Name the project folder once
Use an unambiguous date followed by a short project label: 2026-09-01_maker-catalogue, for example. ISO-style dates sort correctly and avoid confusion between day-first and month-first formats. Keep the label lowercase and use hyphens or underscores consistently.
Inside the project, separate camera originals, working files, and delivery exports. Do not rename or reorganize the originals after the first verified copy. Editing software can maintain its own catalogue, but the folders should remain understandable without it.
Keep derivatives descriptive
Export names should tell you what changed. A useful pattern includes the selected frame identifier, purpose, dimensions, and version: HL_024_web-1600_v02.jpg. Avoid words such as final-final or new. A version number is dull and dependable.
Deliver only the formats the recipient needs, and keep a text note describing color space, dimensions, sharpening, and delivery date. This prevents a social-media export from later being mistaken for the master file.
- originals/ — untouched camera files
- work/ — layered edits and catalogue data
- exports/ — replaceable delivery files
- notes.txt — scope, color, dimensions, and handoff date
Use more than one copy
A folder is not backed up merely because it is on an external drive. Keep multiple copies on different devices, and keep at least one copy in another physical location or a reputable cloud service. Periodically test that files can be read instead of trusting a green status icon.
For important archives, record checksums so silent corruption or an incomplete transfer can be detected. The method matters less than the habit: copy, verify, and only then format a card or remove the temporary source.
Document the system for another person
Write a one-page archive map that explains the folder pattern, backup locations, catalogue software, and how to restore a project. Store a printed copy with essential records and a digital copy at the archive root.
A durable archive is one another person can interpret. Clear names and ordinary folders are not glamorous, but they survive software changes and forgotten routines better than undocumented cleverness.