How to organise job photos
A simple system used every day beats a clever one that nobody follows. Here is one that works, with or without an app.
If you use folders
- Create one folder per job, named Year-Month Client Site.
- Inside it, keep Before, During and After folders.
- Upload at the end of each day, not at the end of the month.
- Back everything up in a second place.
- Agree one rule with your team, and write it down.
Where the folder system breaks
Folders work for one careful person. They begin to fail with a crew, because everyone has a slightly different habit, and photos sit on personal phones until someone remembers. If you find yourself chasing people for photos, it is time for a shared tool.
What a dedicated app changes
In a job photo app, the job is chosen before the photo is taken, so sorting happens by itself. Upload happens in the background, and the office can see what came back without asking.
Questions
Are cloud photo services enough?
For one person, they can be. They do not understand jobs, though, so you still sort everything by hand.
What should I do with old photos?
Leave them where they are, and start your new system with the next job. Sorting years of old photos rarely gets finished.