As a frequent contributor to web forums on “digital asset management” software (cataloguing programs like Portfolio, iView and iMatch), you soon distinguish fellow travellers who’ve also thought a bit more deeply about the issues. One of those is Peter Krogh who dropped me a nice email yesterday.

Peter’s a Maryland-based advertising photographer and O’Reilly is just about to publish his The DAM Book: The Digital Asset Management for Photographers:

brings clarity to the often overwhelming task of managing digital photographs, with a solid plan and practical advice for fellow photographers on how to file, find, protect and re-use photographs.

Following a thorough overview of the DAM system and de-mystifications of metadata and digital archiving, Krogh focuses on best practices for digital photographers using Adobe Photoshop CS2. He explains how to use Adobe Bridge along with Camera Raw, the DNG file format and DAM software. He shows you how to cut down your image processing time, while simultaneously preparing images for a long-term archive.

18 months ago I suggested such a book to my publishers. Maybe I should have been more persuasive….
Q: How many writers does it take to change a bookstore’s lightbulb?
A: One to change it, but a line at the cash register saying “I should have done that”.