I am sorry that this video was too slow and too basic for you. Like you, I would have assumed that anyone using professional grade digital asset management software would already have a strong foundation in folders and sub-folders. Sadly, though I have found that many of my students, even those who are working at the professional level in photography, have very weak computer fundamentals.

Since this video didn’t thrill you, I hope that you will come back and watch some of our more advanced video tutorial (Hint: The more advanced, faster paced tutorials, are not labeled with the “beginner” tag!)

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David

File renaming is a tricky issue. Everyone has their own taste in filename. Before I explain my system I need to ask two questions? First, is your camera set up so that it is using a continuous file naming system? By continuous file naming system I mean a system in which the camera creates a unique filename for each and every click of the shutter even if you change batteries or memory cards? If your camera is not setup this way then it probably should be.

Second, how are you storing your photos? Are you dividing your images up into meaningful sub-folders hopefully based on the date of capture? If not are you trying to pack all of your images into a single folder? If you are using one big folder with no sub-folders and / or the wrong file naming system in the camera then the “files already exist in catalog” message makes sense since computers cannot store two files with the identical name in the same folder.

Now if neither of these suggestions solve your troubles, or if you have a legitimate reason why renaming your files will help, then the time and place to do so is on import. We want to setup a filename template in Lightroom’s import dialog so that your files are renamed as they are copied off the memory card. Renaming files after import gets messy especially if you are running an automated backup system (which you should be!) Renaming files post-import also gets ugly if you send files to clients. Imagine the mess if a client selects one of your images but because you have changed the files name at the wrong time and now have no idea which image they want to use!

The other thing that is essential in renaming is that your file name stays short enough to be readable and yet each file name needs to be unique. I use a file naming template on import which changes my filename’s to this “DavidMarxPhoto_(ImageNumber).” The (ImageNumber) here is a place holder so that Lightroom gives each and every file a unique serial number. The way I have things setup the first file was given the number “000001.” The second file was given the number “0000002″ and so on.

For more on this complex topic I recommend this article from Mikkel Aaland and this post on Filename Templates from Adobe Community Help.

best of luck,

David

I would love to do programs in the UK. Can you find me a sponsor and a venue? In the meantime though please keep checking in. Lots of new tutorials are in the works as we get ready for the release of Lightroom v3.

cheers,

David

It also could be that the file types aren’t recognized. Have you upgraded to version 2.4 (the latest version of Lightroom)?

Have you edited or moved the image files from outside of Lightroom?

-Scott

I should also have mentioned the fact that if I upload photo’s from a CF card they are numbered correctly but only appear as a grey rectangle. No picture at all.

Yes each has a ? some have a black rectangle some appear raised. Although I must say all photo’s have been available previously this situation has only just manifested its self.

Barry

It sounds like Lightroom isn’t sure where your actual image files are located. Are there little question mark icons on each image?

Here is a nice article on locating your missing images.

-Scott

-Scott

The real time format of the video is particularly interesting. Dealing with mistakes as they crop up, as we all seem to make, is helpful particularly when using Lightroom allows us to see how to quickly get back on tracki.

I’m hooked.

Manipulation of files, subfiles and metadata is next for me.

Peter