How to manage multiple versions (resized) of the same image?

[bigtwinky]

I believe this is the right section for this.....

This is a question more about workflow with the various file sizes I end up having. As my photography catalogue is building, I'm starting to see more and more repetition and I'm trying to find ways to improve said workflow.

Question: How do you all manage the various resized versions of the same file? Or do you manage them at all?

Here is what I currently do:
- I have folders and subfolders by category and then by date (C:\Photography\Events\20091031 Take Two Dance Show\)
In this main folder, I save all my RAWs

- I then create a subfolder for all the images I work on / the keepers. Its called...<drum roll>...work (C:\Photography\Events\20091031 Take Two Dance Show\work)
In here go all my full sized JPGs with edits, whether they are done in Photoshop, Lightroom or what not.

- I then create a subfolder for all the images again than I put online. (C:\Photography\Events\20091031 Take Two Dance Show\work\web)
In here go all the resized images that are in the WORK subfolder.

So I end up with the same image in the main folder, full JPG of the keepers in the WORK folder and resized versions in the WEB folder.

Is this similar to what others do?
Do you keep the web sized versions you have after you have uploaded them to your website/flickr/smugmug/facebook/TPF/.../?
I keep them for now as this is my main way of knowing images that have been uploaded so I dont do repeats.

I went back to some older catalogued images to see if there were some that I had skipped over or forgot to do more work to. And I did find a few. So in going back, I was requestionning my folder strategy.

Thanks for any input!

 

[Big Mike]

Is this similar to what others do?

That sound pretty much what I do. Except that my 'work' files might be PSD or TIFF files, with layer intact etc. Those files get to be huge, so I only keep them for a while before I delete them.

 

[Overread]

Same for me - but I do like Mike does and save as PSD these days - that way its much easier to go back and touchup the editing if needed or make a resized JPEG for a different use (like background for my computer or somesuch). I also have a series of different websized folders - one for 1000pixels on the longest side as standard and then others for other sizes (some sites I upload to only accept 600pixels for example or if i make a 100% crop of an image)

The only difference I have to this is when working with RAW files and doing an image stack - I then have an additinal keepers folder with the first processing of the RAWs for hte stack into TIFFs - I then stack them and keep the result as normal.

 

[SiimKinnas]

Perhaps I'm not being helpful, but doesn't Apple's Aperture software automatically store different versions of the same file in one container? As I can see, you're probably using a PC, so I guess that really didn't help, at all. But otherwise, having a PSD and creating a few macros os Actions to automate some common tasks would probably be the best bet, both workflow and data-storage-space-wise.

 

[MACollum]

I stopped keeping full-res JPGs. For printing, I just resize to the size of the print I want. I usually only print 4x6 with the occasional 8x10 so any JPGs I have are either 1800x1200 (for 4x6), 3000x2400 (for 8x10) or 600x400 (for web size). If I need something else, I go back to the RAW file and crop/resize for what I want. I started doing this to save on space that was being wasted to accomodate the redundant files.

 

[Christie Photo]

My sub folders are RAW, TIF, JPG, WEB and ORDER. I seldom make the JPG folder. It's for the times I email a proof to a client.

I create tiffs from my RAW files. From those, I make jpgs for the WEB folder.

When portrait selections are made, I retouch the original tif file and rename when saving. Within the TIF folder, I often have two files of the same image, for example:
IMG_5652.tif and IMG_5352_ret.tif
The retouched file (ret) is just what you'd expect.

Finally, I save the retouched files as jpg to my ORDER folder. This make it simple to find the files to upload to the lab.

Periodically, each job folder with all the sub folders are written to DVD for filing and deleted from the hard drives.

-Pete

 

[Christie Photo]

I suppose I should add that my job folders are given a four-digit name. This number matches the invoice number generated in Quickbooks. The DVDs are filed sequentially by job number.

So when a reorder occurs, I retrieve the number from Quickbooks and pull the file. I will also file any proofs or related documents in the same envelope with the DVDs.

-Pete

 

[Skaperen]

I have a background program that generates all the sizes I have listed for it, for all saved photos. Some day that will fill up the disk space so I will have to reconsider then. For now, the sizes are all the standard computer display sizes, plus double widths, so the photos can be backgrounds, plus some 3:2 sizes that just fit inside the standard computer display sizes.

Now, if you know how to change URLs, you can figure out the sizes I use from this one:

 

[lvcrtrs]

Since I don't do bazillions of photos like you pros do, I pretty much have two folders for everything. The main one for originals and the edits. And a sub for resized photos. When i resize I rename the file with either 800 or 1000 (Eagle w fish 2345 resized 800) at the end so I know at a glance what I did. It's quick and easy if i want to send pics out to friends and loved ones.

Folder eg.
Conowingo Dam 11-22-09
Conowingo Dam 11-22-09 resized

I always leave the camera assigned file number intact and add a bit to the edits so I kinda know what I did to the pic since I don't save as PSD.
eg.
Eagle w fish 2345 light 25 cont 15 sharp 100

This probably would be too much for people who have to work with a lot of photos.

 

[kkamin]

My subfolders are:
-camera_originals (jpegs & RAW)
-post_processing (.psd work files)
-temp_gallery (resized, watermarked jpegs for client's online gallery, not much processing)
-finals_for_printer (jpegs ready for WHCC)

I use Bridge's label feature to mark the files as:
-proof (I approved the image to show client)
-client approved
-supporting_element (if I need to use part of this image to complete another image)
-production_shot (something I may give to a Client for free, showing them in the photo studio environment with stylists tending to them-I initally take the photo to gauge the lighting or see how the model is reading)
-reprint (don't ask)

When my drive fills up I will copy Clients work to 2 external drives for storage. I'm not a hoarder in real life, but with files, I like to keep everything for some reason.

Thought I would share, probably not the best organization, but it is working ok.