Photo documentation automatic classification and storage

Purpose

1. Automate the classification, tagging, and digital storage of tree, plant, and landscape photo documentation in arboretums for environmental data, research, educational, and collection management purposes.

2. Centralize high-volume photograph metadata in organized, searchable archives for compliance, historical tracking, automated reporting, and stakeholder reference.

3. Eliminate manual sorting, tagging, and uploading of environmental photographs for streamlined collection management.

Trigger Conditions

1. New photo files uploaded to a designated folder or cloud drive (via field device or camera automation).

2. Metadata detected (e.g., geolocation, date-time, scanner EXIF, collection ID).

3. Scheduled intervals (e.g., hourly polling) for ingestion and automation.

4. Manual trigger by arboretum staff using mobile app or dashboard as part of field survey automation.

Platform Variants

1. Google Photos

• Feature/Setting: Use "Photos Library API" to automate upload, label detection, and auto-album creation.
  
• Sample Configuration: Enable API, set up credentials, automate POST to 'mediaItems:batchCreate', configure 'labels.batchUpdate'.
  

2. Microsoft OneDrive

• Feature/Setting: Automate file monitoring with Graph API; use 'CreateUploadSession' and 'List children' for folder classification.
  
• Sample Configuration: Monitor 'arboretum-photos' folder, automate upload, and tag using 'DriveItem.Delta' and custom property extension.
  

3. Dropbox

• Feature/Setting: Automate with 'files/upload' and 'files/list_folder'; use metadata API for classification.
  
• Sample Configuration: OAuth with Dropbox, automate new file detection, write auto-generated tags as custom file properties.
  

4. Amazon S3

• Feature/Setting: Automate uploads and tagging with S3 Event Notifications and S3 Object Tagging API.
  
• Sample Configuration: S3 bucket trigger on upload, automate Lambda function for object classification/tags.
  

5. Box

• Feature/Setting: Automate folder monitoring and classification with "Box Events API" and "Metadata Templates".
  
• Sample Configuration: Connect via OAuth2, automate file event, populate collection and date metadata fields.
  

6. Airtable

• Feature/Setting: Automate form upload, auto-tag records, and link to archives using Airtable API.
  
• Sample Configuration: Configure base column automation, periodically sync photos, use scripts to classify based on field data.
  

7. Slack

• Feature/Setting: Automate photo submission and classification workflow using Slack API and message events.
  
• Sample Configuration: Monitor #photo-log channel, automate extraction of attachments, invoke classification pipeline.
  

8. SharePoint

• Feature/Setting: Automate document library updates and metadata classification using SharePoint REST API.
  
• Sample Configuration: Trigger Flow on new document, write taxonomy field, archive based on site collection.
  

9. Zapier

• Feature/Setting: Automator photo ingestion with "New File in Folder" trigger and connect to labeling apps.
  
• Sample Configuration: Automate photo receipt via Google Drive trigger, apply Taggun or Cloud Vision for classification.
  

10. Make (formerly Integromat)

• Feature/Setting: Automate end-to-end workflows with “Watch files” in cloud storage, automated HTTP to classifiers.
  
• Sample Configuration: Monitor OneDrive, invoke AI classifier, post to Notion archive with automated tags.
  

11. Notion

• Feature/Setting: Automate image database with API upload, auto-classify and sort by property.
  
• Sample Configuration: External script automates Notion API photo record creation, assigns tags, creates status log.
  

12. Smartsheet

• Feature/Setting: Automate form/photo row ingestion, auto-classification with Smart Workflow.
  
• Sample Configuration: Automation triggers on row addition, invokes script block to set plant, specimen, date fields.
  

13. Monday.com

• Feature/Setting: Automator automation board ingestion, photo storage, label attachment using API integration.
  
• Sample Configuration: Board receives automation upload, classifies via automation, status updated for review.
  

14. Google Drive

• Feature/Setting: Automate watcher on "Photos" folder, metadata extraction using Apps Script, and classify with Tags.
  
• Sample Configuration: Google Apps Script on file addition, use Vision API label detection, move file to classified folder.
  

15. Adobe Lightroom

• Feature/Setting: Automate auto-import, smart collections, and IPTC keyword application with Lightroom API.
  
• Sample Configuration: Set auto-import folder; run script to assign keywords by folder, push to cloud archive.
  

16. Flickr

• Feature/Setting: Automate 'upload' API; use photo tags, photo sets API for automated organization.
  
• Sample Configuration: Authenticate API, automate upload, trigger 'flickr.photos.setTags' and add to collection.
  

17. Trello

• Feature/Setting: Automate card creation on "New Photo" trigger, attach image, use Power-Ups for tags.
  
• Sample Configuration: Card auto-created for each photo, automate checklists for field notes, label by event.
  

18. IBM Cloud Object Storage

• Feature/Setting: Automate bucket monitoring, auto-tagging with IBM Watson Visual Recognition API.
  
• Sample Configuration: Object creation triggers image analysis, automate tag set addition to object metadata.
  

19. Zoho WorkDrive

• Feature/Setting: Automate 'file upload' triggers with Zoho Flow, auto-tag with folder and collection context.
  
• Sample Configuration: Upload triggers flow, adds collection metadata, automates archival move.
  

20. Asana

• Feature/Setting: Automator new task for photo ingestion, automate tag and custom fields for tree ID, date.
  
• Sample Configuration: Webhook triggers photo task, script sets up project, assigns collection name.
  

21. Cloudinary

• Feature/Setting: Automate image upload and tagging using Upload API—apply AI-based automated tagging.
  
• Sample Configuration: Photos posted via API, Cloudinary auto-tags using context, folders created for each expedition.
  

22. Microsoft Power Automate

• Feature/Setting: Automate file ingestion, AI Builder for image classification, automated movement to folder based on content.
  
• Sample Configuration: Automation triggers on "new file", AI Builder tags, move to 'Tree Collection' group.
  

23. Evernote

• Feature/Setting: Automate photo note ingestion with API, automate tagging with Schematized Tags.
  
• Sample Configuration: New note watcher, auto-tag with collection/date, move to 'Arboretum Records' notebook.
  

24. Salesforce

• Feature/Setting: Automate CRM attachment ingestion, use Einstein Vision for classification, automate case update.
  
• Sample Configuration: File attachment triggers automation, Einstein Vision labels, log photo in collection record.
  

Benefits

1. Automates field documentation archiving for fast, reliable recordkeeping.

2. Automates photo metadata tagging and classification, enhancing searchability and tracking.

3. Reduces administrative labor by automating upload, storage, and organization processes.

4. Accelerates compliance documentation, study, and internal reporting with automated retrieval.

5. Minimizes errors found in manual archiving with automated data enrichment and workflows.

6. Enables scalable, repeatable automated photo operations for environmental collection management.

7. Boosts workflow efficiency and professionalism with error-free, automatedly classified assets.