For the past ten years I used my digital cameras to take pictures. Each year I created a new folder and stored all my pictures in a sub folder, and named the folder from the import date. I had my pictures organized by year and a sub folder. When searching for a specific event or place it became a difficult job.

So I decided to add at least places or events in the sub folder names some years ago. The solution worked for quite some time but I still organized my files by year and imported date.

To make my long story short I defined the following method in organizing my photo archive:

The method

1. Year folder — Create a top-level folder per year (e.g. 2010)
2. Event sub-folder — Name sub-folders by date and event: 2010-04-15 New York
3. Star ratings — Use star ratings in your photo application (Aperture, Lightroom) to flag your best shots
4. Keywords/tags — Add descriptive keywords so you can find photos by subject later
5. Regular backups — Keep at least two copies; one offsite

This approach has worked very well over the years and I can now quickly find any photo by browsing the folder structure or searching by keyword in Apple Aperture.