A good program to rename photos?

[ShoelessOne]

Well, i have already taken near 2000 photos and i haev only had my camera for a week or so. Given about 400 of those are just tests (seeing how many phtos i can take at different resolutions in a row, etc, etc). Still, I have quite a few. Anyway, i am not very organized, and so i have all of my photos dumped into one folder. I would like to start organizing them however, and would like to know the best way to re-title them (something like "mom_and_me_at_school" as apposed to "2002_09_25", etc). Also, is that a bad idea to do that? Im looking for a program so that i can get a thumbnail (or full) of the picture, type in the name, hit enter, and go to the next file. Else wise it will take me ours.

also, on a side note, i have been currious as to how many pictures taken are good enough to keep, on average. For me, normally (and to be honest) if i take 40 pictures only about 10 (if not less) are auctually quality with proper focus/lighting. I just got my camera, but generally speaking, what would you say?


thanks lots

[mjmcgarry]

Picture names - Keep original copies of the files with their original names, i.e. IMG_2001.JPG. Also, mark them read only.

Pictures that you want to work with, email, post on the web, etc. call them whatever you wish when you copy them. That way, if you are editing and make a mistake, you still have the original.

For cataloging, a lot of people who post to this forum use Breeze Browser (http://www.breezesys.com). I use ACDSee (http://www.acdsystems.com/english/index.html).

As for how many throw aways there are, a lot of it depends on you and the environment where you take your picture. My best advise is to take more than you think, such as taking three shots of the same thing and only keep the ones you like. Also, learn about bracketing if you don't already know what that is. With digital, there is no extra cost for all the extra pictures. Well, excet for needing a larger or extra memory cards. But they are re-usable!

[ajax]

I use Windows Explorer to rename my files or use FILE | SAVE AS in my editing software.

I applaud you for trying to think of a orginization method now, rather than scratching your head a year later like I am doing.

I started making directories [or folders] each starting with the word PIX, followed by the location, followed by month and year [eg, PIX_beach_Oct2002]. Of course the problem is I now have about 12 directories of the beach, and when I want to find a particular photo, I have to try to remember what month it was taken. Not so gooood!

For each directory, I create a subdirectory where I store all the orignal photos and leave them with the file name assigned by the camera. All the resized or edited files go in a different subdirectory with a descriptive name.

Good luck....if you come up with the perfect system, I hope you will share it. I'm struggling!

[henkbos]

I am using the following workflow:
- copy all pics into YYMM_Place directory\RAW
- convert all RAW files with YarcPlus and store these in
YYMM_Place\TIFF
- process all TIFF files with Fred's actions and store these in TIFF-format in YYMM_Place\processed
- edit files in PS and store these in TIFF-format in YYMM_Place\Finished

So far no lack of disk space yet, but if neessary the processed ones are the ones to go first, folowed by the ones in the TIFF-directory.

[teekay]

I use a program called RENAMEWIZ as I nearly always want to rename image files en masse after a photo shoot since Canon's numbering doesn't suit me.

It allows great flexibility in renaming files by batch and has a useful "simulation" feature to look at the results of a complex renaming operation before you actually do the job.

[mjmcgarry]

I have recently upgraded to ACDSee 5.0 and it has an easy to use batch renaming function. It too will let you see the new filenames before you apply them.

[Inactive user 07]

THE Rename is one of the best freeware renaming programs out there, beats many commercial products in features and usability.

[GOVA]

I have to recommend InfranView. It is an absolute gem among several graphics programs/utilities.

It is a freeware, which makes it even more sweet.
It has very robust and user friendly rename options. Moreover, it provides loose-less jpeg rotation and the newest version is compatible with Canon CRW files.

Good Luck,
GOVA

[petly]

Henkbos

I have been given an canon Power Shot digital camera and being fairly new to computing and totally new to digital cameras i was looking for a method to process and store my shots. i follow slightly your workflow and it appears to have logic but it would help if you could explain the process in terms suited to a novice, ie,RAW?,YarcPlus?, Freds's actions? why TIFF format?not JPG!, edit files in PS, whats PS?, etc. Your comments would help a novice start off on the right foot! Thanks. Gaia

[Leighow]

ShoelessOne wrote:
also, on a side note, i have been currious as to how many pictures taken are good enough to keep, on average .... what would you say?



Take and keep what appeals to you. But (I think) that you should also be trying to decide what you want your image interests to be.Then, at file the best for review and to guide your evolution.

That being said I shot about 1, 000 to 2,000 images of the woods in Canada (total) last year. I consider that 3 to 5 are as good as I will ever shoot and another 95 are keepers for the time bing and for the record and memory lane. But they all look old today. Time for some new takes and time to give my monitor a new background.

Read down this post about the experience of a great landscape photographer who shot 1800 in a week and take a look at his best pics. http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3604#15434

[Jon, The Elder]

I use ACDSee 7.0 - it does what you want and SO much more, quckly and easily. Top Notch all-around program. An excellent investment for long term use.

Buy cheap and you will buy Twice (guaranteed).

[thomascanty]

Adobe Bridge has a pretty impressive renaming function. Of course, you have to have Photoshop CS2 to get Bridge.

[gasrocks]

BatchRename is free and I use it everyday.

[Halliday]

I rename them either in RawShooter or CS.