Define your 10 to 20 main keywords. This is not a trivial exercise: it is the foundation of your “home-made taxonomy,” the system that structures your visual universe, your projects, your recurring themes, and the way you organize your images.
Many photographers use keywords spontaneously, improvising depending on their mood or on the subject of the day. The result: dozens of variations for a single concept (portrait / portraits / portraiture), inconsistencies, omissions… and above all, the impossibility of finding those images quickly.
Concrete example: instead of having “portrait,” “portraits,” “portraiture,” or “person photo,” choose ONE term — “portrait” — and stick to it.
Why limit your list to 10–20 keywords?
Because this imposed framework becomes a tool for discipline. It allows you to:
- maintain consistency across the entire collection;
- avoid duplicates and unnecessary synonyms;
- speed up keyword assignment in Lightroom, Capture One, or Bridge;
- achieve instant search results, even in a catalog of 100,000+ images.
In other words: less chaos, more control.
A small list, a huge impact
Your home-made taxonomy works like an internal language: it reflects your style, your recurring interests, your signature themes, and it makes your workflow easier every single day. The more consistently you use the same terms, the stronger and more usable your collection becomes.
Simple. Essential. Underrated. But incredibly powerful for any photographer who wants to regain control over their archive.