diff --git a/admin-frontend/src/pages/Tags.tsx b/admin-frontend/src/pages/Tags.tsx
index a349730..2327155 100644
--- a/admin-frontend/src/pages/Tags.tsx
+++ b/admin-frontend/src/pages/Tags.tsx
@@ -1403,6 +1403,7 @@ function PhotoTagDialog({
   getPhotoTags: (photoId: number) => Promise<any>
 }) {
   const [selectedTagName, setSelectedTagName] = useState('')
+  const [newTagName, setNewTagName] = useState('')
   const [photoTags, setPhotoTags] = useState<any[]>([])
   const [selectedTagIds, setSelectedTagIds] = useState<Set<number>>(new Set())
   const [showConfirmDialog, setShowConfirmDialog] = useState(false)
@@ -1421,10 +1422,36 @@ function PhotoTagDialog({
   }
 
   const handleAddTag = async () => {
-    if (!selectedTagName.trim()) return
-    await onAddTag(selectedTagName.trim())
-    setSelectedTagName('')
-    await loadPhotoTags()
+    // Collect both tags: selected existing tag and new tag name
+    const tagsToAdd: string[] = []
+    
+    if (selectedTagName.trim()) {
+      tagsToAdd.push(selectedTagName.trim())
+    }
+    
+    if (newTagName.trim()) {
+      tagsToAdd.push(newTagName.trim())
+    }
+    
+    if (tagsToAdd.length === 0) {
+      alert('Please select a tag or enter a new tag name.')
+      return
+    }
+
+    try {
+      // Add all tags (onAddTag handles creating new tags if needed)
+      for (const tagName of tagsToAdd) {
+        await onAddTag(tagName)
+      }
+      
+      // Clear inputs after successful tagging
+      setSelectedTagName('')
+      setNewTagName('')
+      await loadPhotoTags()
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Failed to add tag:', error)
+      alert('Failed to add tag')
+    }
   }
 
   const handleRemoveTags = () => {
@@ -1482,11 +1509,14 @@ function PhotoTagDialog({
           {photo && <p className="text-sm text-gray-600">{photo.filename}</p>}
         </div>
         <div className="p-4 flex-1 overflow-auto">
-          <div className="mb-4 flex gap-2">
+          <div className="mb-4">
+            <label className="block text-sm font-medium text-gray-700 mb-2">
+              Select Existing Tag:
+            </label>
             <select
               value={selectedTagName}
               onChange={(e) => setSelectedTagName(e.target.value)}
-              className="flex-1 px-3 py-2 border border-gray-300 rounded"
+              className="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-gray-300 rounded"
             >
               <option value="">Select tag...</option>
               {tags.map(tag => (
@@ -1495,15 +1525,35 @@ function PhotoTagDialog({
                 </option>
               ))}
             </select>
-            <button
-              onClick={handleAddTag}
-              className="px-4 py-2 bg-blue-600 text-white rounded hover:bg-blue-700"
-            >
-              Add
-            </button>
+            <p className="text-xs text-gray-500 mt-1">
+              You can select an existing tag and enter a new tag name to add both at once.
+            </p>
+          </div>
+          <div className="mb-4">
+            <label className="block text-sm font-medium text-gray-700 mb-2">
+              Enter New Tag Name:
+            </label>
+            <input
+              type="text"
+              value={newTagName}
+              onChange={(e) => setNewTagName(e.target.value)}
+              className="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-gray-300 rounded"
+              placeholder="Type new tag name..."
+              onKeyDown={(e) => {
+                if (e.key === 'Enter') {
+                  handleAddTag()
+                }
+              }}
+            />
+            <p className="text-xs text-gray-500 mt-1">
+              New tags will be created in the database automatically.
+            </p>
           </div>
 
           <div className="space-y-2">
+            <h3 className="font-semibold text-sm text-gray-700 mb-2">
+              Tags:
+            </h3>
             {allTags.length === 0 ? (
               <p className="text-gray-500 text-sm">No tags linked to this photo</p>
             ) : (
@@ -1544,12 +1594,21 @@ function PhotoTagDialog({
           >
             Remove selected tags
           </button>
-          <button
-            onClick={onClose}
-            className="px-4 py-2 bg-gray-100 text-gray-700 rounded hover:bg-gray-200"
-          >
-            Close
-          </button>
+          <div className="flex gap-2">
+            <button
+              onClick={onClose}
+              className="px-4 py-2 bg-gray-100 text-gray-700 rounded hover:bg-gray-200"
+            >
+              Close
+            </button>
+            <button
+              onClick={handleAddTag}
+              disabled={!selectedTagName.trim() && !newTagName.trim()}
+              className="px-4 py-2 bg-blue-600 text-white rounded hover:bg-blue-700 disabled:bg-gray-400 disabled:cursor-not-allowed"
+            >
+              Add Tag
+            </button>
+          </div>
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>