Image Asset Management

Pengun Slide. Antarctica – December, 2005
Canon 1Ds MKII with 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens @ ISO 100
Photographers have differing needs. Some shoot just a handful of frames every now and then, while others return from distant lands with Gigabytes of data and thousands of images. Their needs therefore differ greatly when it comes to how they transfer, review, catalogue and organize their files.
Professional photographers also need to ensure that all of their files are well annotated using the IPTC fields, with copyright information and extensive keywording so that images can be easily identified and retrieved.
There are currently (December, 2005) two programs which stand out for me, and which have been embraced by professional photographers. These arePhoto MechanicandIView Media Pro. These are by no means the only programs in their fields, and many would argue for other contenders. But, if you sit down with working photographers and glance over their shoulders as they work on location...