Putting Images In Chronological Order

[errol_daniels]

<p>Help! As wedding photographers, we document the story of the day for our clients, starting with them getting ready, the ceremony, and onward. I always work with my partner so that one of us starts with the bride and the other with the groom. We each have two cameras with different lenses attached, switching back and forth as needed. <br>

Here's the problem. Hypothetical. I may not pick up my second camera until the ceremony when I might want my 70-200 for the whole time. Who knows? My partner might use her first camera with her 50mm f1.4 at getting ready and throughout the ceremony. My first camera, with my 50mm will have images of getting ready, a few ceremony shots, and then family pictures after the ceremony. And so on for the rest of the event.<br>

The next day, after I dump the RAW files into a desktop folder named RAW, I copy that folder to an external HD for safety and security purposes. The RAW file on my desktop is my working file, but the images are not in chronological order.<br>

Short of physically renaming all those files (a very arduous task), does anyone have a suggestion as to how I might accomplish my goal of getting all the images in chronological order? Setting (in camera) how the file numbers are recorded at different times perhaps? Doesn't sound really practical as we look for shots. I shoot Nikon D3, and my partner shoots Canon Mark 5 IID. We have two each.<br>

I look forward to hearing from anyone who has ideas on how to solve this dilemma.</p>

 

[mark_ridout1]

<p>Before you and your other shooter take an image you sync both cameras before starting . Basically you set the same time on each camera under the clock settings. Once you download the images you can then sort by capture time. Too easy. :)</p>

[errol_daniels]

<p>Oh my, never thought of that. We're shooting a wedding on Friday, and we'll set our clocks before we start!. How simple. Thanks so much.</p>

[aura_jane]

Second the syncing before ceremony, but for the one you have already shot, you can go into lightroom, select all the files from the

other camera, and change the time stamp on it. You just need to check how far apart they are and adjust it by that much. I had my

second camera 12 hours off accidentally once and it saved me so much time to do this.

[markonestudios]

<p>I have successfully used Mark's (and indeed Aura's) method for current (and past) wedding shoots. I like using Adobe Bridge to do my renaming. Very slick for that :)</p>

[savagesax]

We sometimes sort usually by time and/or the count of numbers shot between the cameras. For example, camera 1 has 8000 clicks the 2nd camera is set to zero.

 

Already stated is is sync by time; each camera is set to something like 2 PM. If one camera has more mega pixels you can sort by size. Large sizes to smaller sizes. Hopefully both cameras are not the same.

 

There is also a setting in which you can actually put your name on each image. I usually opt for this. Them in lightroom you simply look for your name.

 

There's other ways as well. Once everything is edited into Jpeg you can actually bring up the folder on to the desktop and renumber them starting from 1, or whatever number you wish,select in chronological order.

 

Between all of these suggestions your brain will be totally fried. Keep to one or two systems.

 

Time and date works best for me.

[scottyt]

<p>Hi Errol, your current system sounds like it could cause a few headaches. As always... it's easy once you know how!</p>

<p>I think you have been given sound advice already. My input is simply that I use Lightroom. Not only to sort images, but to import from the camera(s). It automatically makes a copy to two different hard drives for me on import.</p>

<p>Once I have finished importing, the images are already sorted into chronological order. The only problem that can happen here is having the camera times set differently, so as you have been advised, sync the time on all cameras.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>Scott.</p>