Time to share a small application that I use quite a lot.
http://www.chiizu.com/Photo-File-Workflow.html
At $29.95 this is a must have in the application tool set for event photographers. I wont go into all it can do (follow the link for a full round up of functionality) but it is an application that I continue to find new uses for.
In essence it automatically moves and copies files for you. Ok, great, why would I want to do that? Lets give you some examples.
Myself and another photographer covered a large event last year. We networked our two systems (his running Express Digital and mine running Lightroom) such that any shots by either of us went to the Lightroom system. We used Chiizu to then put a copy of each image on the other system. This meant that whichever print station the client went to or whichever of us had taken the shot the images were available in both ED and Lightroom.
Chiizu has an option to resize an image when it moves it. Copy your full size image into your processing application and move a resized (smaller) copy to your viewing stations. All automated so as you shoot you are creating thumbnails and web sized images for viewing.
It is not something you will use all the time or on every job. Probably a bit like having a spade in the boot of the car in winter. You will go five winters without ever needing it but when you do need it you will be very pleased it was there. Whatever the event photography equivalent of snowy roads is I must get stuck a fair bit as I find myself using it regularly.
I have found it to be very stable in use. Just set up your scripts and let it run in the background. The scripts are relatively easy to define as the application prompts you with a full set of options for each 'action' you create.
The developers are based in Australia but don't let that put you off :-) They respond to emails and I have found them very open to suggestions and feedback.
