Is there any decent photo management software available?

[Sill]

I'm trying to manage folders of photos for real estate. Each folder might contain anywhere from 20 to 60 photos, more if the realtor has a great subject property and/or gets trigger-happy. One guy took about 15 pictures of the garage entrance on one house from all different angles. When he got into the house to do the interior shots, he made sure he stuck his head out the window over the garage and took a bunch more shots. We're still trying to figure out what was going on there..

The listing software gets to the photos before I do, and it makes hash of all the photo titles, also converts them into '.webp' format. When I get hold of them I need to rename them, put them in order, and also convert them to jpg for archiving.

I need a program I can drop the whole folder on and the individual photos come up in a grid, with the names beneath each thumbnail. Then I can rename and sequence them while I'm looking at them all in relation to each other. Then batch export the entire group of files into .jpg format.

Thats the basics of what I need, everything else is frosting on the cake, like editing for example. I don't need editing (though eventually I'd really like to abandon Apple Photos so if the program does it, fine). I don't need (or want) cloud services, don't want a subscription membership even if its 'free'. If editing is frosting on the cake, cloud services and subscriptions would be more like... olives on the cake?

So if there are any photographers here that have advice on a good program to do simple organizational tasks, please let me know. I have a 2017 iMac running Mac OS Big Slow, if that makes a difference.

 

[artfossil]

I use Mylio. It will do what you need efficiently and elegantly (and also has robust editing tools). You can import folders and it preserves your folder structure. (And of course you can also create albums.). There are easily configurable export options. There’s a free version (5000 photos/3 devices). https://mylio.com/

 

[Sill]

I just downloaded Mylio and its telling me I have to sign up for an account to use it.

I'll pass on this one, but thanks for the recommendation.

 

[Slartibart]

if you prefer your own folder structure on whatever drive you might want to take a look at Graphicconverter’s internal Picture Browser (& more).

EDIT: and then there is RAWPower.

 

[orbital~debris]

I've not used it for a while, but this sounds like something that Graphic Converter would be able to handle - I seem to remember a grid with thumbnails and editable fields for image filenames…

Also, how about investigating Apple's Image Capture – it may be possible to use it along with Automator (or Shortcuts) to batch-process your sets of photos.

 

[Sill]

if you prefer your own folder structure on whatever drive you might want to take a look at Graphicconverter’s internal Picture Browser (& more).

EDIT: and then there is RAWPower.

I'll check out RAWPower, thanks. I have had Graphic Converter for a long time but rarely use it now.

I've not used it for a while, but this sounds like something that Graphic Converter would be able to handle - I seem to remember a grid with thumbnails and editable fields for image filenames…

Also, how about investigating Apple's Image Capture – it may be possible to use it along with Automator (or Shortcuts) to batch-process your sets of photos.

Thats two votes for Graphic Converter. I'll have to poke around in there and see what it can do.

I just took a short walk around the Image Capture app and it seems like its only for importing images from non-Apple devices to a Mac. I already have the images in a folder on my iMac, I just need to rename them and batch-convert to .jpg.

 

[mollyc]

Adobe Bridge is free (one of the few Adobe programs available without a subscription) and shows grid mode and metadata.

 

[Sill]

Thank you, I'll have a look at that right now.

 

[Sill]

The Bridge installer requires that I install Adobe Creative Cloud. So over that company already.

 

[allan.nyholm]

Perhaps take a look at Pixave?

Then there's the XnViewMP - which is perhaps a less desirable program as its roots are in the Windows realm.

 

[Sill]

I'll add both to my list, thank you.

 

[Slartibart]

I'll check out RAWPower, thanks. I have had Graphic Converter for a long time but rarely use it now.

Thats two votes for Graphic Converter. I'll have to poke around in there and see what it can do.

I just took a short walk around the Image Capture app and it seems like its only for importing images from non-Apple devices to a Mac. I already have the images in a folder on my iMac, I just need to rename them and batch-convert to .jpg.

Lemke Software has some short infos about the graphical file and image browser in Graphicconverter (as well as about batch processing).

 

[now i see it]

Just use the MacOS Finder

 

[artfossil]

I just downloaded Mylio and its telling me I have to sign up for an account to use it.

I'll pass on this one, but thanks for the recommendation.

Yes, you must create an account. But it’s still free.

 

[Sill]

Just use the MacOS Finder

Let me show you why thats a bad idea:

Open a folder with 50 pictures in it, all of which have 25 character alpha-numeric names. Highlight them one at a time and view the thumbnails on the right side of the Finder window. Take notes of which position each occupies in the tour of the property (don't want to have a bathroom pic in the middle of the basement pics, or kitchen show up in a group of 10 out-building pics, for example). Realize that since the filenames are 25 characters long and full of random characters, they'll have to be renamed with something easy to work with, so change each filename as you look at the picture. That means click once to select, click a second time a moment later (don't want to cause a double-click that would open the file) then click it again to select the entire filename, now enter a short name to replace the 25 characters.

Now do that for the other 49 pictures.

Now I can take notes on which position each picture should take in the archived tour. Then I can rename all the photos a second time. Total time spent, about 20-30 minutes, assuming nothing gets messed up.

Now, do that for every picture folder.

See why I'd like to do this with a photo management program that can do grid view and also live metadata editing over the thumbnails?

 

[Sill]

Yes, you must create an account. But it’s still free.

I'm going to stay away from that one. That reminds me too much of Plex, requiring users to sign up for an account and run my media activity through Plex servers even though I'm only going to use the program on a single local machine. Or the router companies like Linksys that require people to use a remote administration tool even though the router is standing 5 feet away.

 

[artfossil]

I'm going to stay away from that one. That reminds me too much of Plex, requiring users to sign up for an account and run my media activity through Plex servers even though I'm only going to use the program on a single local machine. Or the router companies like Linksys that require people to use a remote administration tool even though the router is standing 5 feet away.

Sigh. All files in Mylio are stored locally on your devices.

I hope you find something that meets your needs

 

[Fishrrman]

Neanderthal that I am, I prefer Picasa for organizing/browsing/simple editing.
Unfortunately, it's 32 bit only and will never be updated.

I've been searching for a suitable replacement, but have found nothing that really combines all Picasa's features into one package.

Although after reading Allan's reply 10 above, I downloaded XnViewMP and although the interface is lacking in comparison to Picasa's, it looks like it could become a useable replacement...

 

[Sill]

Sigh. All files in Mylio are stored locally on your devices.

Oh, heavy sigh... All Plex files are stored locally on my devices yet they still want everything run through their servers. So I stay away from their software. /sigh

I hope you find something that meets your needs

I hope so too, buddy. Thanks for your kind wishes.

 

[Sill]

Neanderthal that I am, I prefer Picasa for organizing/browsing/simple editing.
Unfortunately, it's 32 bit only and will never be updated.

I've been searching for a suitable replacement, but have found nothing that really combines all Picasa's features into one package.

Although after reading Allan's reply 10 above, I downloaded XnViewMP and although the interface is lacking in comparison to Picasa's, it looks like it could become a useable replacement...

Picasa... there's a name I haven't heard in eons.

Two votes now for XnViewMP. I'm going to move that one to the top of my list now. Thanks.

 

[allan.nyholm]

@Sill I've just learned of NX Studio from here: jump to MacRumors post in a different thread

 

[matrix07]

I need a program I can drop the whole folder on and the individual photos come up in a grid, with the names beneath each thumbnail. Then I can rename and sequence them while I'm looking at them all in relation to each other. Then batch export the entire group of files into .jpg format.

Don't shoot me but doesn't you can achieve this in Finder? Batch export to JPG? Again you can do it easily in Finder using Automator feature. The automator is even better than Photoshop if you want to batch resize photo since it knows when the photo is in portrait or landscape.

 

[Sill]

@Sill I've just learned of NX Studio from here: jump to MacRumors post in a different thread

Unfortunately the download link has vanished, and a search of their download site leads me to an NX Studio updater only. Twice as unfortunate, I was reading the requirements and notes for NX Studio and I found it installs some Google software, the one specifically mentioned is Youtube API (not sure why that would be installed for a photo organizer), but from some other notes I've extrapolated that they also install the Google Maps API. Hilariously, they state permissions can be revoked or modified for the Google components by... signing up for a Google account, logging in, and turning those things off. Hard pass!

Don't shoot me but doesn't you can achieve this in Finder? Batch export to JPG? Again you can do it easily in Finder using Automator feature. The automator is even better than Photoshop if you want to batch resize photo since it knows when the photo is in portrait or landscape.

No shots fired here... while I could batch process into jpg with ease, the major problem I have is organizing the shots themselves and applying a positional value to their name.

Photographers are generally smart people, and they want to treat a photo tour just like they're taking the view on a walk-through of a property. Therefore, pics are shot in tour order and the camera automatically names them in a convention similar to "DSC001.raw" and sequentially numbered from there. However I'm dealing with files that have already been imported into this ridiculous realtor app, where they've been converted to a new format and assigned a number that appears arbitrary, but I'm sure it is actually in sequence - its just that multiple rolls were processed simultaneously, so the sequence encompasses the entire batch of rolls instead of doing a single roll at a time.

I have no access to the raw photo files, or this would be a little less complicated. I'd be able to batch process individual rolls, containing a single property tour, from RAW into JPG, then look at each individual pic in shot order and alter the titles as needed.

 

[allan.nyholm]

Unfortunately the download link has vanished, and a search of their download site leads me to an NX Studio updater only. Twice as unfortunate, I was reading the requirements and notes for NX Studio and I found it installs some Google software, the one specifically mentioned is Youtube API (not sure why that would be installed for a photo organizer), but from some other notes I've extrapolated that they also install the Google Maps API. Hilariously, they state permissions can be revoked or modified for the Google components by... signing up for a Google account, logging in, and turning those things off. Hard pass!

Oh. I was not aware about the Google software it installs. I should have checked up on that before installing.
I apologize for leading you astray. I have the software in full as a DMG - but now it doesn't matter

edit: the website is now here: For those curious in NX Studio despite it all - the welcome installer initiates another installation that's the actual NX Studio application. I understand it's not a desired program - I just thought that I would clarify a few things for those who might stumble across this thread. I hope that's OK?!

 

[Sill]

Oh. I was not aware about the Google software it installs. I should have checked up on that before installing.
I apologize for leading you astray. I have the software in full as a DMG - but now it doesn't matter

No apology necessary Allan, you've always been a good guy here and a great resource, so I appreciate your help.