Keeping track of travel pictures

[sv_goon]

I spent a good part of today trying to tag and otherwise organize about 3000 pictures my wife and I took on a trip to Europe this summer. There are plenty of nice shots of things that our tour guide was explaining as very interesting, but a few months removed, I really have no idea what they are.

So aside from bringing a laptop and doing imports/tagging/geotagging every night (not practical in this case), how are you all keeping track of what the heck you're shooting on a trip? Both in the journaling sense (where, when, etc.) but also what significance a subject might have now that we've forgotten. The ability to tag images in-camera would be handy, but I don't think I've ever seen that as a feature.

Tips & tricks from the more seasoned?

Cheers...

Will

[RichardTaylor]

I use a diary (written) and update it every night.

[SwissJon]

I have a photographic memory and spent most of my life looking at maps.. If I see a photo I took, I'll know where it was taken and be able to pinpoint it on a map within a mile at most, usually down to a few feet.

So I don't bother geotagging anything unless I put it on Flickr, in which case I do.

Jeffrey Friedl does a plug in to Lightroom that will allow you to Geoencode multiple files at the same time. While you're at it, install his Flickr plug in, it's FAR better than the native one.

Jeffrey Friedl's Blog Jeffrey’s Lightroom Goodies (Plugins and Tools)

[Biomech]

I never use tags, they end up more hassle than they are worth. You either go through 2,000 photos repeating tags or filter tagging or you import them and then get mixed tags like "travel, spain, people, landscape" and there's no people in them - stuff like that :P

[BigFuzzy]

I've made it a habit of photographing something that tells me what the place is if I don't think I'll fully remember. This usually means a photograph of the tourist "info" board, or a photograph of the page of whatever guidebook I have with me. At worst (especially if it's an out of the place way) i write a big note in my notebook (which I always have with me) with a basic reminder.

Also, I often (if driving/motorcycling/biking) I'll photograph the name of the town as I'm entering it. Helps me keep things in order once I get back.
For example (not terribly exciting, but you get the point and it's the quickest one I can find.):
It's especially relevant if you want to remember it in the local language.

With digital it's increasingly easy to "take notes" of your surroundings if needed.

[NgaiHill]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

I've made it a habit of photographing something that tells me what the place is if I don't think I'll fully remember. This usually means a photograph of the tourist "info" board, or a photograph of the page of whatever guidebook I have with me. At worst (especially if it's an out of the place way) i write a big note in my notebook (which I always have with me) with a basic reminder.

I've done this for years. A good way to remember where you are/have been, also a handy way to remember what that plaque said when you stand in front of some historically significant spot - I always photograph the plaque as well. Saves trying to remember it or having to write it all down.
When my daughter & I are out taking photos and using the same camera we take a photo of our foot before taking our photos of whatever caught the eye. Then we know who took what photos - everything after the shot of my foot is mine, until we get to a shot of her foot

[Jonbar18]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

I've made it a habit of photographing something that tells me what the place is if I don't think I'll fully remember. This usually means a photograph of the tourist "info" board, or a photograph of the page of whatever guidebook I have with me. At worst (especially if it's an out of the place way) i write a big note in my notebook (which I always have with me) with a basic reminder.

My whole family has the annoying habit of NEEDING to place someone in front of a sign and take a shot. I might just stop spazzing now that i know how helpful it really is

[AnonymousKiwi1]

I always take photos of signs, information boards, what ever. It's the handiest way of remembering what goes where.

@Lisa, I love the idea of getting a shot of your foot. That's brilliant!

[arlon]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

I've made it a habit of photographing something that tells me what the place is.

Amen.

I take a lot of extra pics just to help me organize when I get home. I shoot street signs, park names, highway markers, intersections, descriptions at tourist stops, etc... When I get home it makes it a lot easier to remember where I've been.. I do a lot of road trips so I arrange into folders by location of the main trip. Sometimes add subfolders for specific events or locations.

[Krusty79]

I use my P&S camera to document campsites, cities, towns, highway signs, national park signs, etc. I'll use my DSLR to take the artistic shots. Plus, there is some overlap with my camcorder. I also keep a journal on longer trips.