Method for digital photo management and distribution

Abstract

Digital images are captured on a digital camera, automatically formatted, and uploaded to a server for review and collaborative modifications. An on-line web gallery is automatically generated by the server whereby low resolution versions of the images are transferred to the server and appear in the gallery within seconds from capturing the images. Among other things, a viewer located remotely from a photographer can observe new images in the gallery in real time as they are captured, place a request for post-production modifications to selected images and download a high resolution version of selected images.

1 . A method of managing digital images comprising:
 programming a first programmable input key to correspond to a first address;   programming a second programmable input key to correspond to a second address;   manually actuating the first programmable input key;   capturing a first plurality of digital images, wherein each of the first plurality of digital images has a first resolution, and wherein capturing the first plurality of digital images occurs after programming the first and second programmable input keys and after manually actuating the first programmable input key;   automatically modifying the first plurality of digital images to create a first plurality of modified images, wherein each of the first plurality of modified images has a second resolution that is less than the first resolution and includes one of a predetermined image file format, a predetermined image parameter, and predetermined metadata;   automatically transmitting the first plurality of modified images to the first address;   manually actuating the second programmable input key;   capturing a second plurality of digital images, wherein each of the second plurality of digital images has the first resolution, and wherein capturing the second plurality of digital images occurs after programming the first and second programmable input keys and after manually actuating the second programmable input key;   automatically modifying the second plurality of digital images to create a second plurality of modified images, wherein each of the second plurality of modified images has the second resolution and includes the one of the predetermined image file format, the predetermined image parameter, and predetermined metadata; and   automatically transmitting the second plurality of modified images to the second address.   
   
   
       2 . A method of managing digital images comprising:
 programming a first programmable input key to correspond to a first address, wherein the first programmable input key is in communication with a first processor via a bus, wherein the first processor is in communication with a first storage device via the bus, and wherein the first processor, the first storage device and the bus are disposed in a housing;   programming a second programmable input key to correspond to a second address, wherein the second programmable input key is in communication with the first processor via the bus;   manually actuating the first programmable input key;   capturing a first plurality of digital images with a digital camera, wherein each of the first plurality of digital images has a first resolution, and wherein capturing the first plurality of digital images occurs after programming the first and second programmable input keys and after manually actuating the first programmable input key;   automatically transmitting the first plurality of digital images from the digital camera to the first processor for storage in the first storage device, wherein the digital camera is other than the housing, and wherein the housing is one of attached to the digital camera and carried on a user's body;   automatically modifying the first plurality of digital images using the first processor to create a first plurality of modified images, wherein each of the first plurality of modified images has a second resolution that is less than the first resolution and includes one of a predetermined image file format, a predetermined image parameter, and predetermined metadata;   automatically transmitting the first plurality of modified images using the first processor to the first address;   manually actuating the second programmable input key;   capturing a second plurality of digital images with the digital camera, wherein each of the second plurality of digital images has the first resolution, and wherein capturing the second plurality of digital images occurs after programming the first and second programmable input keys and after manually actuating the second programmable input key;   automatically transmitting the second plurality of digital images from the digital camera to the first processor for storage in the first storage device;   automatically modifying the second plurality of digital images using the first processor to create a second plurality of modified images, wherein each of the second plurality of modified images has the second resolution and includes the one of the predetermined image file format, the predetermined image parameter, and predetermined metadata; and   automatically transmitting the second plurality of modified images using the first processor to the second address.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first address corresponds to a predetermined first folder location located on a server and wherein the second address corresponds to a predetermined second folder location located on the server. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first address corresponds to a predetermined first folder location located on a server, and wherein the second address is a URL address corresponding to a computer in communication over a network with one of the server and the first processor. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first address is a URL address corresponding to a first computer, wherein the second address is a URL address corresponding to a second computer, and wherein the first and second computers are in communication over a network with one of the server and the first processor.