- Facial Recognition Cutting edge AI-driven faces recognition feature identifies the same person on all photos across the library and put them to albums automatically. Tag photos with your beloved, even if they say meow only and walk on four legs.
- Image recognition software helps you identify objects, people, places, recordings and actions in images or videos. Such programs use the neural network technology that processes all the pixels that are part of an image. The information detected by photo recognition software can be used for many purposes.
As one of the leading facial recognition programs – OpenFaceTracker detects one or several faces on a video or a picture and identifies them through a database. It is an open source face detection software that comes with an lGPLv3 license and stable version 3.0.
Are you looking for the best photo management app for your photography business? We’ll take you through the best photo management software for Mac and Windows.
As a professional photographer, you probably take hundreds if not thousands of photos every time you shoot. But how do you store and keep track of all of those photos, as well as share them with clients, and keep your intellectual property safe? To answer these questions, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite photo manager apps and broken down what makes each of them unique, so that you can choose the best photo management software for your photography business.
Before You Get Started
The right photo management software will free up valuable time and effort so that you can focus your attention where it actually needs to be: on developing your skills and turning your side hustle into a profitable business. One way to impress potential clients is by showcasing your work and offering quick, easy purchasing options, so set up your portfolio alongside an online store to turn website viewers into paying customers.
Best Photo Management Software
Adobe Bridge CC
Adobe Bridge CC is an ideal photo management software for users of other Adobe Creative Cloud programs like Photoshop or Illustrator. Adobe Bridge is free with the purchase of another Adobe program, and the interface will be easy to figure out for those experienced in using Adobe products. You are able to import photos (along with their thumbnails and metadata) directly from your camera, card reader or mobile device, with the ability to bulk import, export and preview images. Then, save valuable time by editing photos in batches, creating a unifying color scheme throughout one group of photos. Add a watermark to protect your work and promote your business before uploading to Adobe Stock, where you can earn royalties from your stock photography.
CyberLink PhotoDirector 10
CyberLink PhotoDirector 10 is a great option for a photo management software that works on multiple operating systems and with a variety of common file types including RAW image files. This photo manager has a simple interface that makes it easy to learn how to operate, so you won’t waste time getting bogged down in the details of learning an entirely new program. In terms of organizing your photo and video files, you can tag and search by keyword, date, color, location, and faces you’ve tagged. You can also create slideshows from your photos, complete with background music, transitions and effects, and then share them directly to Youtube.
Along with its photo management software, PhotoDirector 10 also has an extensive set of photo editing tools, from simple to more complex details. If you’re new to editing photos or you just don’t have the time to edit your photos right away, PhotoDirector 10’s automatic adjustment options will provide a great start that you can build off of later on. On the more advanced side, this software also had options for cosmetic retouching, like removing wrinkles or blemishes, fixing red eyes, whitening teeth, and there’s even a tool for reshaping bodies.
On the downside, this photo manager doesn’t automatically recognize and sort images by the people in them, so you’ll have to tag those individually if you want to organize your photos that way. However, PhotoDirector 10 offers a pretty cool feature called Video to Photo Face Swap, which is designed for getting a perfect group photo even when one or more of your group may be blinking. With this technology, you can grab a photo directly from a video, and then swap a face in the frame you chose for a different frame where your subject is smiling. This can come in handy especially for wedding photography, when you really need every single detail to be perfect for your client.
Other cool editing features include the ability to create a seamless panoramic image by selecting multiple photos through HDR imaging. If you have video footage, you can create multi-exposure photos, or use the Vibrant Motion Stills feature to create a cinemagraph, where only one part of the video moves. For photographers working with 360° photos, you’ll be able to edit those as well as create panoramas from them. Remove poor weather conditions like smog or haze with the Dehaze slider, and remove unwanted objects in just a few simple clicks. You can even do graphic design work using this photo manager’s advanced layer editing to combine images, text and graphics and create captivating content.
You’ll also be able to connect your camera to your computer while you’re shooting, and then immediately view and edit your images on your desktop. Perhaps the most compelling feature of all, Soft Proofing allows you to see how your images will print so you can make the necessary adjustments before you spend time and money getting things printed. As well as these features, you received 25 GBs of online storage completely free, and you’ll receive reminders to back up your work from the app. You can access this online from multiple devices, and there are phone apps for both Android and iOs operating systems. If that isn’t enough, there’s also an active online community of users where you can ask questions about the photo management software or even get feedback on your photography.
Unlike some other photo management apps, there is no password protection with PhotoDirector 10, and you won’t be able to burn photos or slideshows directly to a CD or DVD. Plans for PhotoDirector 10 start at only $3.67/month, making it an affordable option for beginners and professional photographers alike.
Magix Photo Manager Deluxe
Magix Photo Manager Deluxe is another powerful image editor and photo manager. Its simple user interface makes it a good choice for photographers at any stage in their career. Magix is compatible with all convention photo and video formats including RAW photos and AVCHD videos, and it uses layers, meaning you can create complex designs easily. When you edit your photos, you won’t have to worry about losing the original version, because Magix automatically creates a copy when you begin editing.
Users are able to import images from a variety of online cloud services as well as scanners and cameras, so you can see all of your photos in one place, regardless of where you’ve stored them in the past. The app can also access camera metadata so you can know exactly what settings were used in capturing each photo – a wonderful tool if you need to recreate a particular look or effect. You can organize your photos and videos by tagging them with keywords, location, color labels, star ratings and faces. This photo manager offers basic photo editing capabilities like color correction, auto-enhancing and image sharpening, but experienced editors may require a more robust set of tools.
Create a customized slideshow with transition effects and background music, which you can then share directly to Youtube, or burn photos and slideshows to CDs or DVDs. The Selection Wizard will analyze your library of images and automatically sort out duplicates and low quality or blurry photos. Using a combination of up to eight images, you can create a panorama that will be automatically aligned and blended into one unified image. If you’re overwhelmed by all the different capabilities on offer, don’t worry: Magix has a library of tutorial videos online that will help you navigate its photo management software and make the most of your investment. Professional photographers who work with clients will appreciate how password protection enables only people with permission to view different files and folders.
ACDSee Photo Studio Professional 2019
ACDSee emphasizes security, whether through the ability to lock folders and individual files with password protection (ideal for sharing photo proofs with clients) or the ability to create and add a custom watermark to your photos. Purchase of this photo management software includes limited online storage, with extra available at an additional cost. ACDSee supports multiple file types including RAW and offers high-quality editing software, with tools like object removal and cosmetic adjustments available. Organize your photos by keyword, rating, date, color, location, or faces, or create and assign custom categories that make the most sense for you.
Photo Management Software for Mac
Apple Photos
If you’re a Mac user who hasn’t given Apple Photos a chance, it should definitely be your first stop in the search for the best photo management software for Mac. There is no simpler option that Apple Photos: it already comes installed on your computer and any other Apple devices, and the desktop version opens automatically when you connect your phone or tablet to your computer. Better yet, it’s completely free.
Photos will create slideshows of your Memories without your intervention based on location or time, which you can easily share with other Mac users, who will be able to access your shared folder directly through their Apple device. Scene and object recognition allows you to search your photos by objects, like beach, apple, or tree, or to combine search terms to find the exact photo you’re looking for. Through Live photos, this photo manager will suggest which videos to turn into loops, reverse or long exposure based on the app’s algorithms. Apple Photos also has standard photo editing capabilities and it is compatible with RAW photo files.
MacPaw Gemini 2
MacPaw Gemini 2 is a very specific photo management software that focuses on locating and comparing similar and duplicate photos in order to recover valuable space on your Mac. As a photographer, you probably sometimes find that you have tens or hundreds of photos of the exact same scene from slightly different angles. How many of these angles are you really going to use? Once your duplicates are all in one place, you can hand pick which files to delete and which to save, or rely on Gemini 2’s Smart Select, which will automatically choose and delete the files it thinks you don’t really need.
The program’s algorithms can determine which files are originals and which are copies so it knows which files to keep, and deletes the rest. The algorithm will also learn from observing your actions and behavior over time and amend its practices as a result. If you do allow Gemini 2 to take the reins and delete duplicates using Smart Select, you can always rescue accidental deletes from the trash – nothing will be deleted permanently unless you empty your deleted items folder. Although this photo manager is lacking in some of the more advanced photo editing and management capabilities, it is a useful preliminary step in your quest to organize your photos (and clear up hard drive space while you’re at it).
Photo Management Software for Windows 10
Corel PaintShop Pro 2019
If you want the best photo manager for Windows 10, Corel PaintShop Pro 2019 is definitely up there. This windows photo management software provides powerful photo editing with simple and advanced enhancements, as well as a range of organizational tools perfect for the busy photographer on the go. Take your pick from the Essential or Complete interfaces: Essential provides only basic editing tools, while Complete includes photo editing and organizing. Color manipulation, HDR images and object removal are just a few of the capabilities available through this app, which can be used on your Android tablet as well as your Windows desktop. The photo management software supports all of the main photo types, including RAW, JPEG, PSD, TIFF, GIF and PNG, so no matter what format you like to work in, Corel has you covered.
Sort your photos using keywords, ratings, dates, faces, and location – unlike some other photo management software, with this photo manager you are not able to sort photos by color. The app comes with free online storage, although there is no password protection available. Users will receive regular reminders to back up your files so in the event of an emergency all of your hard work and effort stays protected. Although you cannot create slideshows or burn images directly to a CD, Corel PaintShop does allow you to share photos directly to a variety of social media websites. The creative presets use artificial intelligence to anticipate your photo editing and management needs. This is a photo management software designed for photographers by photographers, making it a great option for Windows users.
Phototheca 2
Phototheca is a photo management software that combines a few of the features we’ve seen in other options all in one place. Not only does it automatically identify and collect duplicate images for you to review, it also populates smart albums automatically when you set specifications. You can organize your images by theme, location, event and more, and then share to Flickr, Google Photos, Facebook or Twitter, or email photos to a client directly through the app.
If you use multiple cameras in your business, Phototheca can organize your files based on the camera used to take the photos. Import photos and their metadata easily from your computer, cell phone, tablet, HD cards, external hard drive and more. Multiple RAW camera formats are supported, as well as a number of video formats. Unique additional actions are also available, like the ability to fix incorrect time stamps. The calendar view provides a visual representation of your photography over time, so you can find exactly what you’re searching for as well as visualize your progress and work over the years and months. Password protection is available and Phototheca is a free photo manager. Commercial use, unlimited photo library and more features are available when you upgrade to Phototheca Pro.
Fresh View
Fresh View is another windows photo management software that is completely free. It supports multiple media formats, including video, photo and audio all in one convenient location. Features include the ability to convert graphics from one type to another, print, and create HTML albums. There are currently 86 media file formats supported by Fresh View, with more being added regularly. Visually, the interface comes across as a bit outdated compared to some of the other photography management software on this list, and there is no online storage available, so you’ll need to connect to a separate cloud storage to save your files online.
Best Free Photo Management Software
Google Photos
Google Photos is a free photo management software included in the Google Suite, making it a good option for those familiar with Google products and services. This photo manager is compatible with both photos and videos, and it automatically uploads to a linked cloud storage. You get unlimited free storage for high-quality images with reduced file sizes, or 12 GBs of free storage if you choose to upload the full resolution images. Additional storage is available for a fee. Google Photos connects to Google Drive and allows you to provide a shareable link with customizable options, so you can have complete control over what changes and additions, if any, viewers are allowed to make. You can even order photo albums of the images you uploaded directly through the Google Photos app, making printing your images super simple and straightforward. Share albums with family, friends or clients through Facebook, Twitter, or email.
Mylio
Mylio is another free photo management software that also has a free mobile app for photographers who like to access and edit their work no matter where they are. You can upload photos from your device or an external hard drive, or you have the option of importing images directly from your Facebook account. Once you’ve uploaded your images, Mylio will automatically organize them into a variety of views, including the calendar view, which separates photos into the years, then months, in which they were taken. Since Mylio is not a cloud-based service, you can view all of your files on any of your devices regardless of whether you have internet access or not. Simple designate one of your devices as the Vault, and Mylio will keep your image library on that device up to date with full sized files.
This allows you to access everything on all of your devices without internet without taking up a huge amount of space, so you’ll free up your storage space without losing access to your photos. Facial recognition software will automatically separate photos based on people’s faces, and it will learn over time based on your actions within the photo management software. Photo editing capabilities include filters as well as more advanced sliders. For additional security, Mylio offers encrypting capabilities, and you can integrate with other cloud-based libraries for an added sense of security. This free photo management software allows users to connect 3 separate devices and maintain a library of 25,000 photos, while paid versions Mylio Premium and Mylio Max offer additional features.
Since more expensive photo manager software will likely provide editing, sharing and storing capabilities as well as photo organization, while free versions may only include some of these features, consider what options you actually need for your photography business when determining which photo management software you should invest in.
What Next?
Now that you’ve got your photos all organized using your chosen photo management software, you can focus your time on what’s really important, like taking more photos, improving your techniques and learning new skills. With all your photos organized you’ll be able to decide which photos to include in your online portfolio website. By carefully curating your portfolio you can make sure you’re representing your best self and embracing and making use of your niche. Don’t have an online portfolio yet? Choose one with unique templates and typography to customize every last detail of your portfolio and really stand apart from the crowd.
Good luck with finding the perfect photo management software for your photography business. We can’t wait to see how it goes!
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