Naming your photos

[jsecordphoto]

Lately I've had some people requesting to buy prints, and everyone is asking me why I don't name my photos, because it would make it easier when ordering instead of saying "oh the one with the dock" or whatever.I always feel like its really corny whatever name I come up with. how do you come up with names for your photos?

 

[KmH]

I usually choose a title that relates in some fairly obvious way to image content.
For some of the series I have done I have used a sequential titling system.

I only title my fine art images.
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/general-gallery/342543-incense-smoke.html

 

[480sparky]

I find its easier to sell an image called Western Vista than DSC_6245.

 

[jsecordphoto]

I find its easier to sell an image called Western Vista than DSC_6245.

Of course. Up to this point I've just been putting the town the photo was from, or a general location like "so and so lake"

 

[minicoop1985]

I can't name for crap, so I tend to use the most obvious name I possibly can. Hence things like "Cutting through the fog," which was some windmills doing just that, and "Orion," which happens to be a picture of.... Orion. Crafty, I know.

 

[DiskoJoe]

you dont name a photo. A photo is a piece of artwork and thus deserves a title, not a name. The title can be useful for search capabilites to as sparky was referring to.

 

[480sparky]

you dont name a photo. A photo is a piece of artwork and thus deserves a title, not a name. The title can be useful for search capabilites to as sparky was referring to.

Those are keywords.

 

[jsecordphoto]

you dont name a photo. A photo is a piece of artwork and thus deserves a title, not a name. The title can be useful for search capabilites to as sparky was referring to.

You sound like my english professor in college, I didn't need a C&C of my question's wording just a legitimate answer of HOW you go about giving your photos ​titles

 

[Light Guru]

I find its easier to sell an image called Western Vista than DSC_6245.

Of course. Up to this point I've just been putting the town the photo was from, or a general location like "so and so lake"

That's a good start. I like follow the pattern Ansel Adams used.

description, location, year

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansel_Adams#Notable_photographs

Sometimes the description is a more specific part of the location. For example.
Snyder Creek, Glacier National Park 2013

 

[TCampbell]

I find its easier to sell an image called Western Vista than DSC_6245.

I've seen a Western Vista. I know what they look like.

I've never seen a DSC_6245 and find I am intrigued and eager to find out what it is. Where should I mail the check?

:mrgreen:

 

[480sparky]

I find its easier to sell an image called Western Vista than DSC_6245.

I've seen a Western Vista. I know what they look like.

I've never seen a DSC_6245 and find I am intrigued and eager to find out what it is. Where should I mail the check?

:mrgreen:

A DSC_6245 looks an awful lot like DCS_6244, and isn't too far from where I took a photo of a DSC_6246.


Pfft. Checks are so.......... 1990's. I can do PayPal, or a CC over the phone. :mrgreen:

 

[AceCo55]

I shoot sports so I quickly rack up a lot of files.
My naming system has 3 elements: Reverse date (YYMMDD), the sport and grade/level, file number
Examples:
130621FA_046 (Taken on June 21st, 2013 / A Grade football / image number 46 .... and because there is no suffix it is an "original"/untouched file)
130718N17_021e (Taken on 18th Juky, 2013 / Under 17 Netball / image 21 and the "e" tells me it is the edited version)
130718N17_021ers (Same as above but this is a resized version of edited photo 21)
The reverse date means they will automatically sort in sequence; Date plus sport and level means all the photos of a particular team can be quickly found; the suffix (and I use more codes than shown here gives me an idea of what I have done to the image without opening it). If someone gives me a filename, I can quickly find it.
Works for me but clearly it won't suit lots of others ... especially if you are looking for a fancy descriptive name.