Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Step 12:
Below the Render Previews pop-up menu
is a checkbox you should turn on to keep
you from accidentally importing duplicates
(files with the same name), but right below
that is a checkbox that I feel is the most
important one: Make a Second Copy To,
which makes a backup copy of the photos
you're importing on a separate hard drive.
That way, you have a working set of photos
on your computer (or external drive) that
you can experiment with, change, and edit,
knowing that you have the untouched
originals (the digital negatives) backed up
on a separate drive. I just can't tell you
how important it is to have more than one
copy of your photos. In fact, I won't erase
my camera's memory card until I have at
least two copies of my photos (one on my
computer/external drive and one on my
backup drive). Once you turn on the
checkbox, click right below it and choose
where you want your backup copies saved
(or click the down-facing arrow on the
right to choose a recent location).
Step 13:
The next panel down is File Renaming,
which you use if you want to have your
photos renamed automatically as they're
imported. I always do this, giving my files
a name that makes sense (in this case,
something like Motocross, which makes
more sense to me than _DSC0399.NEF,
especially if I have to search for them).
If you turn on the Rename Files checkbox,
there's a pop-up menu with lots of differ-
ent choices. I like to give my files a name,
followed by a sequence of numbers (like
Motocross 001, Motocross 002, etc.), so
I choose
Custom Name - Sequence
, as
seen here. Just by looking at the list, you
can see how it will rename your files, so
choose whichever one you like best, or
create your own by choosing
Edit
at the
bottom of the menu (I take you through
that whole process on page 30).
