Question for folks who've made a photo inventory of their collections...

[mikemich]

Hi, I've just finished a pretty exhaustive process of photographing every model in a combination diecast and promo model collection.  I took generally 4 or 5 shots of each, using an iPhone 13 camera and lightbox staging.  Most came out pretty well.  So now to organize these into a searchable inventory database, which I'll likely just use Excel for... I need to rename each photo title with some kind of coding protocol.   Probably a prefix defining the model type, then an arbitrary number for each "set" of photos.  Of course the cam just assigned them generic sequential numbers.  Main question is, is there some software/app that lets you easily select like, 4 pics in a 'preview' mode, and retitle each of the pics - without having to click and open each one?  Thing is, in Mac, its kinda cumbersome to use the Command>Rename routine for each individual pic.  I'm looking at thousands of pieces that I want to go through and assign new titles to.  

The other thing is downsizing the photo file size.  I want to batch-downsize the majority of them and can only find online jpg converters where i can only upload like, 20 at a time. (i.e., TinyJpg.com).  I'm guessing i should do this before i would start re-naming them.  Wondering if anybody knows of an app that'll do this easily?   I've probably already done this in a way that's more time consuming that it had to be but i had to get the project underway,  and now, need to organize them 'after the fact' as it were.   Major thanks for any advice, and sorry if i've duplicated anything about this in an earlier post.  

Mike

Edited March 22, 2023 by mikemich

[Matt Bacon]

Photoshop on the desktop will do all of that with its batch processing capability. It might also be worth looking at Lightroom, which always used to be the workflow manager to Photoshop’s editor. You can try for free, and pay a monthly sub as long as you need it…

best,

M.

[mikemich]

Ok, didnt think about PS but i have an older working version of it and will check it out.  Thanks!  

[Matt Bacon]

In the one I have, it's under the File menu:  File --->Process Multiple Files . On my copy (Elements 21), you can rename them in sequence, resize them to consistent dimensions, change the file type and compression, and apply some "quick fixes" to sharpen them, balance contrast, adjust colour balance or distribute the "levels" from black to white with neutral in the middle.

best,

M.

 

[mikemich]

11 minutes ago, Matt Bacon said:

In the one I have, it's under the File menu:  File --->Process Multiple Files . On my copy (Elements 21), you can rename them in sequence, resize them to consistent dimensions, change the file type and compression, and apply some "quick fixes" to sharpen them, balance contrast, adjust colour balance or distribute the "levels" from black to white with neutral in the middle.

best,

M.

 

Great, I'll give it a look. Do you per chance have any particular rule of thumb with regard to  what pixel measurements should be, for, say, an online photo 'gallery' ?  I know sometimes in these conversion apps I've been asked to enter that info but...these photos current default sizing, seems to translate pretty well for online posting.

Thanks  !

Edited March 22, 2023 by mikemich

[Matt Bacon]

I use Smugmug for hosting which lets you choose the size of the photo you embed depending on the link. I usually make the max size original I upload to Smugmug in Photoshop, 1000 pixels wide and I use the “save for web” function to say I want it 200 kilobytes file size and PS figures out how much jpg compression to use….

best,

M.

[Matt Bacon]

This one is saved at 1200 pixels wide, "Save for web" at 300KB:

 

This one is 1000 pixels saved for web at 200KB:

 

This one is 800 pixels saved for web at 120KB

You might want to consider saving one "hero" image of each model at a larger size, and then smaller ones for the rest.

best,

M.

Edited March 24, 2023 by Matt Bacon

[mikemich]

Those look excellent!  Thanks for the suggestions.  Still pondering what sort of naming protocol for titles to index them by.  For my purposes am thinking i don't even need an Excel spreadsheet if I simply use a standardized way of renaming the photos, and let the titles/photos themselves 'be' the searchable inventory list.  I have a LOT of different model brands (collection spans 1930s through about 1980) so am thinking of using a letter prefix to identify model maker, followed by a codified description in the title of what the make/model year is, + the model makers own number if there is one.  Simplicity is the goal: ) Thanks again!

 

Mike

Edited March 24, 2023 by mikemich

[Matt Bacon]

As I think we may have discussed previously, if you want to do more than just find a specific car or photo, Excel’s list/database capabilities allow you to filter quickly to find all your 1/25 Mercedes diecasts, for example…

best,

M.

[Tom99]

I have no photo inventory, of my 652 built kits and dealer promos that I have on display.