Image File Naming Systems - what works for you?

[DavidTriplett]

<p>Friends, I have been playing with a number if image file naming systems, but I am not completely satisfied with any yet. Right now I am using the format "<em>Descriptive Name 1234a-modifier". </em>For example, my image <em>Bryce Cyn 5472a-small</em> means the following to me: Image taken at Bryce Canyon National Park, original image number DSC_5472 as assigned by the camera, "a" is the modification version in post processing, and "small" means a smaller image size version optimized for posting to PNet. I might add a "1" or other digit after the "a" to note a further development of an already-posted image, and other modifiers might be "noPP" for an un-modified, camera-original file, or almost anything else. This is the best I've yet come up with for what I do, and I save the original files in folders organized by year and subject/trip/event. So, the example source file is saved in D:\2015\Bryce Canyon. <br>

If anybody has a super-whamodyne, amazing, or really useful system, and they are willing to share, please do so. I am interested in a long-term solution that I can use to organize, track, and sort both original images and their post-processed offspring. Oh, and if it is highly compatible with Lightroom's functionalities, that would be great. Your patience, understanding, and input are sincerely appreciated. Thank you, David.</p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

There's only so much you can do using the name of a file, so the better solution is to keep that simple and unique (the name a camera assigns to it usually works well enough, but when more cameras are used it helps adding some additional midentiefier) and use a database of sorts to add metadata to the file. That way you can add as much descriptive information you like and need to be able to retrieve all relevant images as and when you need them, using whatever key or combination of keys you then require. You could, for instance, add a "PN" field that makes it a doddle to retrieve all images that are 'PNet ready' (as such, or combined with other search criteria).<br>When adding edited versions of an image the database entry is duplicated with any additional info added as required, and again all that is required of the new file name is that it is unique (and recorded in that database entry, of course).<br>Since the file's location is not used when searching, you can keep all of them in a 'flat' storage structure.<br>You could still change the names of the files too, to reflect anything you want.<br><br>I do not use Lightroom, but it wouldn't surprise me if it didn't already offer such a database function.

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>I copy images to named directories based on the date and topic. The images themselves retain the name assigned by the camera. A combination of the directory name and file name constitutes a unique identifier, consistent with database conventions.</p>

<p>With Lightroom (Oracle, and other data bases) you can place pointers to the original file in a group (collection) without copying the image itself. These groups can have any name or topic you desire, and the same image can be in more than one group. Avoiding unnecessary duplication is another fundamental database convention.</p>

<p>This scheme is the basis for a save-once, use-many mode of operation. Save images in the simplest manner then retrieve them by queries, yet another of Codd's rules for relational database structures.</p>

<p>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relational_database</p>

<p>Codd worked for IBM, which mostly ignored his principals. In order to achieve anything useful in a corporation, it seems, you must be an outsider (i.e., consultant) not a regular employee.</p>

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<p>Custom names for each image seems a daunting task and quite time consuming.</p>

<p>I just name folders according to the photographic event since I take more than one photo as a series. For instance I take a lot of shots of my local parks and interesting looking establishments around town. Since these aren't events like a festival I name the folder XXXpark or use the first two initials of my town New Braunfels (NB) and include the name of the location or establishment along with some names of subjects I've shot. Dates aren't needed because the date of exposure is already embedded automatically by the camera within each image's EXIF data that I can view in Bridge or Lightroom. </p>

<p>Then after I process/edit these images in each folder at the end of the year I cull through some that are of specific subjects like maybe I shot a flower along with the series I shot of buildings or parks and put that in a folder named "Flowers".</p>

[noreen]

<p>I begin each of mine with _ND, followed by YYMMDD and then a sequential four-digit number for each day, starting with 0001. They are kept in folders labeled by date and location. When I process a raw file, the resulting TIF gets a more distinctive name, usually ending with the date I processed it (e.g., _ND151207-0026-Ruby_crowned_Kinglet-w_UNIDENTIFIED_insect_prey-20151215b). It's clunky but has served me well enough so far. If I need to share the photo, I sometimes change the name, but in some way that I can always match it back to the original.</p>

<p>I keyword each raw file, so the ones I haven't processed don't need descriptive names.</p>

<p>(I don't use Lightroom... yet. Not sure how my system will change if/when I do.)</p>

[Charles_Webster]

<p>I use Edward Ingold's technique, with a directory structure based on place or project name and date, with camera original files names untouched.<br>

I use Lightrooms Collections with tags and keywords to organize my collection of 40K+ photos. I keep everything except black frames, pix of my feet, ceiling, etc.<br>

<br />I do not keep the exported JPEG and TIFF files that I generate for my "keepers." Those files can be recreated at any time from the original RAW+XML files, so I feel no compulsion to keep and back up output files.<br>

I keep redundant backups on external hard drives, one of which is stored off-site at all times.<br>

I suggest you read "The DAM Book - Digital Asset Management for Photographers" by Keough. There's a recent updated edition available.</p>

 

[famico]

<p>Like Charles W., I do pretty much the same as Edward Ingold. Upon import to LR I immediately assign keywords to each image to insure that, no matter what or when, I'll be able to find it when needed.</p>

[Mike D]

<p>I first start with date, year first, followed by month and date. The main directory, sub directories, image number, photo name, and size and file type. I never change RAW file.<br>

15-1220-socal-descanso-japanesegarden-0189-pond-1-35mb-tiff<br>

15-1220-socal-descanso-japanesegarden-0189-pond-1-450pxl-jpg</p>

[anthea50]

<p>An interesting discussion which I have always wanted to have! I keep all my original files ordered by year, month and day of the month. However, each day of the month gets renamed with the subject/s for that day's shooting. So it looks like: 15 - backyard flowers, ladybird. This folder is nested inside the month, and then that folder is nested in it's year. That way, I can find an image based on date (if I know it) or subject. I use Bridge to organise my files so I can easily find any image or subject just by searching. When it comes to edited shots, I keep folders with just the place or subject name. With images resized for PN, they have 'resized' at the end of their name. So an image for PN would just be Yellow ladybird resized.jpg for example. For Facebook (usually family photos) I have larger size images with FB at the end of the image name - Amy Charlotte FB.jpg - that way I can tell what size is for what place.</p>

[howard_m]

<p>I setup a LR directory structure like: 2016/2016-01/2016-01-01/20160101_0000_5678.NEF<br>

the directory structure allows easy computerized sorting and compartmentalization, the _0000_ are HHMM for time of day and _5678 is the camera's image sequence #. Very unlikely to have a namespace collision this way even w/ multiple cameras. LR keywords get added immediately on import. The compartmentalization also could provide an easy way to change names in the future (ie. include location or subject) if need be since they tend to cluster.<br>

In general, I dont futz w/ image names too much unless there is something 'special' or I've roundtrip'ed through Photoshop.</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>I rename files on import for the simple reason to avoid having files with duplicate names, so that nowhere in the chain (backups, disaster recoveries, stupid folder moves and whatever silly I could do) I might overwrite files with identical names. Typically use "jobname_(Date Shot"as YYYYMMDD)_(3 number sequential)"; if it's too much a mix, I can leave the jobname out. If I'd use two cameras, I'd add the shot time to again ensure the filenames remain unique. Foldernames are the date of import with a 3 number sequential.<br>

Even if all the database logic of a catalog means it can deal easily with duplicate names (and hence make filenaming a lot less important), as a safety feature renaming the files on import doesn't hurt, does not cost any time and any decent program as Lightroom, CaptureOne or similar can do it on-the-fly. So actually I see no reason to keep the camera filename (as that is meaningless and certainly not unique).</p>

<p>Of course, next add metadata and keywords quite soon, to make sure they remain easy to find. In the end, getting a catalog organised is time better invested. Folder structures and filenames are fine with small collections, but as time goes by, it does tend to become a bit a mess.</p>

[DavidTriplett]

<p>I am grateful to all of you for your input. Admittedly, my collection, and therefore my problem, is small-scale and amateur, and I expect it to remain so. Part of my challenge is that I am still learning many of the options native to Lightroom, and so have yet to discover tools you all already know so well. Your thoughts, ideas, experience, and insights are sincerely appreciated. Please keep them coming, and perhaps we can all learn something that will be helpful. Kindest regards, David Triplett.</p>

[KenPapai]

<p>Mine is basic and used perfectly for 20+ years:<br /> I setup the directory structure like a few above have:</p>

<p>E:\canonEOS\2015\20151231</p>

<p>ALL my photos from on or just before 12/31/2015 go into that folder. Original filenames from the camera are always preserved. I then keyword every image using Adobe Bridge. NEVER save over an original file (unless you know better, nearly always that leads to failure, obviously).</p>

<p>I have two external backup drives for backups. I run image backs 2-3 times/week.</p>

<p>I abhor long filenames and love my system. Happy shooting for 2016!</p>

[Charles_Webster]

<p>@Ken Papai, why begin w/ "canonEOS"? Do you have other cameras? If not, why not just "photos" or...<br>

Just curious</p>

<p> </p>

[randrew1]

<p>I started decades ago numbering all my slides: YYMRNN <br>

where YY is the year,<br>

M is the month,<br>

R is the roll number,<br>

NN is the slide number.<br>

I used my own version of a hexadecimal code for the month and roll number. I don't think I ever shot more than 16 rolls of film in one month. Since the year, month, and slide number were printed on the mount, a single digit written on the mount was enough to complete the 6 digit code.<br>

When I finally "went over to the dark side" and got a digital camera I started using Adobe Bridge to file the images. I adopted YYYYMMDD_description_NNNN file names. I add a suffix to indicate various versions of the same image. <br>

The advantage to both ID systems is that sorting by file name automatically puts the image files in chronological order--almost. When I'm shooting a burst, the file numbers aren't always in chronological order. The date-time code puts the images in the right order, but cameras seem to assign file numbers in various orders when I'm shooting a burst. </p>

[marc_rochkind]

<p>I'm with Q.G.:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>There's only so much you can do using the name of a file, so the better solution is to keep that simple and unique (the name a camera assigns to it usually works well enough, but when more cameras are used it helps adding some additional midentiefier) and use a database of sorts to add metadata to the file.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>My files are in folder by year and date (use year, month, date if you want). Lightroom does all the indexing.</p>

[donald_miller5]

<p>I have a wonderful storing system but my retrieval system is lacking. Actually now I use a system similar to Ken.<br>

I start with a thumb drive and as I scan I create a file name Kiev, yashicamat, zorki etc if not started already. Then as I scan a batch I create subfile ie ; zorki c ektar mm/dd/yy. I scan in neg which will have date and format. Then as I photoshop them i save with the original name and some modifiers to jog my memory or search key word so I have something like "jpeg mm/dd/yyyy kiev4 trestle [a] PSrpn. I add a,b ,c etc if saving over previous saved image PS=photoshopped r=resized (700 pixels on longest side) an PN = posted already on photonet. May be lengthy but it sure helps for future and I can always search by using term like "trestle. I also try for a redundant thumb drive or save in a wastepaper file with just plain file name in case I loose something I at least have it somewhere </p>

 

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>I follow Ron Andrews' scheme when scanning, since there is no intrinsic file name other than the one I assign. I still use a named directory (YYMMDD + Description) for one or more rolls with the same date code. Since digital images have an assigned name which repeats only every 10,000 image or so, there's no need to rename.</p>

<p>There is always some danger of erasing files with duplicate names. Ordinary file operations provide safeguards in that respect, unless you carelessly ignore them. Greater danger lies in so-called helpful utilities which offer to consolidate duplicate files. Think twice, click once!</p>

<p>A Lightroom collection is analogous to a database query or an Oracle/SQL list. The real power of retrieval is twofold - storage in a unique, predictable location and intelligently designed queries.</p>

<p>When I make physical copies of the file, for publication, distribution, PNET and others, I place them in subdirectories under the original directory. Again, there's no need to rename the file itself, unless that meets a particular need. For example, some customers prefer to use a sequence number, which can easily be appended to a file name using Lightroom.</p>

<p>I have a confounding issue with Sony. I have a Sony A7ii as a backup/companion for an A7Rii. The file name cannot be changed, unlike with Nikon, so there are always overlapping names. Lightroom tries to protect me, but I'm okay as long as both cameras aren't saved to the same directory. Sony, are you hearing this?</p>

<p> </p>

[KenPapai]

<p>> why begin w/ "canonEOS"? Do you have other cameras? If not, why not just "photos" ...<br /><br>

<br>

Because I had several cameras and it worked for me then (and I want to preserve my backup/folders naming convention without renaming the root folder).<br>

Past 10+ years, 95% of my photos are EOS anyway.</p>

[rossb]

<p>I just use the numbers that the computer assigns. Each year I start a new digital album and I start a new photo album when the last one is filled. My negatives and misc photos that I do not want in a photo album are stored in photo boxes. I use space saver photo albums that are flat and have a hard sleeve that they slide into. They store like a book as they are flat instead of the usual pie shape. I figure if a photo is worth keeping then it's worth printing. After I am gone family members will have photos of our lives. What happens to the hard drives is pot luck I suppose. The kids are not even saving their photos on hard drives so I figure my prints will be all there is many years down the road. </p>

[cyanatic]

<p>I import from my card using PS Elements after each photo outing. I am admittedly lazy and it pops up when I plug my camera in. I am used to the way it imports so I have stuck with it for years.</p>

<p>I it set to custom name and have a file folder created utilizing the date, and sometimes a short description. Example:<em> January 9 2016 - Chicago. </em>The individual files retain that as the naming convention with a number automatically appended. The file is created inside a master folder I create in advance, simply named with the year. This is saved to a large (2TB currently) external drive which I back up to another large external drive (nowhere near as frequently as I should, btw). When I go to edit my photos, I open LR 5 and navigate to the file. It has worked for me for years. I should probably import through LR 5 but just haven't bothered.</p>

<p>The files that I edit and want to share, or put up on my website, are themselves sent to a different folder (which also gets backed up). I save them in jpg and tiff format. Depending on what the photo is, I might put it in a folder called "Best Chicago Photos 2016" or "Best Landscapes 2016", etc. Best, in this case, is best to me. Not necessarily anyone else, of course! ;-)</p>

[Tony Parsons]

<p>I think here we need to differentiate between the name of the file, and the storage / retrieval system on the computer. As with a lot of people, I am content to use the image identifier allocated by the camera. I do, however, have several cameras - a couple of pocketable point-and-shoot ones, a reasonable bridge one, and a DSLR.<br>

The system I use is to have a folder for my own images, within which is a separate folder for each camera. Within this, I have a separate sub-folder for each image card - I do not re-format and re-use them when they are full, working on the principle that spending £15 GB on another card is preferable to losing any images should my backup system fail.<br>

Each time I use a particular camera, I set up a separate sub-folder within that allocated to the camera / card in question, which is named with the year number followed by the Julian date, then a note of where the photos were taken. Into this I copy all the images not previously backed up.<br>

Thus, the entire folder structure will look like :</p>

<p><strong>Photos/Canon/Card 3/16030 Strumpshaw Fen</strong><br>

<strong> </strong><br>

When a card has been filled, the name of the card sub-folder is amended with the date the final images were added, so the structure changes to</p>

<p><strong>Photos/Canon/Card 3 DLU 21060130/</strong><br>

<strong> </strong><br>

This may seem a little long-winded, but works for me, and has the advantage that the general structure remains a constant factor, and will cope with duplicate image identifiers without problems. I then back up all my images to satellite hard drives, including those already backed up, just in case. Pertinent to this, I have read advice that only the best images should be kept - I disagree, preferring to keep all my images as storage is so cheap.<br>

Tony</p>