Renaming and Organising Photos for Your Video Editor: A Guide for Different Occasions

When working on a photo montage or video project, whether for a wedding, a special family event, a staff farewell, or any other occasion, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is sending a disorganised batch of photos to your video editor. This can lead to wasted time, increased costs, and a less satisfying final product. Preparation before submitting your images can save time, money, and frustration. One key step in this process is renaming your pictures in numerical order (1, 2, 3) and organising them into folders before submission.

Here's why it matters:

1. Rename Your Photos in Numerical Order (1, 2, 3, etc.)

Your video editor isn't a mind reader. If your photos are named "IMG_2043" or "DSC1001," it does not indicate their content. Renaming your images numerically (e.g., "1.jpeg," "2.jpeg," "3.jpeg") ensures they are placed in the correct sequence for your montage.

For example:

• Special Family Events: Photos might start from "1.jpeg" (e.g., family gathering) and go up in order (e.g., "2.jpeg," "3.jpeg" for group shots, etc.).

• Staff Farewells: Start with an image of the person and their colleagues, moving to speeches or final group pictures.

• Weddings: If multiple images will appear in a single frame, you can label the photos "1a.jpeg," "1b.jpeg," or "1c.jpeg."

  
  

This clear structure helps your editor understand your preferred order without unnecessary guesswork. If your photos are not numbered and the content is unfamiliar, it can take your editor days to rearrange them correctly, significantly delaying the project. For instance, if your photos are not in the right order, your editor may have to spend extra time rearranging them, which could delay the project by several days.

2. Organise Photos into Folders

Create and label folders before sending your photos to avoid confusion and mistakes. If this is for a wedding, special family event, or staff farewell, you might create a main folder named accordingly (e.g., "John's 40th Birthday" or "Sarah's Farewell"). Inside, create sub-folders for each event or activity:

• Special Family Event:

  • "Family Gathering"

  • "Group Photos"

  • "Special Moments"

  • "Celebrations"

• Staff Farewell:

  • "Farewell Speech"

  • "Group Shots"

  • "Company events "

• Wedding:

  • "Bride's Childhood Photos"

  • "Groom's Childhood Photos"

  • "Dating"

  • "Proposal"

  • "Prewedding photos"

    
    
    
    

This structure lets your editor quickly locate images and maintain a logical flow in your montage. Instead of randomly placing images, this organisation ensures your video tells a clear and compelling story.

3. Finalise Your Selection Before Submission

Making last-minute changes can delay your montage and increase editing costs. Before sharing your photos, take the time to:

• Go through each image to ensure you like how you look and that it fits the event's mood.

• Stick to your chosen selection instead of adding more photos after submission.

• Confirm the correct order to avoid unnecessary revisions.

  
  

For example, adding an extra photo of the office party after submission in a farewell video can cause delays, as your editor will have to fit it into the sequence. Similarly, adding photos of people not initially planned for in a family event video might disrupt the flow.

If you change your mind after editing has begun, your editor may need to rearrange the sequence, adjust transitions, or even alter the video's pacing. This slows down the process and may result in additional fees. If your photos are not numbered or unfamiliar to the editor, this can add days to the process, further increasing costs.

Remember, you are not just a photo provider. You are an integral part of the editing process. By taking the extra time to rename your photos numerically, organise them into folders, and finalise your selection before submission, you are making editing smoother and more efficient. You are ensuring your video editor can work quickly and effectively, and ultimately, producing a final montage you'll love.

In short, follow these three steps:

1. Rename your photos in order (1, 2, 3, etc.).

2. Organise them into clearly labelled folders.

3. Be sure of your selection before submitting.

   
   

Whether it's a wedding, special family event, staff farewell, or another special occasion, prepare your files properly to save time, reduce stress, and receive montages without unnecessary delays. Now, armed with this knowledge, go ahead and start organising your photos for your next video project!