Collections are simply lists of images that you create for particular purposes, very often while you're interacting with your clients.

For example you might build up a Collection of images for the  Bride and Groom’s album. The same image can be in several Collections, whereas it can only be in one Group.

CAUTION - SOME FUNCTIONS ON THIS PAGE (INDICATED WITH THREE STARS ***) ARE STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Click here for more about Groups, Collections and Folders, their purpose and the differences between them.

Adding new Collections

To add a Collection, click the ‘+’ symbol on the Image Collections button of the Navigation panel and give the new Collection a name. You'll be prompted to invoke the Collection Builder (see below). You can rename Collections at any time.

Adding images to Collections

You can add images to Collections three ways:

1. By selecting and dragging images to the Collection, in the same way as you drag to Groups.

2. By right-clicking and choosing to add the image to a Collection, again as with Groups.

3. By using the Collection Builder, as explained in the next section.

The Collection Builder

The Collection Builder allows you to preview your images full screen on your monitor, and offers you a way to "quick flick" through them and add them to Collections.

The images you build the Collection FROM are the ones currently visible in the Event Window. That could be a Group, a Folder or another Collection (you can "filter" the images first if you wish).

To invoke the Collection Builder...

1. Click the More button and select Collection Builder (you'll be asked to choose a Collection).

2. Add a new Collection: once you've named it and clicked OK you can immediately use with the Collection Builder if you wish.

3. *** Select one or more images, right-click and select Collection Builder.

4. *** As mentioned you can view images full-screen by double-clicking on their thumbnails; once in full-screen mode you can invoke the Collection Builder by...
   

Photojunction will then change to full screen mode, as in the earlier screen shot, and you can start building your collection, as follows...

Click the Yes button to add the image to the Collection, No to reject, or hit Skip to postpone your decision (alternatively, use the 'Y', 'N' and 'S' keys). Once you've decided about an image you won't be shown it  again.

At the bottom left hand of the screen you'll see how many images you still haven't decided upon. At the top of the screen you'll also see a reminder of the Collection you're building.

As well as clicking Skip, you can move backwards and forwards through the available images using the left and right arrow keys.

Working with Collections

By all means work out your own strategy for using Collections, but here are a few suggestions. 

Quick Flick

The first two ways of invoking the Collection Builder work with just one image at a time. By "quick flick" we mean the strategy of very rapidly saying "yes" or "no" to large numbers of images, just like sorting a stack of prints into two piles. If if you (or your clients) aren't certain about an image you can Skip and decide later. Very fast.

*** Compare

The other ways of invoking the Collection Builder (eg right-clicking on selected images) let you operate in "compare" mode, where your clients can choose between two or more similar images while viewing them displayed side by side on screen. A very effective way to arrive at decisions.

Remember, the selected image is the one that the Collection Builder works with, and also the one that changes when you click the arrow keys or hit Skip. If necessary click on a different image to select it.

Build collections from collections

The fact you can add (and delete) Collections very quickly makes them a great way to "whittle down" the images until you arrive at your client's choice.

Let's say you have a thousand image candidates for an album that's not likely to require more than a hundred or so. Use Collection Builder to make a first cut into, say,  "Maybes".  That might  leave 250. You could then display the "Maybes" on screen and do a second cut into a new Collection called, say, "Probables", and then a final cut into "Favourites". Maybe you wouldn't need that many cuts!

Finally, when you're done you could transfer your client's final choices into an "Album" collection, delete any "intermediate" collections, empty Maybes and Favourites and you're ready to start over again.

Duplicate images in a Collection

Not only can you add images to more than one Collection, you can add more than one INSTANCE of the image to a Collection.

By changing the sort order (in the Sort By pop-up at the top of the window) you can check for Duplicates.