A method for organizing visual digital objects into a histogram timeline having a first axis with a timeline representing a range of time organized into separate time periods and a second axis orthogonal to the timeline axis representing a number of digital multimedia objects corresponding to portions of the histogram timeline. Each time period is associated with a graphical metaphor extending from the first axis in a direction along the second axis to an extent that indicates a relative number of visual digital objects associated with the time periods. Each said graphical metaphor comprises event icons which group the visual digital objects associated with the selected time period according to events. The icons are proportionately sized to indicate the number of visual digital objects in the group relative to the total number of visual digital objects associated with the selected time period.