Lesson 1 - File Organization
Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Okay Kellie, I know this isn't the fun stuff, but this lesson is SO IMPORTANT! Just ask Rick, he's even more severe than I am about not saving files on top of themselves. So please please PLEASE read this article before you jump on to anything else!

File Organization is very important. It helps you to find photos that you might look for (years) later, and it helps keep your original images (the pictures that are right out of your camera, before you have done ANYTHING to them) in pristine condition, ensuring that you will be able to do ANYTHING you want - from posting them to the web to printing them in life-size - later.

Set Up Your Folder System

To start, go to your Finder on your mac. It's the icon that looks like this little smiley guy. Then go File > New Finder Window. This will open a new file browser with lots of folders etc. in it. Go into your pictures.

Now I want you to create a new folder. Go to File > New Folder. Name it: 2008 Pictures

Go into your newly created 2008 Pictures folder. There will be nothing there.

Now create another new folder. Got to File > New Folder. Name it: 11 November 2008

Why do we name it 11 November 2008?

Well, 11 is the numerical representation of November. When we sort our folders (there will be more here later), your Mac will by default sort alphabetically. If we have a number before the name of the month, it will sort by that number - For example

01 January

02 February

03 March

04 April 

and so on and so forth.

Since we are in November, we will start here. On December 1st, I want you to go into your 2008 Pictures folder and create a new folder {File>New Folder} and name it 12 December 2008

On January 1 I want you to go up out of 2008 Pictures folder and create a new folder-2009 Pictures. In here you will begin the same system again.

Now - double click on your 11 November 2008 folder to go inside it. There should be nothing there.

Create another new folder [File>New Folder] and name it Original Images

The only thing that gets saved in this folder EVER are images straight from your camera or from someone who is giving them to you. You NEVER save Photoshop work in this folder. This is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, so always be consciencious of what you are doing.

Copy Files from Your Camera

Once your card reader is plugged into the computer, it will automatically detect in your finder. So go to your finder and then File > New Window. Look on the left hand column to find your card reader

Click on Image for larger view