A Photo Diary

If someone suggested I keep a diary, I would dismiss it almost without thought. No guy is going to keep a diary. Know what I mean?

When you take a lot of pictures, you had better give how you are going to store and organize your photos a lot of thought. Because once you get into it, if you chose the wrong method, you have made a lot of work for yourself in trying to restructure your files.

Fortunately, I chose a simple method when I first started storing digital images (which has now been ten years). I simply keep a file for the year (2014) with twelve folders inside labeled 2014-01, 02. etc. If you put the month first, they will not stay in chronological order, which is why I put the year first.

I don't try to rename any files. I keep the file name the camera gives it. I don't want to be bogged down trying to rename thousands of pictures. I currently have seventy thousand pictures, but it fluctuates somewhat (and that doesn't include the ones I have thrown out).

One thing I have noticed is that I won't throw out a picture early on. Maybe it isn't a good photo, but it may be the only one I have of that particular subject. Sometimes, it is like I am emotionally invested in a photo and can't throw it out. Later, after having the opportunity to take better photos of the same subject, I would throw it out without a second glance. So, it pays to go back and throw out some of the not-so-good old stuff occasionally to make more room.

I say all this because what I have found is that I have inadvertently kept a diary for the past ten years. It may not be a perfect memory of a each day, but it does keep track of general times and places. And it doesn't necessarily have to be all photos of people for this to work.

You might want to try it with your cellphone. Especially these days when the image quality on phones are excellent. Have a little self-project. Take a picture a day. Put it away. They will add up over time and you will find you have created a diary that can remind you of so much more than knew.

The image I posted today doesn't remind me of anything in my visual diary. I came across it today and haven't got a clue where I took it or why. I am completely puzzled by it! It isn't even entirely in focus. Nevertheless, I like the stained glass-like effect.