OK here I go with the anal librarian stuff - BUT I keep two - an "original archive" - every image that hasn't been deleted from the camera - downloaded in date order.

The files are organised Photos>Originals>Year (ie 2009)>Date Downloaded (with the month first eg 12 jan is 01-12-2009) so they sit in the correct order.

From there, the favorite ones that will be used, rotated, resized, are copied into folders based on loose subjects, again sorted into year folders.

IF only I could get DH to put them in the right place I'd be right