File/folder management

[Asimov]

I'm shooting RAW only. I struggling with file management for raw and resulting jpg.

How do you sort your files? Would you provide an example? Do you rename your files? Where do you place the final file?

 

[graybalanced]

I have Lightroom automatically sort and rename all raw files on import, so I don't have to do anything manual. If I am out on the desktop or trying to find an image from another program, I always know all images are sorted by date. All other organization (location, keywords, people, subjects) is done with metadata, since trying to use folders for that creates unresolvable organization conflicts since an image can only exist in a single folder.

Following a helpful tip in a forum (maybe this one), I rename my images by date, capture time, and then original file name. This guarantees every image has a unique name. If I don't rename, it is possible over time for the cameras to produce more than one "IMG_0035.CR2" filename so I want to avoid potential conflicts by renaming.

I keep JPEG files in a subfolder of the date folder, or in a separate project folder if they are for a specific project.

 

[lightandaprayer]

I use Aperture to create the folders and the image files are referenced in a traditional file structure (Year/Project Name/Date) on external drives. That means my images are accessible via the Finder using Spotlight, image browsers, etc. as well as Aperture. Of course, I don't move anything outside of Aperture to avoid problems.

If I get to the point where I must finally abandon Aperture I am leaning toward using an image browser rather than DAM software. I simply do not need the granular searching capabilities of DAM software.

I have a question: If you are only shooting RAW, why do you have a "resulting JPEG?"

 

[Asimov]

I use Aperture to create the folders and the image files are referenced in a traditional file structure (Year/Project Name/Date) on external drives. That means my images are accessible via the Finder using Spotlight, image browsers, etc. as well as Aperture. Of course, I don't move anything outside of Aperture to avoid problems.

If I get to the point where I must finally abandon Aperture I am leaning toward using an image browser rather than DAM software. I simply do not need the granular searching capabilities of DAM software.

I have a question: If you are only shooting RAW, why do you have a "resulting JPEG?"

Thanks for your answer. What do you consider as "image browser"?

I export my final post files in jpeg.

 

[Asimov]

I have Lightroom automatically sort and rename all raw files on import, so I don't have to do anything manual. If I am out on the desktop or trying to find an image from another program, I always know all images are sorted by date. All other organization (location, keywords, people, subjects) is done with metadata, since trying to use folders for that creates unresolvable organization conflicts since an image can only exist in a single folder.

Following a helpful tip in a forum (maybe this one), I rename my images by date, capture time, and then original file name. This guarantees every image has a unique name. If I don't rename, it is possible over time for the cameras to produce more than one "IMG_0035.CR2" filename so I want to avoid potential conflicts by renaming.

I keep JPEG files in a subfolder of the date folder, or in a separate project folder if they are for a specific project.

Thank you graybalanced. I'm using Bridge/ACR/Photoshop. I never liked the Lightroom interface.

 

[Art Jacks]

For any event/visit I make a titled and dated folder, in this folder I make three sub folders, nef, tiff, and jpeg, After initial culling I select an image to process, I click the thumbnail in Bridge which opens the image in ACR where most of my adjustments are made these days, I then hold down the Option key ( on a mac ) which then opens a copy of the file in Photoshop for further fine tuning/sharpening etc, when this is done I save the file as a tiff file and a jpeg size dependent on intended use, these are saved in the appropriate folders, this way all the images relevant to a particular subject are together, a rather old fashioned method but I am old :-D

 

[Asimov]

For any event/visit I make a titled and dated folder, in this folder I make three sub folders, nef, tiff, and jpeg, After initial culling I select an image to process, I click the thumbnail in Bridge which opens the image in ACR where most of my adjustments are made these days, I then hold down the Option key ( on a mac ) which then opens a copy of the file in Photoshop for further fine tuning/sharpening etc, when this is done I save the file as a tiff file and a jpeg size dependent on intended use, these are saved in the appropriate folders, this way all the images relevant to a particular subject are together, a rather old fashioned method but I am old :-D

Art Jacks, thank you for your time.

Can I ask why you create 3 different sub folders? Why not put all of them in the same?

Also, working this way, how do you "compile" your best recent pics?

 

[lightandaprayer]

Thanks for your answer. What do you consider as "image browser"?

I export my final post files in jpeg.

Photo Mechanic and similar apps that allow you to view images but that lack advanced DAM functions.

So I am curious why images are always exported as JPEGs (as well as TIFFs in the other post)? Do you always have a need for every image to be a JPEG e.g. for posting online?

I keep all images as RAW files. I only create JPEGs and other file types if they are needed for a specific reason. It reduces the amount of storage space I need and simplifies/speeds up PP.

 

[Art Jacks]

If I want a file for printing I go to the tiff folder, if I want to post an image online I go to the jpeg folder, if I decide to revisit a file I go to the nef file folder where if you recall all my originals are untouched because I open a copy when starting my editing, I also have a sort of sample folder where I make a copy of my favourites for further consideration to see if they stand the test of time.

 

[Asimov]

If I want a file for printing I go to the tiff folder, if I want to post an image online I go to the jpeg folder, if I decide to revisit a file I go to the nef file folder where if you recall all my originals are untouched because I open a copy when starting my editing, I also have a sort of sample folder where I make a copy of my favourites for further consideration to see if they stand the test of time.

That makes sense. Other questions:

-for favorite subjects (eg: wife/pet/kid...), if I understand, you make a separate folder for each "photo shoot"?

-If you take only 2-3 photos for a random stuff, do you create a folder only for that as well?

 

[Asimov]

Thanks for your answer. What do you consider as "image browser"?

I export my final post files in jpeg.

Photo Mechanic and similar apps that allow you to view images but that lack advanced DAM functions.

So I am curious why images are always exported as JPEGs (as well as TIFFs in the other post)? Do you always have a need for every image to be a JPEG e.g. for posting online?

I keep all images as RAW files. I only create JPEGs and other file types if they are needed for a specific reason. It reduces the amount of storage space I need and simplifies/speeds up PP.

Each image I decide to develop, I save the result in jpg. So, I'll be able to have the result in a single low-size file. Some prefer Tiff for printing, but, for me, jpg are fine for my very limited audience (only me in fact ). For online, another jpg with lower size/resolution is also produced.

 

[Art Jacks]

Folders are made for major event/visits etc. if I am a walk about in my home town I make a similar folder structure but titled with the month the images were taken.

 

[noirdesir]

Thanks for your answer. What do you consider as "image browser"?

I export my final post files in jpeg.

Photo Mechanic and similar apps that allow you to view images but that lack advanced DAM functions.

So I am curious why images are always exported as JPEGs (as well as TIFFs in the other post)? Do you always have a need for every image to be a JPEG e.g. for posting online?

I keep all images as RAW files. I only create JPEGs and other file types if they are needed for a specific reason. It reduces the amount of storage space I need and simplifies/speeds up PP.

Each image I decide to develop, I save the result in jpg. So, I'll be able to have the result in a single low-size file. Some prefer Tiff for printing, but, for me, jpg are fine for my very limited audience (only me in fact ). For online, another jpg with lower size/resolution is also produced.

That is your choice. If you don't like nondestructive image editors (iPhoto, Photos, Aperture, Lightroom, Capture One, Bibble/Aftershot), which only save the result of 'developing' raws as small-sized 'preview' jpegs, you have to deal with handling multiple versions of the same file (ie, raw + jpeg/tiff). The best way to deal with these multiple versions is to let an application do it for you that only presents you with a single representation of every image and allows you to extract what kind of version you might need for a specific purpose (or even reduce the need to export an image file by including things like printing, creation of web galleries or upload to social media).

 

[graybalanced]

Thank you graybalanced. I'm using Bridge/ACR/Photoshop. I never liked the Lightroom interface.

If you like the ideas, they apply to Bridge/ACR too. You can do the auto rename/folder sort on import just as well with the Photo Downloader utility in Bridge. You can do the metadata stuff in Bridge too, it's just harder and less efficient than Lightroom.

 

[MediaArchivist]

My workflow has fallen into place somewhat out of necessity, due to the the type of work I do and how much I have to manage. My "system" works very well for me, but I would not suggest it is "best," but nonetheless might give you some ideas.

I take concert photos. A lot of them— roughly 1000 per week, for over five years (as well as a decade prior to that, but at a much slower pace). Of the 1000 I take, I keep roughly half and publish perhaps 10%. I import onto my local hard drive (SSD), then after processing and culling I move the photos to a home media server. I rarely keep jpegs after publishing them. Currently I have a little over 140k of total photos, including about 10k still in "pending" or "to-do" state on the local drive (I will probably keep 5000 of those).

I let LR create year/month-day folders upon import to the local drive, e.g.:

• Pictures/2016/09-17

Note that I have a subfolder for the year, but not for the month. I tried that, but it worked out to be much easier for me to navigate the to-do folders if the structure was a little more flat. I have a metadata preset for my copyright information, and then a list of presets for venues that include the name, city, state, and GPS of where the photos were taken. If I am at a new venue I will either make a new preset, or enter the info in manually. Then, I add the name of the band or act as the title, and (usually) create a subfolder per band with the band's initials. All of this, including making the subfolders and moving the files, is done in LR and LR keeps its internal DB up to date as this is done. I also use sidecar files, so if something gets LR confused I just re-import that folder and all of the information is there.

After I work on the files for a band's performance, I drag n' drop the folder from my local HD to the network share using LR. I also use LR to create any top level folder structure as needed. On the network, I use a subfolder for month and keep the prior folder name with the month (slightly redundant, but it helps quickly spot mistakes). So on the server the folders look something like:

• Archive/2016/09/09-17/DW

(assuming the band's initials were DW, such as the Dandy Warhols)

This is how I handle concert photos; for other photos like nephews, sunsets, bugs, etc. I use the same date structure and add a simple title, sometimes skipping the location information. Weddings are titled "Brad & Suzy's Wedding" (always ending in "wedding"), others might be as simple as "vacation" or "flowers". That is enough information to be able to quickly find just about any photo I ever need to, assuming I did not make a human error in the process