[Leica] Drowning in digital files

[jpphoto at hci.net (John Payne)]

Hello all,
Here's a snapshot of my workflow.  It works for me and allows me to keep the
images in several places at the same time.
After a wedding, portrait, etc, download images from CF card to G5 hard
drive.  A different folder for each card, the one folder to put the separate
folders into.  "Smith wedding" might contain d200 #1, d200 #2, d200 #3 if
the event had that much coverage.

Next, copy all that to a Lacie 250 gb external hard drive.

Then make a DVD copy

Then my cf card is ready to reformat.  Images are now in 3 locations

The folder on my mac harddrive, open all the images in PS.  This takes
longer I know but I like editing my images on a 20"screen where I can see
everything nice and big.  I manually list all the file #'s that customer
will see.

I now drag those #'s into a folder named, Smith d200 #1 edit or carter
engagement edit or what ever.  Duplicate that folder.

One folder says "carter engagement edit" and another says "carter engagement
edit/copy.

The "edit folder is where I again open the files, crop, curves, etc in PS
and save the changes made.  The "edit copy" folder stays untouched.  That's
where I will print from.

Burn the edit and edit copy folders to a cd, take down stairs to an I mac
connected to my printer and load them in and proceed to make contact sheets
as my customers tend to like looking at an evaluating prints.

Process didn't come from a book but evolved and has worked for the last 5
years.  All are filed according to customer name.

Best regards,
John Payne