SweetLou

I need a new system to remember the photos I take, besides just looking at them and trying to remember the people's name, what town, etc. Any tips to remember the facts about the pictures you take? Do you have a small notebook and write information down as you take the picture? I have too many pictures that I have no idea what they are

KyleOndy

if physical pictures, just write on the back. If the pictures are digital, metadata.

Machka 

I keep a journal of most of my cycletouring adventures. In the journal, I talk about things I've seen and will often say, "I took a photo of it". For some reason that helps me remember exactly which picture it was.

SweetLou

These are digital photos. Yes, the metadata is fine, but I don't think I can add that info from the camera. I'd have to wait until I upload them to my pc. But, by that time, I have forgotten the details. After the photos are in the pc, I shouldn't have a problem since I am planning on making a website using mysql with all the information in it.

So, you don't write the info down as you take it but later that night? That might work for me but I have always been bad about remembering names and such.

I was thinking about using one of those little notebooks, kind of like the ones I used as a school kid to write down assignments, then later on transferring all the information to a larger notebook/journal.

crawdaddio

Digital audio recorder would work nicely. They can be extremely compact these days. Just talk into it later that day or evening....

"Today I ran into so and so, nice chap, a shrimp fisherman. He had a great looking blue trek......" Etc....

Cyclebum

I take pictures of city limit signs as markers for my pics. When loaded into the computer, signs help keep all in sequential order and help jog my memory. Names and other important details I write down in small notebook. If I can't remember why I took a picture, figure I shouldn't have taken it.

Journals can become too detailed. I write them up after the trip is over, figuring that what I can remember, with the help of the pictures, is what's important for posterity. Daily weather, miles, potholes, flats, headaches, backaches, etc get tedious quick. Impressions, moods, observations, angst, some whining, and quotations make more interesting reading than pure facts.

SweetLou

The digital audio recorder is an interesting idea.

I remember why I took the photo, it's just the facts, like the person's name that I can never remember.
I agree. I couldn't care less about mileage, unless it is something remarkable, like 150 or 5 miles. But this brings up another question, do people from countries that use the metric system still use the term "mileage" or is it "kilometerage"?

Machka 

It's not always later that night. Sometimes I work on my journal in the middle of the day during lunch breaks etc.

Most of the time I also carry a map in my map case. So if I'm looking at a unique land feature, I might jot down it's name on the edge of the map ... if it isn't already on the map. I'm also a brochure junkie, and I love Tourist Info places, so I end up picking up all sorts of info about the places I'm visiting. With a mitt-full of brochures, and my maps, I can put together a fairly comprehensive journal entry about the places I've visited, with the occasional comment that I took a photo of this and that. Once I've got my journal entry, I'll toss or mail home the brochures so I don't have to carry them with me all the time.

I'll also make notes in my journal like, "Mt. SuchandSuch, Aboriginal folklore about blah, blah ... look up further info on internet" or "Unique mtns spotted along Old Bruce Hwy, check internet for names and info" or "Came across mtn range unexpectedly in the middle of France, not on map, check internet for name of range" And when I write the official story which I post on the website, I'll have the names of the mountain ranges and the history and folklore and all that stuff in there because I will have researched it.

As for names of people, I put them at the back of my journal ... just a date and a name, and sometimes an address or other additional info. When I toured Australia, a few times people gave me their names and told me that if I was coming through whatever town, I could look them up for a place to stay or whatever. Sometimes people gave me their cards and things like that. I kept my journal in a fairly easily accessible place so I could take it out and jot things down.

Oh, and my journals are 5.5" x 4.5" fat (400 pages) little books with a spiral binding and a plastic cover. I have a couple with just a regular book binding and cardboard covers (Hilroy's Fat Little Books) but I don't like those as much as the ones with the spiral bindings. I can tuck those books in anywhere. I've carried them in my panniers, handlebar bag, and even in a fanny pack.

firequall

Mix a bit of new-school with some old-school. Keep a notepad handy and when reviewing images, note the file name (you can usually toggle a more detailed view of information on most cameras) and write it down along with the details. Once you have the images on a computer, you can update the metadata.

That's how photojournalists did it in the days of film (just change file name to picture/roll number).

chrisch

I use a GPS when I tour. I sync the camera's clock to my GPS, and later use this to import the latitude and longitude directly into the metadata of my photos. That way I always know exactly where the photo was taken. I also keep a written journal.

aidy

I think quite a few digital cameras allow you to add an 'audio note' to the picture you took to satisfy needs like yours.

Neil_B

I find I know what things are, but I'm oftentimes fuzzy on who they are. I need to be better at taking names.

staehpj1

Certainly a common problem for those on long trips. If the trip is a week or so I probably remember as much as I need to. On a multi month tour I have a hard time remembering much without a lot of effort. Pictures of signs with town names help a lot, but not with people's names and stuff like that. I really need to start doing daily journal entries either via a paper notebook or a voice recorder.

JohnyW

Hi,

In currently overwork my pictures from 2007. I give them a title. I normally can remember what I took.
I'm just 10000 pictures behind... Often I take a picture of something e.g. a skyscraper (and I don't know the name) - now I search the internet to name the picture exactly.

Brain-Training helps. I like playing "Memory card game" (pairs). For a professional presentation I would create own cards (one with the picture / another with the name and a solution)

Thomas

jonmein

You could use a voice annotation: "Just met a really neat guy, Elvis, outside of Memphis..."

Some digital cameras have a specific feature to add an audio annotation for a photo. Others have a "sound recording" mode. Many have a "movie w/sound" mode.

A stand-alone digital voice recoder would also work, but you would want to make sure that the time stamps on the camera and the recorder were close to the same. Many cellphones have a "voice note feature".

You could also jot down notes on scrap of paper and take a picture of it.

Gotte

That;s a great idea.

I also shoot a lot of video when I tour, so that helps me remember a lot of detail that still images can;t.

H-Bear

This probably won't help your situation but...

If I'm going to be away from my computer for a few days but doing several rides, I'll take a "wasted" picture of my car, the ground, or something to know it's the transition between rides. When I upload my pictures, I'll separate them into subfolders, each labeled of that particular ride.

For example: Cycling Pics -> Pedal thru Pines (OR) Cycling Pics -> Tour de Houston

Machka 

Along with that, I also take pictures of signs. So if I take a picture of a certain historical building, I'll also take a picture of the sign in front of the building explaining its historical significance.

Sometimes I'll take pictures of stores, restaurants or other places I've stopped along the way too, and they can trigger memories.

valygrl

this is what i do.

cccorlew

If you are digital, photos cost nothing, so go nuts and SHOOT notes, names scribbled on napkins. Photo people autographs. Have fun. Match with photos!