Can I update database by uploading files to a directory?

Hello, everyone.

I was wondering whether it would be possible to upload files to a directory on the server and have a database update itself based on that.

Specifically, I would like to upload images to a directory and have that action create new entries in a table in a database.

I am guessing I could update the database at the same time that I'm uploading files (with something like cffile, for instance), but I was wondering whether there might exist a more elegant solution.

I've tried to look up information using Google, but I think I'm not even asking the question right, because nothing that comes up is even remotely useful.

Thank you,

A  noob