First establish whether the edits share one capture file
Before placing two similar images side by side as a before-and-after pair, check that both came from the same original capture. Separate burst photos are different starting files, even when the scene looks almost identical. Give the original a recognizable name and a storage clue, while checking its actual source. A filename containing “original” does not establish the relationship on its own.
This record follows connections made while editing, rather than conditions changed when taking a new photograph. Keep images from different source files on separate branches. If you cannot identify the starting file, try “Same scene; original-file relationship unconfirmed.” That leaves the comparison useful within its known scope, without turning a visual resemblance into a version history you have not verified.
Write the source version beside each edit name
An editorial example is “Window photo, original R / A: brightness adjusted from R / B: portrait crop from R / A2: further color adjustment from A.” This is an invented documentation format. A2 and B are not consecutive steps in one edit. Naming the version and its starting point together lets you follow either branch without guessing from the order of the pictures.
If you checked precise settings in the editing tool, record the tool and the actual values you found. If all you remember is “a little brighter,” do not add a numerical setting. Separate applying a preset from any manual adjustments afterward. Two images made with the same preset name can otherwise lose the different actions you actually took while working on them.
Connect the original, edit branches, and exported copies
Check whether the images share the same capture original and give that starting file an identifying name.
For each edit, record its source version and the changes you actually made.
For an exported copy, identify the edit it came from and any export details you verified.
When editing again, connect the new branch and mark uncertain settings or original-file relationships.
Separate an editing state from the image you exported
The state displayed inside an editing tool and the output saved on your device have different roles. Check whether the exported image actually came from A or A2, then record that connection. If editing and exporting happened on different days, give each date its own meaning. The most recently edited version is not automatically the one represented by an older output file.
Add file format or dimensions only when you checked them. An image placed in Pogaem should not be assumed to contain every adjustment from the editing tool. This is a note about which result you kept, rather than technical advice for choosing export options. Keep the output connected to the version you know, leaving unconfirmed file details out of the explanation.
Distinguish a visible impression from the changes you recorded
Different-looking colors on two screens do not establish that you changed a particular setting. Keep your recorded actions separate from the impression you have now. “A feels warmer / exact color-temperature value not recorded” still leaves context for comparison. It says what you see and what you do not know, without inventing a numerical cause from the appearance alone.
If a crop removes part of the scene or you made another change, describe only what you confirmed. Exporting the same version again and making a new edit are different events, so label them accordingly. Rather than scoring which image is better, add one reason you chose to retain this result. That reason can explain your selection when similar exports accumulate later.
Use Pogaem as a place to revisit your version notes
Keep prepared images and the same identifying names in dated entries so you can recognize which original and edits they refer to. Picture order cannot explain every relationship; state the source of A and B in the text. You can also leave a clue for finding the original file elsewhere. The diary then points back to the work instead of replacing its source materials.
This method does not mean Pogaem edits the photo or automatically imports an editing history. It does not promise lossless original preservation or an undo operation. Manage originals and editing-project materials separately in the tools and storage you use for them. The diary can do its own smaller job: preserving the version connections and changes that you actually checked.
Frequently asked questions
Can I label any two similar photos as before and after editing?
First confirm that they came from the same capture original. If they have different originals or the relationship is unknown, state that limitation rather than calling them an editing sequence.
How do I describe A2 edited from A and B started from original R?
Identify the source for each version: “A2 revised from A; B edited separately from R.” That keeps two branches from appearing to be consecutive revisions.
Will adding an edit to Pogaem also save its adjustment history?
This guide uses images and change notes you add yourself. It does not describe editing-tool integration, automatic history collection, or original-file recovery.