Photography management program?

lesleymartin · 06-12-2014, 05:10 PM

Hi all,

My company stores thousands of photographs of our work on an internal server, but we need a new photo management system. In an ideal world, we would have a program that:

Is cloud-based for access anywhere ... easy to upload/pull images
Searchable tags
Lists photographer
Unlimited file storage
Unlimited file storage size

I've been looking at many programs online,but I want to ask real photographers -- what programs do you use or recommend?

Thanks for the help.

LM

Steve.Ledger · 06-12-2014, 08:44 PM

I don't know if I'm a real or virtual photographer, certainly my photos on the PC and online are virtual

I've just begun to use Unlimited space for your photos | Zonerama.com
Worth a look?

rawr · 06-13-2014, 05:29 AM

For searchability, unlimited storage, client access, uploads, etc maybe a Premium Business Plan on Zenfolio.com (unlimited storage, lets you store and upload RAWs and other files up to 2GB for RAWs, has client access pages, nultiple user account options too) could be all you need.
Features List | Zenfolio

Maybe smugmug.com, photoshelter.com, or even just Google Docs/Picasa too.

There seem to be a range of options, depending on how serious and corporate your needs are. At the high end there is stuff like Canto.

bdery · 06-13-2014, 06:13 AM

Smugmug or zenfolio would be your best bets. And they're really not that expensive. A program like lightroom could add the tags for you, each photographer could upload his photos to the online galleries.

Wired · 06-13-2014, 07:04 AM

Zenfolio looks really good actually. and $140 a year isn't that bad at all. I'm going to look into it personally as well and look at swapping over from Squarespace, which is a great client, but has no storage abilities.

bdery · 06-13-2014, 10:08 AM

Originally posted by Wired

Zenfolio looks really good actually. and $140 a year isn't that bad at all.

That seems steep, smugmug charges me 60$ per year for unlimited storage. The only thing I think I cannot do is sell my photos online. That calls for a more expensive package.

**Miguel** · 06-13-2014, 03:33 PM

Originally posted by lesleymartin

Hi all,

My company stores thousands of photographs of our work on an internal server, but we need a new photo management system. In an ideal world, we would have a program that:

Is cloud-based for access anywhere ... easy to upload/pull images
Searchable tags
Lists photographer
Unlimited file storage
Unlimited file storage size

I've been looking at many programs online,but I want to ask real photographers -- what programs do you use or recommend?

Thanks for the help.

LM

Each service has limitation that may or may not be relevant to your employer.
What file format are your images in that you must have storage for? Most online services mandate jpegs, though some RAW capabilities are provided at a significant prices.
What kind of security requirements have you? Multiple users each with their own password? Or a shared password for everyone which can bring more risk to the situation.
How should these be organized? and by what standards? And what processing and version control application interfaces do you need?

Make sure you have these and other questions answered prior to purchasing a solution. Group (company or corporate) solutions are a lot more complicated than those for individual consumers.

M

rawr · 06-13-2014, 05:44 PM

Originally posted by Wired

Zenfolio looks really good actually. and $140 a year isn't that bad at all. I'm going to look into it personally.

Damn, I knew I should have included a referral code in my Zenfolio link

.

Originally posted by bdery

That seems steep, smugmug charges me 60$ per year for unlimited storage. The only thing I think I cannot do is sell my photos online. That calls for a more expensive package.

The multi-user management mode of the Business acct struck me as probably something Zenfolio can offer that the user needs. But I see the $300 Smugmug business plan also allows assistants to go in and administer the site.

Imageman · 06-17-2014, 05:46 PM

You want a cloud based management system that someone else manages instead of your existing system that is managed by you internally.

Basically you should realise that once you stop hosting internally you do save all the effort and expense of looking after and securing your images, but you accept the risk of losing all your images for ever with no possibility of recovery. If this happens how will your business cope and survive.

Yes I know they are supposed to look after your images and you can sue them if they don't. But how will your CEO and your clients view your business if everything is lost and they have nothing except the hope of winning a court battle and a few thousand dollars.

Whoevers fault it is wont matter. you still lose your client or your job or both.

Alternatively maintain 2 systems at great expense.

Think carefully before taking this step.

06-12-2014, 05:10 PM	#1
lesleymartin Inactive Account Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 1	Photography management program? Hi all, My company stores thousands of photographs of our work on an internal server, but we need a new photo management system. In an ideal world, we would have a program that: Is cloud-based for access anywhere ... easy to upload/pull images Searchable tags Lists photographer Unlimited file storage Unlimited file storage size I've been looking at many programs online,but I want to ask real photographers -- what programs do you use or recommend? Thanks for the help. LM

06-13-2014, 03:33 PM	#7
Miguel Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Near Seattle Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,743	Originally posted by lesleymartin Hi all, My company stores thousands of photographs of our work on an internal server, but we need a new photo management system. In an ideal world, we would have a program that: Is cloud-based for access anywhere ... easy to upload/pull images Searchable tags Lists photographer Unlimited file storage Unlimited file storage size I've been looking at many programs online,but I want to ask real photographers -- what programs do you use or recommend? Thanks for the help. LM Each service has limitation that may or may not be relevant to your employer. What file format are your images in that you must have storage for? Most online services mandate jpegs, though some RAW capabilities are provided at a significant prices. What kind of security requirements have you? Multiple users each with their own password? Or a shared password for everyone which can bring more risk to the situation. How should these be organized? and by what standards? And what processing and version control application interfaces do you need? Make sure you have these and other questions answered prior to purchasing a solution. Group (company or corporate) solutions are a lot more complicated than those for individual consumers. M

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06-12-2014, 08:44 PM	#2
Steve.Ledger Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Far North Qld Posts: 3,301	I don't know if I'm a real or virtual photographer, certainly my photos on the PC and online are virtual I've just begun to use Unlimited space for your photos \| Zonerama.com Worth a look?

06-13-2014, 05:29 AM	#3
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	For searchability, unlimited storage, client access, uploads, etc maybe a Premium Business Plan on Zenfolio.com (unlimited storage, lets you store and upload RAWs and other files up to 2GB for RAWs, has client access pages, nultiple user account options too) could be all you need. Features List \| Zenfolio Maybe smugmug.com, photoshelter.com, or even just Google Docs/Picasa too. There seem to be a range of options, depending on how serious and corporate your needs are. At the high end there is stuff like Canto.

06-13-2014, 06:13 AM	#4
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,362	Smugmug or zenfolio would be your best bets. And they're really not that expensive. A program like lightroom could add the tags for you, each photographer could upload his photos to the online galleries.

06-13-2014, 07:04 AM	#5
Wired Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,519	Zenfolio looks really good actually. and $140 a year isn't that bad at all. I'm going to look into it personally as well and look at swapping over from Squarespace, which is a great client, but has no storage abilities.

06-13-2014, 10:08 AM	#6
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,362	Originally posted by Wired Zenfolio looks really good actually. and $140 a year isn't that bad at all. That seems steep, smugmug charges me 60$ per year for unlimited storage. The only thing I think I cannot do is sell my photos online. That calls for a more expensive package.

06-13-2014, 05:44 PM	#8
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by Wired Zenfolio looks really good actually. and $140 a year isn't that bad at all. I'm going to look into it personally. Damn, I knew I should have included a referral code in my Zenfolio link . Originally posted by bdery That seems steep, smugmug charges me 60$ per year for unlimited storage. The only thing I think I cannot do is sell my photos online. That calls for a more expensive package. The multi-user management mode of the Business acct struck me as probably something Zenfolio can offer that the user needs. But I see the $300 Smugmug business plan also allows assistants to go in and administer the site.

06-17-2014, 05:46 PM	#9
Imageman Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Photos: Albums Posts: 461	You want a cloud based management system that someone else manages instead of your existing system that is managed by you internally. Basically you should realise that once you stop hosting internally you do save all the effort and expense of looking after and securing your images, but you accept the risk of losing all your images for ever with no possibility of recovery. If this happens how will your business cope and survive. Yes I know they are supposed to look after your images and you can sue them if they don't. But how will your CEO and your clients view your business if everything is lost and they have nothing except the hope of winning a court battle and a few thousand dollars. Whoevers fault it is wont matter. you still lose your client or your job or both. Alternatively maintain 2 systems at great expense. Think carefully before taking this step.