WINDSOR, ONTARIO, August 14, 2022 — One of the most arduous tasks for photographers in days past was the cataloging of physical images and maintenance of a collection. According to David Koonar of Windsor, Ontario, even the early days of digital photography recreated the chaos with less than ideal workflows for importing and managing photos. 

Today, many consumer and professional software packages focus on helping a photographer manage collections and even edit images in batches for faster processing. Using these tools shaves off a lot of time ordinarily spent on filing while allowing for more in-depth editing later on individual shots.

Photographer David Koonar shares top software for photo management

Adobe Lightroom Classic (desktop)

No photograph discussion is complete without an Adobe program, and this list will feature more than one. Adobe Lightroom Classic is a great jumping-off point for photo management due to its ability to catalog and import photographs and manage edits across images. 

David Koonar advises using import options to help manage duplicate files and sort photos into collections based on the day and time of the shoot or the individual or subject photographed. This makes locating the perfect image for a project easy, even years later.

Apple Photos

Apple Photos is not as robust as Lightroom for the consumer, but it provides an excellent opportunity to view and sort photos assigned to specific locations and times. A quick tap or scroll can isolate a trip or a particular holiday when a phone or tablet is loaded with thousands of snaps. A bonus is the ability to pay for iCloud storage to access the images from anywhere, so there are no more worries over losing perfect photos, according to David Koonar. Basic edits can also be completed within Adobe Photos on a device or computer.

Adobe Bridge

Adobe Bridge is similar to Lightroom but removes the editing component Lightroom provides. Instead, it relies more heavily on file data for organizing photos for collections. This makes it an ideal choice for archives and easy searches based on raw photo data versus subject. 

Bridge is also popular due to its ability to sync brand basics across multiple Adobe programs, such as styles and assets. For the design studio, working on videos, photos, and graphics in numerous programs helps keep all design choices on the same page. 

CyberLink Photo Director

For the consumer with many pictures and without a built-in software solution, such as Apple CyberLink Photo Director is an excellent option for easy organization of photo and video assets by standard sorting methods, such as time and location. The ability to add tags, categories, and keywords also makes customizing easy. It’s a great option for managing digital photos and any transition from print media to digital storage, David Koonar shares.