Standardising your folder/file/keyword names

[asamuel]

Can anybody outline a good standard in which to help you properly name your folders/ files and keywords.

I want to begin this:

I have one folder photojournalism2006.07>

53 folders Country001 to Country053 >

4763 Files Region0001 to Region4763 >

Key words I haven't even started.

Does this sound about right? How do you do it?

[Stustaff]

Ok here is how I do it

top level--->Photographs
in that folder are
2004
2005
2006

in the 2004 folder is
Jan
Feb
Mar etc

occasionaly
Jan1
Jan2 due to too many images, I keep the folders at 700mb as I burn to cd for backup once a folder is full or once I'm on the next month.

then in that folder each image is "DD/MM/YYYY_uniqueID#_HillS.CR2" (this naming is done on a MAC with "image ingester" when they are first downloaded.
All are then keyworded and rated in Bridge for search functionality.

I then can either search for an image by date or by keyword using spotlight, I also use Iview for keeping a catalogue of whats on each CD.

That is my main storage process - Then using my ratings I work on the best images and convert to JPEG and save those in-

Top level --> Gallery
then again
2004
2005
2006

and in those again
Jan
Feb
Mar etc

then the relevant shoot
Windmill shots 21/02/2006
Portrait Claire 29/02/2006

and in those the relevant final outpu JPEGs

hope that made sense

[Anthony]

Ok here is how I do it

top level--->Photographs
in that folder are
2004
2005
2006

in the 2004 folder is
Jan
Feb
Mar etc

occasionaly
Jan1
Jan2 due to too many images, I keep the folders at 700mb as I burn to cd for backup once a folder is full or once I'm on the next month.

then in that folder each image is "DD/MM/YYYY_uniqueID#_HillS.CR2" (this naming is done on a MAC with "image ingester" when they are first downloaded.
All are then keyworded and rated in Bridge for search functionality.

I then can either search for an image by date or by keyword using spotlight, I also use Iview for keeping a catalogue of whats on each CD.

That is my main storage process - Then using my ratings I work on the best images and convert to JPEG and save those in-

Top level --> Gallery
then again
2004
2005
2006

and in those again
Jan
Feb
Mar etc

then the relevant shoot
Windmill shots 21/02/2006
Portrait Claire 29/02/2006

and in those the relevant final outpu JPEGs

hope that made sense


Worth reversing the date format of the files in the form YYMMDD so that they all line up in correct date order.

Anthony.

[claudermilk]

Yep, here's my schema:

Photography is the root on each drive, then:
YYYY\YYYYMM\YYYYMMDD-Event Name

Within each of those I have a standard set of RAW, Developed, and Done sit in depending on what they are, initial download dumps to RAW & the files are st to read-only. Intermediate in-process files live in Developed, and final edits go to Done.

The filenames are YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS-<camera model>-<camera file number>. So for example: 20060815-084930-20D-1234.CR2. I'll add a "_vNNN" siffix as needed for various versions of files to help distinguish them in my DAM app.

Directory creation & file renaming are all done automatically by Downloader Pro. I have most of my editing automation set to add the versioning suffix automatically as much as possible.

For keywording, I do that within the DAM app & shove the final set to IPTC fields. That's a whole 'nother subject, though.

[asamuel]

Thanks for your responses: I will try to follow the logic. It sounds like good advice.

What are these downloader programmes? Are they essential to your workflow?

Claudermilk: Using 3 seperate files for stages of work in process is a nice one.

Why do you use yyyy/mmyyyyy/ddmmyyyy? It sounds a bit over kill to me, why not just YYYYMMDD? Is there a reason?

Whats IPTC? Is it a mac i photo application? what does it do?

[gluwater]

Thanks for your responses: I will try to follow the logic. It sounds like good advice.

What are these downloader programmes? Are they essential to your workflow?

Claudermilk: Using 3 seperate files for stages of work in process is a nice one.

Why do you use yyyy/mmyyyyy/ddmmyyyy? It sounds a bit over kill to me, why not just YYYYMMDD? Is there a reason?

Whats IPTC? Is it a mac i photo application? what does it do?
As stated in another thread I would wait for your DAM book to arrive. All of this is covered in it. I am still reading it but the book is very thorough and explains what all this stuff is.

A downloader program just copies the images from your camera or card reader to your computer and it can tag the files with keywords and IPTC info in the process. They are not necessarily esential to your workflow, some people like them some don't. Personally I just think it is an unnecesary extra step.

yyyy/mmyyyy/ddmmyyyy is the folder structure. The "/" are to separate the folders. And I agree with Anthony about using yymmdd so they folders and files line up in chronological order.

IPTC data is like keywording. It is data that is stored in the file such as your name, location of the shoot, copyright info, etc. If you have CS2 you can enter it in CS2 or in Bridge. You can also enter the IPTC info in any cataloging software such as Iview.

[claudermilk]

The book will cover a lot of that.

Let me outline the directory structure a little better. On my main image drive it looks like this in a treeview:

I:
|_Photography
..|_YYYY
....|_YYYYMM
......|_YYMMDD-Shoot ID
........|_RAW
........|_Developed
........|_Done

As gluwater says, this nicely arranges things chronologically. It keeps files well-organized with or without a DAM app. With this setup I can flip between a filesystem view and database categorization view with equal ease.

I responded to your other thread re: the downloader. It has become an essential first step. It isn't an extra step since you have to get the images to the hard drive somehow--see my other post.


As gluwater said IPTC is another metadata block that describes the image content & who owns it. See here: http://www.iptc.org/ for all the information you want on it. Note: Smugmug's uploader grabs the Keyword & Caption fields when you upload, so your images are already keyworded & titled for searches. :thumb

Edit: fixed the directory layout, darn spaces got dropped.

[bham]

Photos - Orignal
1.Canon 10D
a. 100Canon
b. 101Canon
c. 102Canon

2.Canon 20D
a. 100Canon
b. 101Canon

etc

I use continuous numbering and have a excel spread sheet I update with general info.

I then have an folder called Edited and each event I name a folder under it. I don't renumber then I can always easily go to the original file easily number.

I thought about this before I got my first digital camera mainly because I had put some time and effort into organizing some of my negatives.

I would change it, it works great for me.

[pat.kane]

...What are these downloader programmes? Are they essential to your workflow?

... Whats IPTC?

I have a mini-FAQ on IPTC in this post
http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=322569&postcount=6

I used to download my photos via a batch file, but recently switched to Downloader Pro and now wonder why I didn't make this move earlier. Here's an excerpt from another dGrin post

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=40039

2. Download photos using an external card reader and Downloader Pro from Breeze Systems, http://www.breezesys.com/

Well worth the $30. Here’s why – Downloader Pro

a. recognizes all images on the card, which is easier than downloading each directory of 100 images

b. uses a Job Code, e.g., Athletics vs Mets (13 Jun 2006), which can be used for various things, such as
b.1. creating the download directory name
b.2. filling in some of the IPTC fields, e.g., Object Name, Headline, Caption

c. renames files to date/time stamp of yyyymmdd-hhmmss.jpg. If you try the software, the filename code is %Y%m%D-%t_%l

d. automatically makes a 2nd copy of each image to a backup drive

As you can see from the above, I'm also a proponent of the YYYYMMDD format.

[asamuel]

:thumb :thumb THATS WHAT i'M TALKIN'BOUT:thumb :thumb

I've gone along with the system outlined by gluewater,claudemilk and possee. At first I was worried it would all be a bit too numerical, but it makes perfect sense. sweet sweet sense.

..........and that downloader application, I'm on it!

thankyou

[claudermilk]

To steal a comment on your poll: DL Pro is the cheese! :thumb You'll love it & it makes maintaining the system we've outline effortless.

[I Simonius]

To steal a comment on your poll: DL Pro is the cheese! :thumb You'll love it & it makes maintaining the system we've outline effortless.

I'm trying to get my head round DAM too but seem to be going off in a different direction to everyone else ("typical!" - Wifey)

What I do is first drag all the RAW files from the CF card into my 'RAW_IN" folder
(I have an alias of my 'Raw_in' folder on the desktop so just open the CF card icon on the dsktop and drag the files over - don't use a 'downloader' don't really know what one is - BTW I'm on a Mac)
Next- I ckeck through in Bridge, giving stars and deleting techically crap and artistically crap and generally crap ones, then move the remaining ones to "RAW_BU' folder (RAW Back UP)
Then In Photoshop I make a contact sheet (CD size)
- and then I burn them to DVD ( and put the contact sleeve in)

Then I do what I like to them and save them in a "Photoshop_BU ' folder which I back up when it needs it

What I am trying to learn to do (i.e. get ORGANISED!) is to tag the RAWs with location etc BEFORE backing them up


Filing by date and time wouldn't work for me as I can never remember what day it is anyway, nevermind which shot I took when, a few months or years ago. When a shot springs to mind it does it by location or event in my mind so that is how I try to organise them

[asamuel]

I'm with you on the location vs date. My brain works this way too. However, I have still adopted the date method because it is ruthlessly consistent and I believe it will have the same effect as someope beating you round the head when talking - you will remember its system.

Also I am ' expecting' to see that the use of IPTC data - keywords, will render the file surfing obsolite (that aint how you spell it) as you will think in powerfully obvious keywords before looking for you picture and just punch in the words. this should bring up others and...........

.............."oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that pic. Damn I'm good!"

[pat.kane]

Yes indeed. Keyword searches (reading the IPTC data) are a great method for finding images. It almost makes the folder structure and file name meaningless if done correctly.

Not to say that I don't find pics via the folder structure (I do), but if I can't quickly find an image that way, I hit Ctrl-F in ThumbsPlus (my image database) and quickly find what I'm looking for.

[AntoineD]

hi everyone, seems like we're all sharing our methods :D

Here is how I do.

Folders :

Two folders : "casual" (family, etc.) and "work" (do I have to explain this one ? :D )

in it : folders named from the day of creation and the subject in a few word, wich give something like : "2006 08 20 mom's birthday".

Pictures :

My initials, then the date, then the number of the picture, which resets every day. It's something like : ad20060820-122.jpg and ad20060820-122.nef

Everything's done through iView Media Pro.

[Stustaff]

Simon have a searc for anf get the free MAc prog "image ingester"

that will create a dated folder, Download your files to it, add ITPC data of your choice, re-name the files again to your choice, convert to DNG if you wish and also send copies to a back up location of your choice.

Really is a great bit of kit and free!