# Renaming and storing photos



## DanielW (Dec 21, 2013)

Hi everyone,
I own a 60D, and bought a S120 about a month ago. Even though I like the little camera a lot for its "pocketability", it has given me an unexpected problem: identical filenames. But it gets much worse...
I used to rename my photos when importing into LR in my own way, which was Name/place - date - file number (e.g., Patricia - 2013 dec 12th - 001); I also had separate folders for each subject, like family, events, trips, portraits and so on. I decided to drop this system because subjects often overlap and I'd end up not knowing if I should put some file in the 2012 Christmas or Family folder. I then started keeping the original files in a single folder, stopped renaming at all, and was waiting for an opportunity (oh well, laziness) to bring old files from HDs and DVDs to that folder.
Making a long story short: now my computer is a mess, and so are my external HDs and DVDs with backups. (I even have duplicated files with different names in different folders.)
So, I'd really appreciate some suggestions:
- How do you suggest I name my files?
- Should I rename, after all?
- Should I just let LR put the files where it wants when importing and never mess with folders? Won't it make it harder to find the files later? 
- Is it a bad idea to have them all in a single folder? I've seen people sorting files by year and month, but I'm not sure it makes sense to me since it's unlikely I'll remember when I took the photos.
I need a system that makes sense and that is unlikely to be changed in the future, and can't come with a good one on my own. (I'm sure you have no doubt about it by now...)  
Sorry for writing too much.
Thank you!
Daniel


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## Valvebounce (Dec 22, 2013)

Hi Daniel. 
I just wrote a big long answer and my iPod just tossed it for me! Suffice to say your method is quite similar to mine, I put camera model folders in each sub folder to avoid duplicate file number issues. When you don't know whether an image belongs in Christmas 2012 or Mum and Dad put the image in Mum and Dad and create a shortcut link from Christmas 2012 to Mum and Dad! Or vice versa!

Cheers Graham.


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## Don Haines (Dec 22, 2013)

I have a directory called Photos. There is a subdirectory for each year. There is another subdirectory of the year for each photoshoot.... for example "Photos/2013/2013-05-19 Mississippi River/" Everything else gets grouped into subdirectorys like "Photos/2013/Birds/BlueJay/" I still end up with some duplicate file names, but not as many as before...


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## krjc (Dec 22, 2013)

I use LR and have a folder for each year with a subfolder for the day of the shot. I tag the photos in LR during or after the import process. Works well for me.


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## sunnyVan (Dec 22, 2013)

I use LR also. I have a folder for each year and each month. Then I name the shoot of the event. So for example I may have 2013 folder then December then Grand Canyon. I put in keywords for pictures that I really like so that they are searchable in the future. I generally don't rename file names unless I want to publish a picture.


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## JPAZ (Dec 22, 2013)

Don't know if the 60d can do this, but I name my photos before each event on the 5diii (for example, Canon Rumors might be "RUM_001" etc. ). Then I synchronize the clock on the DSLR and the other camera. Once all the photos are uploaded to a folder (say "Canon Rumors" ) on the PC, I sort them by time, then do a group rename using Adobe Bridge (say "Rumors_001", etc). This leaves a unique name for each in a unique folder. The DSLR and other camera's photos are mixed together, but the EXIF lets me know which camera was used for each.


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## Don Haines (Dec 22, 2013)

JPAZ said:


> Don't know if the 60d can do this, but I name my photos before each event on the 5diii (for example, Canon Rumors might be "RUM_001" etc. ). Then I synchronize the clock on the DSLR and the other camera. Once all the photos are uploaded to a folder (say "Canon Rumors" ) on the PC, I sort them by time, then do a group rename using Adobe Bridge (say "Rumors_001", etc). This leaves a unique name for each in a unique folder. The DSLR and other camera's photos are mixed together, but the EXIF lets me know which camera was used for each.


Can't do that on a 60D.... the prefix of IMG_ is fixed.


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## extremeinstability (Dec 22, 2013)

I let eos utility load to the computer into a folder by date with a long number at the end after the date..a continuous number. I then sort them into folder categories later and have file renamer add a new prefix but keep the file number. They end up like this. http://extremeinstability.smugmug.com/Thumbnail-Galleries/Supercell-Storms I have it add SS for the supercell storm ones then a dash and I just use a letter for the year. So a for first year I started. Then the continuous number. Figure maybe no one connects the letter to the year and doesn't want some file because it is "too old" that way. But yeah, letting the eos utility do it and keep adding the number then file renamer later is what has worked for me.


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## dryanparker (Dec 22, 2013)

If you've ever seen Chase Jarvis' YouTube video on his workflow and backup methodology, he goes over file naming as well. I've adopted a variation of his naming...

Date_project_camera_initials+sequence.ext

So, this: 20131221_SISWIM_5D3_DRP0013.JPG

4 digits is good for project sequences, unless you're shooting 10,000 frames in each session...in which case you may have bigger issues than file naming!


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## Hjalmarg1 (Dec 22, 2013)

Hi Daniel,

I simply use the Canon application (EOS Utility) to import all my pictures from whatever ("Canon") camera I use. I name my files "year-month-day-hour-minutes-second-XXXX' where XXXX-digits are a sequential number.
Later I can move them or edit them whenever and whatever I wanna do with them.
By the way, LR can be also used but I need to remember them in a different form but, I prefer Canon way.


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## Canon1 (Dec 22, 2013)

I rename to date, sequence #

For example: 20131221001

Files are stored in a folder named the same date with a descriptor. 

For example: 20131221 (Xmas party)

Catalog is easy to reference and in chronological order.


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## FTb-n (Dec 22, 2013)

I download files into a directory based on the date then add subject to the directory, such as 2013.12.21.basketball. I often shoot with two bodies and duplicate filenames is an issue. Before getting the 7D (which includes an option for custom filename prefix), I wrote a small batch file to rename the images. I would download files from the secondary body first, then run the batch file to rename IMG_xxxx.CR2 to IMB_xxxx.CR2. Then I would download images from the main body and leave the filenames alone.


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## MrFotoFool (Dec 22, 2013)

I make folders by category. One for architecture, one for landscapes, and several for animals since I do a lot of that (reptiles, cats, ungulates, etc). Everything that fits the category goes in there, with no reference to date other than the embedded EXIF. After all, if I want to find my best Grand Canyon photos (to use an example already given on this thread), I do not want to have to remember which months I did trips there. I just want to see them all.

As for naming the individual files, I do each one manually in windows which is a very labor intensive method and probably not the best. I do not own Lightroom, but I am sure they have a better method as others have stated.


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## Jack Douglas (Dec 22, 2013)

Sadly, I'm no expert on this, but I'll add a personal comment. In shooting wildlife such as birds or butterflies I very much want a date attached to my file folder as I like to know when I got my last hummingbird shots of the season, for example. Thus I've gone for two formats of the same shots. One is strictly chronological and the other subject oriented with date tacked on. In the cold north, winter is a good time to organize the subject folders and enjoy remembering the fun from warmer days and identifying unknown subjects.

Jack


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## privatebydesign (Dec 22, 2013)

Given the power of the Library Filter in Lightroom I see no reason to ever rename a file. As for two images with the same file name, Lightroom allows that as it looks not just for name but size and creation date too. Most OS's won't allow the same named file in a folder and will normally ask what you want to do, either overwrite (never) or give unique name (always).

I use a simple Folder structure for my images and Lightroom. I have three main areas, Import, Work, Personal. In those three groups I have subfolders, Import 1-4, WFT, and Tethered; Weddings, Real Estate etc; Vacations, Tests etc , many of those folders have subfolders, Weddings has a couples name for each wedding for example.

On import everything goes into one of the Import folders, there they have an initial cull and sort and then some core keywording, they are then moved via Lightroom to a more appropriate specific folder.

But the key is keywording. For Jacks example I'd keyword Hummingbird, I could then select Library Menu: Text Keyword - Hummingbird, if you hold Option and click you can then select Metadata too, then just select date (or any other metadata category or combination, then down the bottom select Sort: Capture Time if you click the A/Z and arrows icon next to it you can reverse the order.

This gives you a huge amount of auto sorting power, you can arrange almost any selection in any order entirely automatically. Even without spending hours keywording you have amazing search, recovery, listing, sorting and display functionality. Lightroom is a database, it is way better than we are and can remember exactly where hundreds of thousands of files are. Use that functionality and you get more time to post here


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## Gert Arijs (Dec 22, 2013)

There's an easy workaround in Lightroom to solve this and to achieve unique filenames for all of your photo's. Automatically.

Some things can be variable, but I use a variation of an official renaming system here:

First part is my name (initials):
GeAr
The date (dec 22 2013):
20131222
The time (17h14min12sec):
171412
The filenumber (from _MG0001.CR2):
0001

So the name will be: *GeAr_20131222_171412_0001.CR2
*
Even if you use 10 camera's, you will never shoot a picture with more then one camera in one second. And even if you do, there is very very little chance to have the same 4-digit number in one second. If you're affraid to have this problem, you can make extra presets to add your camera name (eg GeAr_20131222_171412_*7D*_0001.CR2)

The most important thing is obviously to set your cameras exactly at the same time. This can be done very easy and quickly.


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## Gert Arijs (Dec 22, 2013)

To organise, I use collections instead of folders.


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## mrsfotografie (Dec 22, 2013)

Hjalmarg1 said:


> Hi Daniel,
> 
> I simply use the Canon application (EOS Utility) to import all my pictures from whatever ("Canon") camera I use. I name my files "year-month-day-hour-minutes-second-XXXX' where XXXX-digits are a sequential number.
> Later I can move them or edit them whenever and whatever I wanna do with them.
> By the way, LR can be also used but I need to remember them in a different form but, I prefer Canon way.



I do something similar, the file name will be for instance: 2013_12_22_1354.xxx

When I shoot an event with two bodies I will upload the photos from both bodies using eos utility. Then I open the directory with an image viewer/editor (DPP or ACDSEE Pro) and sort according to date/time the photo is taken (Make sure the camera's are set to the same date/time before shooting!!!). Then rename to 2013_12_22_XXXX.xxx (starting at 0000) and the files are intermeshed. After this I leave the file name as is; ie shooting date and sequence number. 

The originals go in one directory , file tree is shooting date followed by subject. This tree structure is mirrored in an 'export directory'. ie "Photography\Originals\2013\2013_12_22 - event name\" and "Photography\Export\2013\2013_12_22 - event name\". These are then mirrored on a NAS for safe keeping.


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## DanielW (Dec 22, 2013)

Wow, lots of good advice!
Thank you for sharing your own ways of doing it!
@Graham - A shortcut link is a simple but great idea!
@JPAZ - The 5D3 is really a great camera, isn't it? I will have to make do with the 60D for now, and will buy the 7D2 when (if?) it comes out (hopefully with that same functionality).
@extremeinstability - Terrific photos! Congratulations!
@Jack Douglas - I am thinking just that, getting things organized now (I will not work between Christmas and new year's eve) and spend 2014 taking pics... 
@privatebydesign - I guess you are right. I should let LR do its job organizing for me so I can have more time posting here and learning (for my wife's desperation).
@Gert Arijs - Will give it a try right now!
@mrsfotografie - I am not familiar at all with EOS utility. Do you feel it is better than using a LR-only system?
Many, many thanks everyone!
Daniel


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## gbchriste (Dec 22, 2013)

I have LR set up to import to Year/Date folders, preserving the original EOS file name. So anything I shoot and download today would download, for example, as 2013\22-Dec-2013\16A098.CR2

I'll usually just leave the date folder name intact for while during my early processing, since about 99.99% of the time that date folder will contain the photos from a single subject/shoot.

Then once I've pretty much dealt with all the culling and editing, I right-click that folder in the LR library and give it a descriptive name, e.g. my 2013\28-Nov-2013 folder got renamed to "2013 Family Thanksgiving". When renaming the folder in the LR catalog, the physical folder on the drive also gets renamed.

I keep 3 years worth of folders in my current LR catalog - the current year, plus the previous two. So right now I have folders for 2011 through 2013 in my current LR working catalog. At the beginning of each year, LR automatically adds a new year folder when performing the first download for that year. So when I do my first download in 2014, LR will automatically create 2014 folder in the catalog, and start downloading all 2014 photos in to date folders for that year. At that point, I go to the oldest year currently open in the catalog - in this case, 2011 - export it out in to it's own catalog, then remove it from the current working catalog. So after January 1, 2014, I'll have folders for 2012 through 2014 in the current working catalog. 

The annual catalog exports are also named by year and sent to their own separate "Lightroom Exports" folder. I've only had one occasion in a couple of years to have to go back to one of these exported catalogs to retrieve an image.


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## mrsfotografie (Dec 22, 2013)

DanielW said:


> @mrsfotografie - I am not familiar at all with EOS utility. Do you feel it is better than using a LR-only system?
> Many, many thanks everyone!
> Daniel


For importing of photo's I don't think it matters much, Daniel. I'm sure Lightroom gives you the option to rename as you like on import, and otherwise you can always rename thereafter. EOS utility includes some other tools that allow you to adjust camera settings etc, can be useful. If you're happy with lightroom, stick to that.


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## Don Haines (Dec 22, 2013)

Gert Arijs said:


> There's an easy workaround in Lightroom to solve this and to achieve unique filenames for all of your photo's. Automatically.
> 
> Some things can be variable, but I use a variation of an official renaming system here:
> 
> ...


What about burst mode? I need a 10,000 frame per second burst mode 

Seriously though, good naming scheme.


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## mb66energy (Dec 22, 2013)

I do not like to have identical file names so I use a naming scheme like this one:

IMG_40D1_001234.cr2
IMG_40D2_001234.cr2
IMG_S95a_001234.cr2

Red are the original parts of the file name, 40d is the camera type and the cipher 1 is the first of my two 40Ds. The 00 prefix allows for unique names of the next 990000 shots.

Renaming is done with irfanview which lets you choose the files to rename in a batch job. The black part of the previous exampes is inserted by irfanview.
But try this feature with a copy of not so important files before you do the renaming of important data.


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## DanielW (Dec 23, 2013)

mb66energy said:


> I do not like to have identical file names so I use a naming scheme like this one:
> 
> IMG_40D1_001234.cr2
> IMG_40D2_001234.cr2
> ...



That's a great scheme, and I'll use it myself with a slight variation:

IMG_60D_YYYYMMDD_####.cr2
or
IMG_S120_YYYYMMDD_####.cr2

Well, I guess it's time to go organize some 10,000 photos now... 

Thanks, mb66energy and all others!


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## dstppy (Dec 23, 2013)

I've sort of got my problem under control now; I used to rename and it was painful when I had to back up a drive or migrate to separate things.

One thing on OS X/Linux you can do is use exiftool and learn to script perl (don't roll your eyes at me, it's not THAT hard).

I still have to sort out stuff from my powershot days, but now I stick to pictures\5D_CR2\<images in original name> then worry about tagging them in Lightroom.


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## Halfrack (Dec 23, 2013)

Bulk renaming is actually a place where PhotoMechanic is better than Lightroom (that and tag'ing photos). Give their free demo a run, it's really fast to work with. Even if your camera isn't set to exactly the right time you can have it update that as well. It's easy to burst out multiple shots the same second when you have a remote camera setup or are shooting sports.

Personally, I do:

Year\Month\day_topic\CameraNumber_####.cr2


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## PaulTopol (Dec 23, 2013)

Use DownloaderPro from Breeze systems.
Totally customizable for downloads.
I get DL to sort into camera (1d2, 1dx, 5d3)
You can also sort by camera serial number. Easy with DL.
You can also set it to store 2 copies (1 onto 1 disk, another onto backup disk)
Outstanding program. Been using it for years.

Paul


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## Digbydriver (Dec 23, 2013)

I import all photos according to date, and they live in those folders. I have set up a conventional naming scheme which is applied during import. 
THEN,
I sort the photos from that DATE into different COLLECTIONS. (Fishing, Portraits, Family, Ice Cubes, Flowers, Dogs, Insects, Foliage. etc)
The collections are endless, and new ones are created for new subjects of interest. All photos, however, live in the date they were shot folder.


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## DanielW (Dec 26, 2013)

@Digbydriver - I understand date is more important than subject. Used to think otherwise, but in terms of organizing inside the computer (not inside my head) the date is more important. Thanks!

@PaulTopol - Yes, I will look for a free trial and see how it goes. Thanks!

@Halfrack - I have come up with DW60D_YYYYMMDD_HHMM_####.cr2 (initials, camera etc). Thank you!

@dstppy - I'm first renaming everything I have (just bought Better Rename 9, wow, terrific program), and then I will start to organize. I have decided to store the originals in two external HDs (mirrored) and use LR to catalog, and to not copy the files into the iMac. On the external HDs, I will sort files by year and month, and use tagging on LR more religiously. Then, I will back up folders a second time to DVDs, also in this year/month scheme. Thanks!


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## dstppy (Dec 27, 2013)

DanielW said:


> @dstppy - I'm first renaming everything I have (just bought Better Rename 9, wow, terrific program), and then I will start to organize. I have decided to store the originals in two external HDs (mirrored) and use LR to catalog, and to not copy the files into the iMac. On the external HDs, I will sort files by year and month, and use tagging on LR more religiously. Then, I will back up folders a second time to DVDs, also in this year/month scheme. Thanks!


Beware the loading speed of the USB bus, it's a killer.

I'm using FW800 now with a hybrid drive and it's tolerable. USB 2.0 is just not effective for actual active use of the drive; it's fine for transferring back and forth.

If it's a newer USB 3.0 mac and they're 3.0 drives, that should be sufficient.


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## Canon1 (Dec 28, 2013)

Also will mention that I use collections extensively. All of my best shots are organized into collections. This way I can easily look at all of my moose shots or great egret shots or landscapes or whatever without having to peruse through my database.

Another thing I noticed on here is that it appears a lot of people are leaving raw files in the camera format of .cr2 .
I have gone to converting all files to .dng so that in the future if certain raw formats are no longer supported I will still be able to access and edit all of my old files without needing to convert to something else. digital negative is a universal format and will be supported long after raw versions for specific camera bodies.


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## WPJ (Dec 28, 2013)

Canon1, good idea on the dng convert, gave we had any camera raw support dropped yet to date?


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## privatebydesign (Dec 28, 2013)

Nonsense, that is just supposition, there is no indication whatsoever that DNG will outlive .CR2. But even if it does, .CR2 is not going to become unreadable or unconvertible overnight. Besides, the programs that convert the .CR2 to DNG will always support .CR2, and .CR (the Canon RAW format before .CR2) and TIFF, the Canon RAW format that predates them both.


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## WPJ (Dec 29, 2013)

privatebydesign said:


> Nonsense, that is just supposition, there is no indication whatsoever that DNG will outlive .CR2. But even if it does, .CR2 is not going to become unreadable or unconvertible overnight. Besides, the programs that convert the .CR2 to DNG will always support .CR2, and .CR (the Canon RAW format before .CR2) and TIFF, the Canon RAW format that predates them both.



I have also read that the ce2 to dng converter just put a wraper on the cr2 file so you still need to know the cr2


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Dec 29, 2013)

When importing using lightroom, its ok to put them into one folder, but religiously use key words. Many prefer to file by date and event, as well as using keywords.

There are as many opinions as there are photographers, and most will say to use what works for you. Lightroom is great for searching by many different parameters.


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## photo212 (Jan 6, 2014)

Pictures >> 2013 >> 13.07.04 (fireworks) >> img_1203.cr2 through img_####.cr2
edited images get renamed fireworks_1203.jpg (and *.psd) and placed in the same folder

Then later, when I'm looking for the original to fireworks_1203.jpg, I simply search on *1203.jpg and find it. Sure there are many other files matching, but chances are narrowed that any 1203 file is of a firework. Even if you specialize in fireworks, you'll be able to find that one original in a hurry.

File converters will be around for a long, long time. Your bigger problem is Photoshop not recognizing a newer file format on a new er camera, and having to use their CC as your only option.


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## alexturton (Jan 8, 2014)

On importing I organise my in folders lightroom as follows:

Top level (e.g. "Working")
year (e.g. "2013")
Month (e.g. "2013_09")
Day (e.g. "2013_09_15")

this way even if you view the folders outside of lightroom they are always in date order.

Then lightroom imports into each days folder. Within that folder I might sub sort into image type e.g. if I've been to the zoo I might separate out monkeys to birds.

Then once a batch of RAWS are editted I move the folder into a similar structure set of folders but under a "done" top level. On moving the folder I export all pictures to iPhoto as JPEGS. Periodically I move the "done" folder to a backup hard disk. 

I give pictures names in iPhoto when I upload them to flickr, but I never rename the files because I can't see the point/merrit


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