Product photograph from the Shutterbug News archive. Shown as an equipment example, not a new test result.
A folder full of files named final, final-new and final-revised is difficult to trust. Give different stages of a photography project distinct roles so you can identify the source, the current edit and the delivered result without opening every file.
Define the stages
Keep original captures in a clearly named location. Store application-specific working material and layered master files where your editing workflow expects them, with a consistent project name. Use a separate delivery folder for the versions actually prepared for a client or publication.
Choose version labels that reveal a useful difference, such as a delivery date or revision number. Avoid changing names in ways that break your editor’s links to the originals. When moving files, use the application’s supported process where necessary and confirm that the project still opens correctly.
Record what was sent
Keep a short delivery note stating the date, destination, image count and relevant specifications. Preserve the exact exported set when repeat delivery matters. A later request for the same files should not require guessing which crop or size the client received.
Review the structure with an old project rather than redesigning it in the middle of an urgent job. The best system is one you can apply consistently and explain simply. Clear separation makes backups, revisions and handovers easier because each file has an understandable purpose, even after the details of the assignment have faded from memory.
Continue exploring
SanDisk Extreme 510 Portable SSD · Lightroom 9.5 adds Generative Expand and finer masking controls
