What methods have you guys found the best way to keep all your photos organized? I'm trying to liven up my organization. If that's possible.

I download all my images to a single large hard drive that I share on a home network. Then I use Lightroom 2 to keep track, I import photos "at their current location" to avoid redundancy. It isn't perfect...but it works pretty well.

I store them into a large external hard drive, with DVD back ups. I store them by year, subject, and then location.

I store mine on an external drive by groups. first by year, then by month then by event/subject with the date included. then i rename the images to also include the date and event with consecutive numbers.

Like this:
1st folder: "2009"
2nd folder: "03_March"
3rd folder: "2009-03-31-CraterLake"
image name: "2009-03-01-CraterLake_001"

it maybe over kill but as long as i know about when i shot something its easy to find.

Interesting question. I have struggled with this over the years, debating whether to label folders via event or date. Usually, my images are one event, but when they span multiple events, it is much more work. In addition, I have to create a meaningful event name, which isn't always possible late at night.

However, I have now resolved this via Lightroom: I import all my images into automatically created folders by Date: Year/Month-Day. So I have a 2009 folder, with a 2009-01-27 folder, and a 2009-01-30 folders within it. This is automatically created by Lightroom, based on image shot date.

To solve the event issue, I now use Keyword Tags and Collections, and thru this I can create unlimited 'virtual' events and groups, including having images belong to multiple events and collections. It has been truly transforming.

I just name the file for the pictures that are in it.
I guess I have a good memory haha

I give all clients their photos on a disk and do not commit to keeping them for them. I do keep them....just don't commit to it.

I don't market for print sales down the road.

I use a hierarchical cross-referenced keyworded database.

ie: A file system with well-named folders and files. ;0)

I've found that DAM's, no matter how 'good' simply aren't needed for a single event photographer. (imho)