So frustrated... I need to figure out a folder structure!

Just to chime back in... I'm not looking for a "PERFECT" solution (well maybe I am, but I also know there isn't one... heh) but MAINLY I don't want to be 100% tied down to lightroom forever. Tags and such get into the files - that's fine, but a lot of it is proprietary and if I stop using lightroom I instantly undo LOTS of organization... at least with folders I have a (fairly) solid base to work off.

Having a somewhat organized folder structure also allows me to do something like fire up picasa and VERY QUICKLY browse through photos and such..

I'd recommend getting the Video Tutorial on DAM at Luminous Landscape.
http://luminous-landscape.com/videos/w​amp.shtml

Lots of very good workflow tips, and it has certainly helped me sort out the mess I had with my pictures.

kaitlyn2004 wrote in post #8898843
Just to chime back in... I'm not looking for a "PERFECT" solution (well maybe I am, but I also know there isn't one... heh) but MAINLY I don't want to be 100% tied down to lightroom forever. Tags and such get into the files - that's fine, but a lot of it is proprietary and if I stop using lightroom I instantly undo LOTS of organization... at least with folders I have a (fairly) solid base to work off.

Having a somewhat organized folder structure also allows me to do something like fire up picasa and VERY QUICKLY browse through photos and such..

If you use DNG (or jpg or other post-processed format depending on options chosen) any keywords and metadata applied is saved within the file and available to other programs if you choose to use them, including Picasa which supports keywords. I don't believe that would apply if you save the metadata in sidecar files, though I'd welcome more expert input on that.

Bottom line is that it's hard to beat a metadata/keyword based approach as opposed to complex folder structures. Some simple folder structures expecially that can be applied automatically on import does make sense to me.

This is a really good article by Martin Evening discussing how Lightroom does things and the various options: http://www.peachpit.co​m …es/article.aspx​?p=1211707

Ultimately of course it's a personal choice!

davidcrebelxt wrote in post #8898799
So I wasn't blind afterall? Makes me feel better.
Do you have a brief walkthrough of how to do that in LR2? Been wanting to do that for awhile... I just started dumping everything from this year into a single 2009 folder, as I was tired of having one for every single day... 12 per year is much more manageable.

Try this for size: http://www.lightroomfo​rums.net/index.php?top​ic=3989.0
(hope it's ok to post this link; it is another forum, but it's the best explanation)

Some really good reading. I don't mean to derail this thread with a follow-up question, but perhaps it addresses some additional considerations people may have... what do you do with your files once you're "done" with them?

In looking over the replies to the OP, I'm happy with how my structure is now (it's very similar to many of the ideas posted) -- but the files reside on my [laptop's] internal HD (backed up externally). I'm not a professional, so I don't really just turn things over and rid myself of the work, but since I do use Lightroom, I can't really just edit the ones that I want to edit and then move them to a larger external (not the backup, but a third drive) and expect to still use Lr as my cataloging tool, since now the files themselves have changed locations. The motivation for this discussion, of course, is that I will eventually fill up my laptop hard drive and I'll need to either continue my catalog on two separate drives or move the exiting files to a larger drive.

kaitlyn2004 wrote in post #8888861
So I think I'm making this a much bigger deal than it needs to be, but still!

I need to find a folder structure that I can use across Lightroom, Picasa and Windows Explorer!

I currently put my pictures in:
<path to>\Pictures\Dated\yy.mm.​dd - Event name

This works fine, but it doesn't work when I take "random" photos... like of my dogs or "one off shots" of something I might see that is interesting. Also not sure how to handle multi-day events (like a weekend)

I am NOT a professional photo who goes out on paid projects or anything. It's all personal photos and such.

I would appreciate someone helping me out and helping me figure out a folder structure that will work once and for all!

Thanks!

For me, I structure the photos this way:

Country/State/Location name/IMGxxxx.CR2 (or whatever comes out of the camera)

Why? cos when u view it across bridge, you can use "show all items in the subfolder" option and filter/sort it with date in the exif informationo.

So I find arranging it with date just useless.

tigerotor77w wrote in post #9011592
I do use Lightroom, I can't really just edit the ones that I want to edit and then move them to a larger external (not the backup, but a third drive) and expect to still use Lr as my cataloging tool, since now the files themselves have changed locations.

If you move the files from within Lightroom, then it'll keep track of where they are and they'll still be accessible. Doing this is much easier if you follow this excerpt from Victoria Bampton's excellent book.

you might want to try lightroom...

These threads always make me think how short sided the date as root folders are. Do you organize all your documents that way? I think it really works well for about a year, then what?

Are you going to remember 8 years from now something should be in a folder that was taken four years ago in May? Likely not.

I go with the grouping idea and main subject. So there is an animal folder with pets, zoo, birds, etc, There is a Family folder with my children and wife as subfolders then everyone else unless they rate a folder too.

If I have a picture of my son and his dog, I decide what the image is really about. Usually go for the people element over the animal.

But also, if Picasa can't find it - it isn't there ... ;=) I have over a 100,000 images between wife and I and it is working so far.

Zazoh wrote in post #9016178
These threads always make me think how short sided the date as root folders are. Do you organize all your documents that way? I think it really works well for about a year, then what?

Are you going to remember 8 years from now something should be in a folder that was taken four years ago in May? Likely not.

I go with the grouping idea and main subject. So there is an animal folder with pets, zoo, birds, etc, There is a Family folder with my children and wife as subfolders then everyone else unless they rate a folder too.

If I have a picture of my son and his dog, I decide what the image is really about. Usually go for the people element over the animal.

But also, if Picasa can't find it - it isn't there ... ;=) I have over a 100,000 images between wife and I and it is working so far.

The huge difference between a traditional "folder" structure and a catalog system like Lightroom is that you really don't care where your pictures are because Lightroom finds them for you, as long as you use its capabilities - e.g. keywords, collections, smart collections etc.

You could in fact throw all your pictures into one huge folder and not have any subfolders underneath and you would still find your pictures in a heart beat with Lightroom. I totally stay away from naming my folders I use the capture date - that's it. Everything else, sorting, rating searching etc. is done within Lightroom. No more "Bridge" for me. My starting point is ALWAYS Lightroom. Each picture is being key worded and each shoot is being rated, labeled etc. It really takes very little time to do. Once that's done, I can organize my pictures in which-ever way I want.

5Dmaniac wrote in post #9016333
You could in fact throw all your pictures into one huge folder and not have any subfolders underneath and you would still find your pictures in a heart beat with Lightroom.

Glad someone said it out loud......I actually thought about doing this but wouldn't the search take some time if done like that?

I thought I had my stuff organized ok but after reading this thread I don't know anymore.

5Dmaniac wrote in post #9016333
You could in fact throw all your pictures into one huge folder and not have any subfolders underneath and you would still find your pictures in a heart beat with Lightroom. I totally stay away from naming my folders I use the capture date - that's it. Everything else, sorting, rating searching etc. is done within Lightroom. No more "Bridge" for me. My starting point is ALWAYS Lightroom. Each picture is being key worded and each shoot is being rated, labeled etc. It really takes very little time to do. Once that's done, I can organize my pictures in which-ever way I want.

True, but you'd still want to name your files in a 'meaningful' way: (I use rhd_YYYYMMDD_event.CR2​) That way if someone wants an image, I can find it easily, instead of looking what image named "IMG_1234" they might want

Also: You want something that'll still work when your LR catalog corrupts. So either back that up, or export metadata back to files, or use a good folder-naming sceme.

hollis_f wrote in post #9012555
If you move the files from within Lightroom, then it'll keep track of where they are and they'll still be accessible. Doing this is much easier if you follow this excerpt from Victoria Bampton's excellent book.

I'll give that a shot. I hadn't considered using Lr as my file manager for photos -- good point!