Digital Workflow:
Keywording
Canmore Camera Club
January 15, 2009
Rationale for Keywording
• Replaces need to remember which folder an
image is in
• Replaces numerical or descriptive file names as
means of retrieving images
• Use of multiple keywords for each file simplifies
categorization
• Ease of retrieval
When to apply keywords
• Generic keywords at time of import
– Card with similar images e.g. taken at same location,
family, special event
• Specific keywords once imported
– Can apply multiple specific keywords to each image
Do early in your workflow before you forget!!!
Development of Keyword Lists
• Who
• What
• Where
• When e.g. time of day, season
• Why e.g. abstract, still life, Great Outdoors, motherhood
• Hierarchical lists
What is hierarchical keywording?
If you create a nested list of keywords, like Place
> Canada > Alberta, and apply the keyword
“Alberta" to an image, the other keywords
“Place" and “Canada" are automatically applied
to the image as well.
If you want to retrieve all images with “Canada”,
it will include “Alberta” but not all “Places”; but
“Canada” and “Alberta” will be included along
with all other “Places” if that is the keyword you
search by.
Hierarchical Keywording: Who
• People
• Immediate family
– John
– Jean
– etc
– Grandchildren
» Mackenzie
» Keaton
» Harrison
• Other family members
• Other people
– Politicians
– Sports people
– celebrities
Hierarchical Keywording: What
• Nature
• Flora
• Seascapes
– Trees
• Landscapes – Flowers
» Name
» Colour
– Clouds – Shrubs
– Lakes – Other vegetation
– Rivers etc
• Fauna
• Material
– Mammals
– Ice » By name
– Water – Birds
– Rock » By name
– Insects
Hierarchical Keywording: What
(cont’d)
• Weather • Topography
– Rain – Mountains
– Snow – Canyons
– Sun – Slot Canyons
– Rainbow – Rivers
– Storm – Lakes
– Lightening – Forest
– Waterfall
Hierarchical Keywording: Where
• Place
– North America
• Canada
– Province
» City/town
• USA
– State
» City/town
– Europe
– Country
» City/town
Hierarchical Keywording: When
• Time of year
– Spring
– Summer
– Fall
– Winter
• Time of day
– Sunrise
– Sunset
Hierarchical Keywording: Why
• Special event
– Birthday
– Christmas
– Etc
• Reason for taking image
– Contract
– Personal
Final words on keywording
• Obviates need to remember which folder
an image is in
• Rapid and easy retrieval
• Do it early in post processing workflow
• Do it!!!