How did you systematized your folders in computer?

[victorblagovici]

What structure of folders use to save your photos in computer?

[kiwi]

This is all you need to know:

http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?t=43984

[victorblagovici]

Thank you, Kiwi :)

[Tannin]

d:\2009\01 January\01 Sydney
d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane
d:\2009\02 February\16 Perth
d:\2009\02 February\17 Albany
d:\2009\02 February\18 Esperance
d:\2010\01 January\25 Alice Springs

and so on

Thjt is a very practical, simple way to organise files at the top level. Everything sorts into the correct order without you having to do anything other than put stuff into the right folder in the first place, and it's very easy to find stuff later.

[kiwi]

I'm similar

\my pictures\2009\2009-01-09\henin vs roddick

etc

[Tannin]

But what about the detail? How do you sort pictures within any particular day's work? I sort by quality:

d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane
d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\x1
d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\x7
d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\x8
d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\x9

Everything starts in the top folder. On my first pass through the folder, I eliminate maybe 30% of the shots as duds by moving them to the x1 folder. (My viewing software can be configured to do this with a single keystroke.) At some suitable point, I rename the x1 folder to x9 - these are the very worst shots from the day. Then I repeat as many times as desired, eventually winding up with the best shots in the main folder, and a series of second-best, third-best and so on shots in the subsiduary folders.

(In my case, I don't delete the poor shots because there are times when I need them unexpectedly. I do, however, back them up to an archive machine with lots of space and delete them from my main working laptop to make room for new ones.)

What about raw files? Everything I've said so far applies only to the JPGs. the raw files go into:

d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\raw

to start with and from time to time I run a program that automatically sorts them into folders mirroring the ones I sorted te JPGs into:

d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\raw
d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\raw\x8
d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\raw\x9

It only takes a single click. The benefit is that I get the speed and convenience of JPG for viewing and sorting, but the raw file is readily available and easy to find if required.

Finally, what about work-in-progress files? Simple rule: never, ever work on files in your storage folders. Always, if you want to work on a file, copy it (do not move, copy) to a working folder.

[victorblagovici]

How is better quality for storage...TIFF or JPEG? I used to save in TIFF format even if are bigger.

[Wayne]

File management is one of my worst nightmares. I have no date specific system, I more have started storing by genre, so Landscapes, Sports, autos, miscellaneous etc.
It is one of the things I hate most about digital imaging. I feel that storing by way of date/location, will mean to find it later I have to remember when/where I shot it.

I am also trying to sort out the dilemma of how to work with the raw files, that is, how to handle them once they are on the PC. I am trying to come up with a way of avoiding the .xmp files that LR, Bridge and PS append to the raw file for non-destructive editing when you make changes to the raw file. I'm working right now on the principal, convert each raw file to jpg or tiff and edit that. Doing this avoids the .xmp files being appended to the raw, but then if anything happens to the finished edited jpg/tiff file, I will have to start the editing process from scratch as the raw file will be just that, raw straight out of camera. The backing up of both raw and finished jpg/tiff is yet another headache and requires tons of HDD space.

The whole thing is a mess to me.

[kiwi]

But what about the detail? How do you sort pictures within any particular day's work? I sort by quality:

d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane
d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\x1
d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\x7
d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\x8
d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\x9

Everything starts in the top folder. On my first pass through the folder, I eliminate maybe 30% of the shots as duds by moving them to the x1 folder. (My viewing software can be configured to do this with a single keystroke.) At some suitable point, I rename the x1 folder to x9 - these are the very worst shots from the day. Then I repeat as many times as desired, eventually winding up with the best shots in the main folder, and a series of second-best, third-best and so on shots in the subsiduary folders.

(In my case, I don't delete the poor shots because there are times when I need them unexpectedly. I do, however, back them up to an archive machine with lots of space and delete them from my main working laptop to make room for new ones.)

What about raw files? Everything I've said so far applies only to the JPGs. the raw files go into:

d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\raw

to start with and from time to time I run a program that automatically sorts them into folders mirroring the ones I sorted te JPGs into:

d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\raw
d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\raw\x8
d:\2009\01 January\04 Brisbane\raw\x9

It only takes a single click. The benefit is that I get the speed and convenience of JPG for viewing and sorting, but the raw file is readily available and easy to find if required.

Finally, what about work-in-progress files? Simple rule: never, ever work on files in your storage folders. Always, if you want to work on a file, copy it (do not move, copy) to a working folder.

I dont do it this way quite. If I for example do several games in one day they all have their own sub-folders. I use LR to rate, flag for deletion etc and keyword. LR is lossless so I dont need a working version, if I do LR can manage this with virtual copies, if I take to photoshop I do have a working folder for those under the main directory the originals are in.

[kiwi]

File management is one of my worst nightmares. I have no date specific system, I more have started storing by genre, so Landscapes, Sports, autos, miscellaneous etc.
It is one of the things I hate most about digital imaging. I feel that storing by way of date/location, will mean to find it later I have to remember when/where I shot it.

I am also trying to sort out the dilemma of how to work with the raw files, that is, how to handle them once they are on the PC. I am trying to come up with a way of avoiding the .xmp files that LR, Bridge and PS append to the raw file for non-destructive editing when you make changes to the raw file. I'm working right now on the principal, convert each raw file to jpg or tiff and edit that. Doing this avoids the .xmp files being appended to the raw, but then if anything happens to the finished edited jpg/tiff file, I will have to start the editing process from scratch as the raw file will be just that, raw straight out of camera. The backing up of both raw and finished jpg/tiff is yet another headache and requires tons of HDD space.

The whole thing is a mess to me.

The XMP thing does not worry me at all.

I would if I were you store your files in a date/description type structure, like Tony or myself, and use LR to categorise into sports, landscapes etc - that's what it's DAM capability is really for.

[Calxoddity]

Wayne,
Yes, what you're describing is a mess.

You need to start managing your collection using DAM software and taking advantage of non-destructive editing capabilities of LR or similar apps. What's the point of converting if you're only doing to the copy what you'd do non-destructively to the original?

Properly used, a DAM can leverage your folder and image naming conventions, whatever they may be. For this to work though, you need to think about your keywording. There's other threads on this topic in these forums, so do a search.

Regards,
Calx

[Wayne]

Having just looked at a couple of the videos on the link Kiwi posted, I'm starting to get the picture re DAM.
I think I have my head around the management of those xmp files, which were the real headache for me.

Thanks folks