Do you save images w/original image # or new name...

[PurpleQuest]

Hi,
I would love some advice on the best system of naming and saving images from the original download through the edit process. Currently, I immediately save all the originals in a dated folder in my pictures main folder and then a backup copy of them in a zip folder that is backed-up to a hard drive and the cloud.
After that, I start editing the downloads saved in my pictures folder but it gets messy because I never have time to do it all at once so I do a save as and end up with too many pictures and a lot of confusion.
First of all, what is the best way of saving new images? Do you download and use the image number from the camera such as, (8642_babypic) or do you immediately rename the photo and start with the 1,2,3 number sequence such as (babypic_001) or (001_babypic).
After you do edits and corrections, do you rename the image or just add a word to signify it has been edited?
Last of all, do you save the edited versions in the same folder with the originals or use a separate folder?
Sorry this was so long but my folders are a mess so any help on organization will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
PQ

[WooD]

After a shoot, I'll load the images on my PC, then back them up on my laptop, and 2 portable drives.

I create a folder like 02-24-2011 Olena, then I'll add a sub folder to that one for the pics I plan on editing, and I'll add a second sub folder named complete for the finished pictures.

When I open a image up in photoshop, I'll duplicate it, and save it with an "e" added to the file name, like KFP_0714 e. Then I'll use that copy to edit. Sometimes I'll crop the same image in a couple different ways. In that case the cropped image will be KFP_0714 ec.

[BigFuzzy]

I always rename the file something like this 20110225_descriptive_name_#
And I always put each shoot in a different folder named very similarly (without the # naturally).
The reason I use this naming system (which i got from the military), is that when you sort your folders by name, it will always be chronological order.

Lightroom does that all for me on import.

EDIT: as for the editing question.. I use LR, so I don't save copies until I need to export for a reason. And when I do, I export all processed images into a new folder created in the original folder called "processed_finals" so that they're separate from the original RAW files to keep that folder nice and clean. Then there's no need to rename the image so i can easily find the original if needed.

[Elmo]

I prefer to retain the camera generated numbers and copy them to three places.

An external hard drive (drives are swapped out weekly and the one not in use is stored off site..
on a drive in my desktop
in an "in" directory on my "c" hard drive

When I convert from raw (from "in" directory) the are stored in various directories with descriptive names for final PP. Images are deleted from the "in" directory after conversion.

Every time a "bulk" directory contains enough to fill a DVD a DVD is burned an a new bulk directory is started. The "bulk" directories are kept in a directory for the specific camera used.

DVD's are stored off site.

[velvet4269]

Camera --> Desktop --> Folder by Location --> Folder by Year --> Folder by Month --> Folder by Date. I typically keep the same file name. When I edit, I'll add a "b" to the end of the file name before the .jpg.

I also store on 3 different external hard drives, one of which is stored off-site.

[jdepould]

Lightroom, rename on import:

Folder = YYYYMMDD_customname

Files = customname_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS[-sequence # if necessary]

[Thunder_o_b]

I keep the file name throughout the processes. I subdivide the finished pictures into subject files.

[sk66]

Original filename. I use lightroom so that keeps images in order by both sequence and date. (I have my camera name files with my initials SKxxxx)

Edited photos go with the original if exported from lightroom (usually stacked)