Naming of Images

I am trying to create a better work flow and have a few questions about naming images:

1. What is a good way or method to name images after you download the images to the computer. Do you include the date you took the shot? Name it after the location where it was shot?

2. When you use an image on a website, do you change the name? If not, how do you track it so you can find it for a client? Do you keep the image in a separate file as a website reference?

Thank you for your advice and opinions.

The entire topic of Digital Asset Management is HUGE. You've asked some good questions and I'm guessing you'll get about as many different answers as responses.
My workflow relies heavily on Lightroom. I don't change the names of the images. They are what they were in camera. I have a detailed folder structure based on People, Places, Things with subfolders at the level of detail needed to find anything quickly. I also keyword images with obvious keywords and other details about the images. I do have a relatively fixed set of keywords to keep things under control. I do not use the date in titles of keywords since it it is already an integral part of the EXIF data and Lightroom can search in any data in the Metadata anyway. When I use the image on a website I place it in a Lightroom collection so that I can go back and find what I put where. I think a lot of the organization is a personal choice and should relate to how you think about searching for images. My system works for me. YMMV

As Keith said you will get many options in answer to your questions. I, too, use Light Room for asset management. My wife and I both shoot and we have exceeded 10,000 images each on our respective cameras. This info is important as 1 - file numbers are often the same or similar between cameras depending on the folder cycle we are in and 2 - file numbers are similar between cameras. So, if I am on an image that represents 21,005 clicks it will have a file number that is the same as that representing 11,005 clicks.

Yes, I know the folder can be changed, but to me this is more cumbersome accomplishing on the fly. I always seem to turn over 10,000 during action shooting and I don't want to take the time to think about folder numbers.

With the above in mind I use the power of LR to rename the files on import and copy them to a new location. I use the "custom name" function but still maintain the original file number. An example is this

Ed 2009-11-25-9501.CR2 This indicates that the image was made with my camera on November 11, 2009 and is file number 9501 RAW file.

Using this method I do not have files that duplicate names and I can tell immediately where the original is stored. All images with file number 9501.CR2 are distinguished from each other. I also, immediately upon import, keyword my images so I can find them later. The images are automatically renamed and copied to the folder of your choice. You can also add metadata such as copyright info upon import.

If you have not tried Light Room yet I suggest you give it a go. I use it for RAW conversion as it is convenient to do there and then export to CS4. However, the Library function is worth the price alone. This is especially true as you get a larger library of images. They will be stored on multiple hard drives. LR will display thumbnails of images you search for by keyword, Then you can query where the original is stored and you will be directed to the proper location. Then and only then do you have to turn on any external drive with the original image on it.

Hope this helps.

I just realized I didn't answer your second question. I try to name the images on my website with some descriptive name such as Watkins Glenn Waterfalls #4 and also display the original file name as indicated in my previous post.

I load all of my photos into Adobe Bridge when I first download them to my computer than use the star system to give out 4 and 5 stars (I don't bother with 1-3 because I feel like they're not worth keeping, or certainly not worth spending the time deciding if it's really a 2 or a 3).

I also have a file system similar to Keith's where I have folders setup starting with wildlife, and going all the way down to specific species (American Kestrel for example) which allows me to find specific things quickly. The advantage of using the stars in Adobe Bridge is that if I have a folder with a lot of things in it, say, "Butterflies" I can quickly find the 'keepers' in the bunch. The problem of course is that you have to do it everytime and once you start getting a backlog of unprocessed images, it can become a daunting task.

As for changing names for websites, the only one I have is my photoportfolios so we aren't talking a huge number of images. But, as for posting images on the web, I have a "posted" folder with whatever a fairly simple description (Gyrfalcon Flight 1). I have decided to break these posted folders down by year and camera to simplify things a little. Hope that helps.

- Luke

I use Breezebrowser Pro to check all my images and to change the file names consecutively so that images from any one camera body continue on from another camera body. I then send the images to hard drives that are labelled at this time as BirdsRAW, BirdsProcessed, Family & Mammals. The Family & Mammals really contains all files that are not Birds. Those divisions will change as space requirements change. Birds are broken down into species such and Hawks, Shorebirds, Ducks, etc with each species then having their own folders. If they need to be broken down further for birds that I have covered really well I might have them broken down into Flight, Portraits, groups, etc.

None of my images are given names by species until they are converted. Birds get the 4 letter name used by people doing atlas work etc. The title may contain further information but that number is always kept.

Last week I converted and processed more than 700 images for use in a slideshow showing the life stages of Monarch butterflies. Each stage was given a letter and the number kept. That made it very easy to sort because the files were consecutive!

Everybody has their own way of doing things but this continues to work for me.

Allen,
I'm a firm beliver that every file should have a unique name unto itself.
I start by creating a folder using the name of the shoot using a naming convention that will put every folder in chronilogical order (ie: 11-25-09 would be 20091125). Because my wife and I both shoot, I would add an underscore, our initials, an underscore and a subject. This mornings folder was 20091125_NR_BDRTurkey.
Inside the folder the images get renamed in bridge NR_11-26-2009_001.cr2 .
Once compleated, the folder is duplicated on an external master and then imported to lightroom from that location adding keywords,metadata, etc. once imported it is backed up again to a different external. I always use "retrospect" to backup my files for bit by bit verifacation that nothing got corrupted in the process.
No two images should ever share the same file name! EVER!
Most of this can be accomplished in lightroom now, but I got used to doing it this way and it has worked for me for the last 20 years. Started with all my negs and chromes.
Good Luck!
Neil

My personal test is how well I can travel from a processed image on my drives back into my disc archives for the original capture and perhaps other unprocessed files from the same shoot. I retain the image number, plus the location and subject and the date. Image # DSC-6178, a coyote shot in Arches NP in March 22, 2006, would be named 6178arches32206coyote. I can then find it with a search of coyote images, Arches images, or by date or file #. That's proven really handy with cases and cases of CDs and DVDs in storage.

Hi,

Thank you the ideas and opinions you've given me. Still not sure how I am going to change my workflow, but you given me some things to think about.

Thank you.