Help with organization?

[Markok765]

I have a ton of negatives, and I usually take a few days to use a roll, but sometimes I let it sit in my camera for a week or two. I also have a large backlog of films to develop, so I just develop and put into the neg sheets. I would like help with, say if I want to find a shot from a particular trip, how to find it quickly and easily?

 

[Ian Grant]

You could set yourself up a simple database on your computer, and index the films/images. I did this about 12-15 years ago and still use it, it contains all the negative details, location, lens, film, developer and also the printing details. The data was originally in a DOS database before I imported it into a great Access database I downloaded "Photocat" that was freely available at the time. Over the years I update it as the new versions of Access were released, but it became an uphill task. Now it's about to be recompiled in an Open Office database.

Any database software can be used to store & search your negatives info.

Ian

 

[Stan160]

I insert a sheet of paper between each negative storage sheet in the ring binder. Initially, this has shooting and film development details, but when I make a print I am pleased with I write the details down here too, adding extra sheets as necessary to contain dodge/burn diagrams etc.

I have a flatbed scanner which can scan two strips of 6 35mm negs, or a single strip of 120. All negatives are scanned and saved with file names that match the index number of the negative, in folders named by date YYYY-MM-DD, so they appear in date order when browsed. I also add EXIF date and time information to the image files. Using a tool like Picasa means I can quickly find pictures if I have a rough idea of the date, and easily match an image on screen with a negative number. Picasa also supports tagging of individual images for searching by category, but I don't bother.

Ian

 

[removed account4]

hi marko

"print file" sleeves allow you to store your negatives in clear plastic-y stuff
( you can contact sheet through them ) and write what and when the roll was of
in the "title" area ( and number the sheet too ) .
there is are "binder holes ( 3 ring ) so you can stash all the sheets in a notebook
along with your contact sheets ( if you want to ) and you can have everything just where you can see them.
i have 3 or 4 binders full of negatives like that ... if you want to you can write a log in the front of your binder
that says what negatives are stored in there.
quick, easy and low-tech ...

john

 

[Markok765]

Thanks everyone! John, I am using the printfile sheets with built in contact sheet holders.

 

[JBrunner]

Marko,

I identify my negatives with a date code, and file them chronologically, and keep a written notebook that simply documents what I have shot, where and when.

For example, the code for the third negative I made on Dec. 14, 2007 would be 121407-3. It goes in the Dec 07 file.

It is a simple matter to find a particular shoot in the notebook, and then go directly to the right to the negative, instead of going through a whole bunch of negatives, the notebook entries are brief so it saves time over data entry, and the notebook's hard drive will never crash.