Not all design or editing programs can store work in a consolidated and organized location, and the software is called Digital Asset Management Software (DAM). Affinity Photo is a professional image editing software. If you’re considering it for your photo editing needs, you might wonder about some of the software’s features.

Affinity Photo does not have a built-in photo library. When saving photos you’ve edited using the software, images will save to the device or external storage, like a USB.

You can use alternative applications with file management capabilities, like organizing files, creating folders and collections, reading and writing metadata, and so on. Keep reading to find out what those applications are and how you can use a third party with Affinity Photo for file management.

Digital Assets Management Software (DAM)

DAM software allows you to streamline the process of file management. One of the primary features of such software is a centralized asset library which allows you to store, organize and access all your images and digital files.

There are two primary categories of Digital Asset Management software, stand-alone and hybrid. Hybrid, meaning that the application has both digital asset management capabilities and is used for other primary purposes, like editing photos.

There are applications like this on the market, and they would save you the trouble of using a third party for your file management.

Adobe Lightroom

Adobe Lightroom, also known as Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, is a creative image organization and manipulation software. It gives you the best of both worlds in a centralized location. It’s a free application rated at 4.8 and has over 200,000+ reviews.

The application is supported on Windows, macOS, iOS, tvOS, and Android. Lightroom’s editing features include white balancing, detail, lens corrections, calibration manipulation, and more.

Capture One

Capture One is photo editing software created by Phase One. The software also performs image cataloging, tethered photography, and raw image file processing. Product options include Capture One Pro, Capture One for iPad, and Capture One Live.

All the versions require a yearly or monthly subscription, comparable to Photoshop. Capture One’s features include intuitive layering capability, custom-made masks, advanced color editing, and more.

Luminar 4

Luminar 4 is the second generation program since the introduction of digital asset management. What makes Luminar unique is that the maker Skylum relies heavily on artificial intelligence (AI) for its innovative features and editing tools.

The application is not subscription based but charges a one-time fee with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Luminar is both an application and a plug-in for macOS and PC. Features include AI-powered tools, batch editing, enhancing details, noise removal, and more.

Digital Asset Management Software for Affinity Photo

Photographers and editors have their go-to software for editing images. Suppose you already have Affinity Photo, and you don’t want to start all over again with a new application. In that case, there is a way to find digital asset management software compatible with Affinity Photo.

There are many DAM software options on the market. One of the most highly recommended is Adobe Bridge. Adobe is known for its reliable products, and while some are subscription-based, Adobe Bridge is entirely free. It’s compatible with most devices, including macOS, Windows, iPad, etc.

Adobe Bridge will allow you to work on multiple assets at a time. It allows you to preview, edit, organize and publish work. You can even edit metadata, adding keywords, labels, and ratings to any asset.

Here is how you can use Adobe Bridge with Affinity Photo:

1. Go to adobe.com and download Adobe Bridge
2. Open the application, select the photo you want to edit, and right-click it.
3. Navigate to the “Open With” option on the menu, and a second menu should appear.
4. Select Affinity Photo from the list of applications.

Affinity Photo will open with the image you selected ready for editing. When you want to save the image, you have two options. If you want to use the Affinity Photo file extension, the thumbnail will appear in Adobe Bridge as the Affinity Photo logo. Save an additional copy of the image as a JPEG and group the images in Adobe Bridge using the Stack feature.

The alternative is to make a configuration change in Affinity Photo by opening Preferences > General and enabling “Save over imported PSD files.” Save the preference change and restart Affinity Photo.

Conclusion

Like many of its counterparts, Affinity Photo is an excellent program that doesn’t have digital assets management. Now you know how to get around this issue with an application like Adobe Bridge or turn to other applications with a DAM integrated.