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Photo cataloguing databases

Tags: Cloud

I am looking for a system which provides relational database qualities to catalogue, store and retrieve a large collection of photographs of historic buildings. I want to be able to use terms such as:
Place
Date
Name
Style
Purpose
Address
Architect

Being able to store in the cloud would be desirable

Topic

That cloud can cost.

In reply to Photo cataloguing databases

In fact I know of no free cloud that will do this. There is Google Photos but what is the relational work here? What you listed doesn’t sound like a relational database.

Other free ones are noted at https://www.tomsguide.com/us/pictures-story/412-best-free-photo-management-software.html

Photo cataloguing

In reply to That cloud can cost.

Thanks, I will have a look. It could be relational depends how far I want it to go. You might have a table with architects, one with people etc. Probably best to keep it simple. I want to be able to retrieve using a mixture of criteria such as place, style, building type, country date.

As presented.

In reply to Photo cataloguing

The database looks flat. One of the more common relational database examples could be a sales database. You have the person you sold to noted in the sales database but the person’s information in another so you don’t duplicate the person’s address and such in each sales entry.

Maybe you didn’t tell all but hey, as it stands it looks flat from here.

Re: database

In reply to Photo cataloguing

One of the DIY relationals databases is MS Access, part of the MS Office suite. It’s not only a database, but you can make forms for data entry and maintenance, and have a drop down list of architects to choose from. And a drop-down list of styles, building type etc.

If you’re afraid of building it yourself, use MS Excel. You can make forms with dropdown lists, and use filters for the fields to search specific records.

Photo cataloguing

In reply to Re: database

Thank you. I used Access about 20 years ago to create a large collections database for a museum collection. While it has no doubt moved on I am sure the principles are the same. Can I insert a thumbnail image and then link that to another place with a large image? Another database I have used which included images is Past Perfect. It works well and has sophisticated ways of grouping and searching but I would need to buy the software plus multimedia and in A$ it would be about $1300. Another option I suppose its to catalogue the images in Access and use that to generate a unique Accession number and to store the images by Accession no in Google photos. If I had a thumbnail in Access and wanted the high res image I could retrieve it from the Cloud in google images. Is this a good way to go or is it getting to complicated? Are there other better alternatives?

About Google.

In reply to Photo cataloguing

Google’s storage policy is changing so I take it you know this and the cost involved or you will be buying a Pixel phone.

Even LibreOffice can house images. https://www.techrepublic.com/topic/developer/

In your case, why the cloud? Folk I know that ask your question often regret it over cloud storage fees.

Photo cataloguing

In reply to About Google.

Hello, I had heard that Googl Photos will be charging later in 2021 but will honour up to 15GB in the system prior to this. I didn’t know about Pixel phones. It opens another question which is what phone is best for pictures – one which gives faux digital SLR controls?
I agree the starting point is not the Cloud but the best system at a reasonable price. I suppose an external hard drive is an alternative but the Cloud provides access which id not dependant on having hardware with you. This forum does not seem to be answering my question but only raising more questions.

External drives are

In reply to Photo cataloguing

IMO not for primary storage. This is from decades of folk trying to use such as primary or their only copy of stuff they can’t lose.

Is there more to the story above?

Is there any reason not to explore putting such information in the file’s metadata and then use tools/commands such as noted at https://superuser.com/questions/1240555/command-line-to-return-image-properties to make a search tool?

Photo Cataloguing Software.

In reply to Photo cataloguing databases

I think Lightroom Classic is the best Software.

[Author]

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