How do you store your files / RAWs?

[bigtwinky]

As someone new to photography, I’m starting to find it daunting with all these files laying around.

I have a single folder where I dump my original RAWs.
I have multiple folders where I store worked on images. Some are by theme (ie Halloween 2008) others are for random shots (products, portraits, ‘scapes,…)

I find I’m ping ponging through different directories.

I’m curious to know if anyone has a “system” to store and sort their photographs?

Thanks for reading!

 

[christm]

I use iPhoto and albums within it, however I hope to get Lightroom or Aperture soon. Which one though !! ?

 

[Sw1tchFX]

I keep everything categorized form what camera was used, then by place, then theme, and then all the RAW's go in there. when I do post, I make a subfolder where the RAW's are and label it EDIT, then within that I have another folder called SHOW that has resized and watermarked pictures for web. Seems to work great for me, if I need anything else more specific like dates, I go into lightroom.

so for example, My Pictures/Digital Media/D700/Portland/Columbia Gorge/EDIT/DSC_05436.TIFF

 

[Big Mike]

Every time I off load a card or cards, I create a folder with the date. A have a few different places for those folders, depending on the type of shoot (personal, photo shoots, weddings etc). The RAW files go into the folder, then when I convert the ones I want, they go into a 'converted' sub folder. From there, I'll either work on those or maybe save a working copy (PSD files) in a 'work' sub folder. I'll then have folders for 'print' and 'web' where I save copies of images for those purposes.

 

[bigtwinky]

So it seems the more experienced people are doing subfolders within subfolders, all under one main area.

Interesting. Thankfully I have a very limited number so far, so trying to get a proper system going before I have way more to manage is my goal.

Thanks for the ideas.

 

[Big Mike]

It doesn't necessarily have to be folders in folders in folders. One folder with the date, and in there are several others (converted, work, print, web etc).

This works well if I know what date to look for, when looking for photos. I sometimes also add a title to the folder name.

There are plenty of programs that can make it easier to tag and search your images. Picassa is one that comes to mind.

 

[Ccauceg]

After every shoot i do, I put it in a named folder with a date and some sort of note to help remind me. For sure start to organzie now when you dont have alot of images. You will regret it when u have to organize 1000 photos.
Recently I have been using Lightroom and the program is awsome for organizing photos and finding them.

 

[matt-l]

One Folder where all my worked on RAW shots go and then backed up to CD once a month and dated folders for the un-worked shots.

 

[table1349]

I treat my raw files like I did negatives. All raw images from a shoot goes into an individual sub folder by name and date. Those folders are created in the proper main folder by type, portrait, sports, landscape etc. Inside the individual sub folder is a secondary sub folder for the processed shots. Takes a couple of extra seconds at download time but retrieval at a later date is very fast and simple.

 

[STICKMAN]

I have them all in my "my photos folder" then each shoot is on a folder with its name and date as the folder name. Within that folder will be a sub folder named wmrs for watermarked resized.

I then have the my photos folder on my laptop, my desktop, a portable hardrive and a mybook external harddrive. There in 4 places, never a worry. Might be a little overkill but better safe then sorry as many of my photos are emergency services photos such as fires and accidents. Theres no retaking these if there lost.

 

[SnakeVnzl]

yeah, just folders with the date.

i hate aperture, it has a stupid private DB to save the files.

 

[dwol]

I usually store my pictures in order of when they were taken, so I have 12 folders from January - December, then within each folder i have folders named by the year and the date. e.g. 2008-01Nov, 2008-02Nov.

I find this easier for me, though it depends on the way you think . . .

 

[phoenix_rising]

External WD Mybook hard drive.

 

[Patm1313]

I classify them by subject. One might be "Family" another "Structures" and so on. I normally keep all of these in my "My Pictures" folder. When I upload pics, I upload them to the "My Pictures" folder and then name each set of pictures accordingly by location or event. I then separate the pics into each folder.

 

[rom4n301]

i just store everything by dates except film shots, i just have a separate folder for all my film shots