How do you do your image file numbering? One of my friend have a huge problem with this. You can view http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_mes...d=29971&page=1

I also do my file numbering according to the model or what I shoot. If its a dog, i number it Dog 1 ect. With models we sometime shoot 1000 images with diffrent settings as proffesional models cost a fortune.

How do you do yours? Why is file numbering a problem for some sites? I can not keep the file number because i shoot a lot and it resets every 10 000 images. It also very difficult if your uploading 200 images. Becomes a nightmare!

I prefix all my images that I will sell with my initials (JGS_) and then an image name, not usually numbers. Numbers would lose me. The file name and image name (also in the file info) are always the same for me.

Can be tough when you've got a lot of shots of the same model - catalogue numbers can get to be a real pain and very hard to remember them all. Somtimes I use the models name and date and then the pic number

like: JGS_chelsey0208-01 (so my initials, model name, date (0208) and pic number (-01).

If you use the same model again for a different shoot, the date would change - sometimes I use a location, but it can get hairy when you start putting too much data in the file name.

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I think that is not a bad idea.. Just that they don't want you to use the models name (or initials). I normally shoot the same model in 4 or 5 oufits or looks.. IceChina01 might work but i dont want to run the risk to have my account susspended! We spend days and days editing, keywording and uploading. :cry:

You can always give each model a code: WB27 could be woman, blond, age 27; MR21 (male, redhead, age 21) and then still use the date for each shoot and pic number so you'd get: WB27-0208-01

woman blond age 27, feb 8, pic 1

if you've got the WB27 code for a model named China you're all set. You can tell by the image number what date and who it is. Only problem is when you've got more than one blonde woman age 27, then code it with another number WB271-0208-01 could be a model named chelsey and WB27-0208-01 the model named china, both shot on the same day.

or some other thing like that. just make sure you don't give each one the same code. A pain I guess, but maybe easy enough to keep your own records for what code belongs to what model.

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I did do YBM but had to bring in a number because of the number of images so ended op YBM 23 , YBM 24 .. Young Businessman 27 ect.

So far I did not get any problems but don't want 1500 images online and then need to change them. Will break my heart. :cry:

ICE - I saw Forgiss' thread. Here's my thoughts on the whole matter...

It is really important to incorporate key words in with your photo title (not necessarily the file name). The reason is that most of the agencies use the photo title as part of the search. I try to use only 10 key words and I repeat the title in the key word section. If someone is doing a search, and one of the search terms match both a word in the title and a word in the key words, that photo will show up higher on the search results list.

Many of these search engines use an algorithm for retrieving search results - 2 word matches out of 12 will put your photo higher on the retrieval list than 2 word matches out of 30 (if you enter 30 key words).

Take a look at Photoeuphoria's pictures - most of the time Jaimie uses three words for the title and incorporates that in with key words.

Going back to the numbering thing...I use special software (Agave) to track my stock. All royalty free images start with RF. Then I assign a sequential number in a 5 digit field (you are limited to 99,999 numbers), then I have a two digit suffix that I correspond to a customer number. The software allows for duplicates so my initial photo is recorded as RF-00001-00. Say iStock is client #5 and I want to submit that photo to them. I create a duplicate number (so I can record a submission in the system) that results in RF-00001-05 so I can track submissions by agency. If the agency rejects the image, I log it in as a return, and I delete the duplicate from the system. This allows me to track top ten sellers, earnings per image, average earnings per image, etc.

For storing model releases, I us the prefix MR, then the corresponding same five digit number for the picture and a 00 suffix. I store releases in jpg format and put the model information in the IPTC data so I can query that models name.

Say the picture I submitted to iStock has a model release - this way I'll know that RF-00001-00 is associated with model release MR-00001-00 and that I submitted a duplicate of the picture to iStock (RF-00001-05). My duplicates are not new files, just a way to refer to them based on the original picture.

Sounds cumbersome but I've found it is very helpful if you're submitting to multiple entities.

Thanks. Where can I buy this software? I need it! :lol:

What is the full name. I have googled it but just want to make sure.Thks.

There are multiple companies that have a similar solution. It's a big investment and at first, I was really resisitent to the software (It's primarily designed for rights managed stock) but since I spent the money for it, I'm using it the best I can.

Most of the software is designed for slides and not digital (so you have to work around it) - Agave is working on a digital solution

Here's the link to the Agave software page...
http://www.prenticephoto.com/Agaveweb.htm

Here's another place I considered...
http://www.nscspro.com/

There are also freeware places that allow you to download software you can use for free (I think the Free Press Association web site has some links to other places). Unfortunately I didn't keep all of the links.

I'll keep looking around and post if I find more links.

Good Luck!

Thanks Eendicott, I found the site and saw they are releasing a "digital" format. Anything that makes your life better is worth investing in! :wink:

Found the other site (took me a while)....

http://www.hindsightltd.com/products/products.html

Good luck!