Finished Product Files (Post-Editing)

[ElizabethM]

Hello folks!
I hope my title is on the right track, I wasn't really sure what it's called.

But here's my question: After you're finished with a cilent and that specific project. What files do you keep? I have the PSD obviously, but also various other TIFF files when I was showing the cilent some samples or edits I've made per their request. Do you keep those work in project files too, or just simply the PSD?

Please advice, because I could really use it! Haha

Sincerely,
I got too much junk in my folders. :biglaff:

 

[Tom Mann]

My general feeling on this is that storage is now ridiculously inexpensive, so one should err on the side of keeping a few too many files vs keeping too few.

My personal approach is to keep the PSD file, or files, if, say, the development path split into two different approaches. At minimum, I certainly want to be able to recreate a particular image, should that ever be necessary at some point in the future. So this part of my directory structure might look like:
root/project1/PSDs/base_image,
root/project1/PSDs/BW_with_fake_frame,
root/project1/PSDs/tryptich,
etc.

In each of these directories, I would include a JPG of the final result of that particular approach / product. This allows me, at some point in the future, to quickly look at each and see if it's what I need.

In addition, under the directory for the overall project, I will also make subdirectories with the names of clients to whom I have sent particular variants of the base image, eg,
root/project1/proofs_to_couple,
root/project1/to_university_newsletter,
root/project1/to_microstock_agency1,
etc.

In each of these directories, I keep a copy of exactly what I sent each of these organizations / clients. This way, I can always tell exactly what I have sent out to each client. In addition, having these files may save me from having to regenerate a particular variant, should the need arise.

If there are many photos for a particular project, eg, engagement, wedding, reception, you may need to insert another intermediate directory layer to further segregate the various phases of the project.

Finally, I should add that I make extensive use of the "stars" and "color" rating systems (say, in Lightroom or other DAM programs) to allow me to quickly pick out the top images, or the images I haven't used yet, or whatever I want within each of the above directories.

While the above may sound a bit obsessive and time consuming, (a) it's really not, once you get into the hang of doing things this way; and, (b) the system pays off handsomely in terms of image recall, reuse, and even re-purposing.

Just my $0.02,

Tom M

 

[ElizabethM]

Wow, you have clearly thought beyond what I was even expecting. I have so much to learn! Haha

I don't have a PSD of each different variation I made. When a design was confirmed, I would clear up the others that I didn't need anymore, but I'll take note to maybe keep it for referencing in the future.

The advice of saving everything you send to the cilent is also extremely useful. Actually much as this is a process I have to get used to doing, your entire answer was plenty helpful. I now know what to keep and what to do in the future!

Thanks for your two cents, Tom!