Learn how to store, organize, edit, and share your wildlife and nature photos effectively and safely. Follow these tips and best practices on digital asset management.

With wildlife photography, correct species identification including Latin and common names, along with location will help in organising your files, making them searchable and relevant for yourself and database users.

How can you manage digital assets for wildlife or nature photography?

Wildlife and nature photography can be rewarding and inspiring, but also challenging and demanding. You need to capture stunning images of animals, plants, landscapes, and weather, often in remote and unpredictable locations. You also need to manage your digital assets effectively, from storing, organizing, and backing up your files, to editing, sharing, and archiving your work. In this article, we will share some tips and best practices on how to manage your digital assets for wildlife or nature photography, and help you streamline your workflow and protect your valuable images.

1 Choose your storage devices

One of the first steps in managing your digital assets is to choose the right storage devices for your needs. You will need at least two types of storage devices: one for capturing and transferring your images, and one for storing and backing up your files. For capturing and transferring your images, you will need memory cards that are fast, reliable, and compatible with your camera. You will also need a card reader or a cable to connect your camera to your computer or laptop. For storing and backing up your files, you will need external hard drives, flash drives, or cloud services that offer enough space, security, and accessibility. You should have at least two copies of your files, one on your primary storage device and one on a backup device, preferably in a different location.

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Nicholas Cox

Lead Photographer at Nick Cox Photographic
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Years ago I found a great device called a FlashTrax. It is a self contained hard drive, screen and card reader. All you had to do was shove a card into the reader, press one button and the device powered up and copied all the files into a time labelled folder. Then you could plug it into your TV and watch the images with the remote to change images. I don't know if they are still available, but it was a pocket sized backup that meant you didn't necessarily take a laptop out into the field- saves weight and gives a little editing capability too! I've never been too comfortable with using big cards after having one crash on me once nearly loosing hundreds of images- so regular downloads have been my habit.

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2 Organize your files

Another important step in managing your digital assets is to organize your files in a way that makes sense to you and allows you to find them easily. You can use various methods to organize your files, such as by date, location, subject, or project. You can also use folders, subfolders, and labels to group and categorize your files. For example, you can create a folder for each year, then subfolders for each month, then subfolders for each trip or destination, then labels for each species or scene. You can also use keywords, tags, ratings, or metadata to add more information and context to your files, and to help you search and filter them later.

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Christopher Parkes

Photographer working with marine scientists, and organisations working in environmental conservation and restoration
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With wildlife photography, correct species identification including Latin and common names, along with location will help in organising your files, making them searchable and relevant for yourself and database users.

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3 Edit your files

The next step in managing your digital assets is to edit your files to enhance their quality, style, and impact. You can use various software and tools to edit your files, such as Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, or Capture One. You can also use presets, filters, or plugins to apply different effects and adjustments to your files. When editing your files, you should keep in mind the purpose and audience of your images, and the message and story you want to convey. You should also keep the original files as raw or unedited versions, and save the edited files as separate copies or versions, preferably in a different folder or location.

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4 Share your files

The final step in managing your digital assets is to share your files with your clients, colleagues, friends, or followers. You can use various platforms and channels to share your files, such as websites, blogs, social media, or online galleries. You can also use different formats and sizes to optimize your files for different purposes and devices, such as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, or PDF. When sharing your files, you should consider the copyright and privacy issues, and the feedback and comments you may receive. You should also watermark or brand your files to protect your identity and ownership, and to promote your work.

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Nicholas Cox

Lead Photographer at Nick Cox Photographic
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Automatically copyright every image! Your camera should be able to be set to do this so it will be easy. If you are intending to send to an image library always shoot in the format they want as it is easier to do that than convert later (if you even can!)

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5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Nicholas Cox

Lead Photographer at Nick Cox Photographic
(edited)
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Pack light and use a backpack bag as I can testify to how heavy a kit can become after a few hours of carrying it! Always take spare batteries- it would be a shame to miss that great shot due to power failure! Military surplus kit can be a great alternative to expensive camoflage kit and is designed to be quiet when wearing it- good for stalking. Also you might be less worried about getting it damaged on brambles etc. than a £100+ jacket!

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How can you manage digital assets for wildlife or nature photography?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Choose your storage devices

2 Organize your files

3 Edit your files

4 Share your files

5 Here’s what else to consider

Photography

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How can you manage digital assets for wildlife or nature photography?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Choose your storage devices

2 Organize your files

3 Edit your files

4 Share your files

5 Here’s what else to consider

Photography

Rate this article

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