issue, but if he's shooting RAW, that will cause a substantial performance hit.

[bwana]

It does store a preview, which is basically a JPEG of the image with the changes, unless you disable previews. It's only one image, (and another one for thumbnail) but it's for *every* image, instead of just the ones that have changes made. If all his pictures are JPEGs to start with, then disabling previews isn't an issue, but if he's shooting RAW, that will cause a substantial performance hit.Unless space is an issue why would you even want to disable previews?

When they're enabled they can be directly accessed/shared by almost any other application.

Also by using apertures quick preview you use the jpg that arrived embedded in the RAW file and do your first round of proofing almost immediately.

[The_Librarian]

seems drobo (http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/storage-robot-at-your-service-a-review-of-the-drobo.ars)'ll be hard pressed with these photographers who still use iPhoto... :p

Electronic photography is much more convenient and easier than the oldstyle chemical photography.

[koffiejunkie]

Unless space is an issue why would you even want to disable previews?

I wouldn't. In fact, I did just the opposite. I set my previews to be full size, instead of whatever the default was.

I just mentioned it because, if you make very little changes in iPhoto, Aperture will use more space. But I think we all agree space is not an issue.


seems drobo (http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/storage-robot-at-your-service-a-review-of-the-drobo.ars)'ll be hard pressed with these photographers who still use iPhoto... :p

I'm still waiting for someone to explain what happens when your drobo breaks. Can the data on your discs somehow be recovered?

[bwana]

I'm still waiting for someone to explain what happens when your drobo breaks. Can the data on your discs somehow be recovered?You put the drives in another drobo?

I have to get me one of these - in the fw800 flavour. :)

[koffiejunkie]

You put the drives in another drobo?

You assume that. I have seen nothing that indicates that it won't see it as fresh drives and just set up a new array. I quickly scanned the user manual - it doesn't mention this scenario.

[bwana]

What happens if drobo itself breaks? How do I recover my data?

Under your warranty, Data Robotics at its discretion replaces the system. With the power off, remove the drives currently in the system and move them over to the replacement system. Turn the power on, on the replacement system, and it should boot-up with all of your data available to you. (http://www.drobo.com/Support/Knowledgebase.html)"Should" is a CYOA clause me thinks. ;)

[koffiejunkie]

Right - I missed that.

Still, I'd like to see it before I trust it. Drobo's promises make me uneasy enough as it is. In the FAQ they're very explicit about it not using technology derived from RAID, yet, when George Ou published his doubts, they invited him over and showed him that it is in fact some sort of RAID. All their marketing is designed to make you think this is something new and cool, but from everything I've read, it looks like some sort of volume management on top of multiple raid sets - which doesn't bother me, because it's 20-year old tried-and-tested technology. The only thing that's new is their automatic management.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great product. I'm going to get one. And when I do, I'm going to pull it apart and find ot exactly what goes on under the hood.