How to match client-selected filenames to your original photos.
The safest selection handoff is simple: preserve the filename from preview to client choice, then use that exact identifier to find the working original.
Do not rename client previews unless you keep a reliable mapping. Preserve stable filenames, confirm the client selection once, and use the resulting filename set to locate the originals that actually need editing.
1. Start with a stable identifier
A filename such as DSCF1510.JPG or IMG_4092.JPG can act as the bridge between the client-facing preview and the photographer’s source file. The extension may differ from the RAW original, but the base identifier should stay recognizable and consistent.
2. Avoid decorative renaming
Names like final-choice-01.jpg may look neat to a client, but they destroy the simplest connection to the source folder. If branding or export settings require different display names, maintain an explicit mapping behind the scenes rather than relying on memory.
3. Collect one confirmed selection set
The photographer needs a definitive set of choices, not several partial messages. Once the client submits, store the selected filenames as the project handoff. If changes are allowed later, keep the revision history clear so there is only one current working set.
4. Locate originals using the filename set
Use the selected identifiers to search, filter or otherwise locate the matching originals in your existing workflow. GaliVue keeps filename continuity through the project; the exact way you act on that list depends on your editing software and file organization.
5. Keep final upload matching predictable
When edited files return to the project, consistent naming makes automated or assisted matching more reliable. If a filename changes during editing, the photographer should be able to correct the match manually rather than losing the selection relationship.
What to avoid
- Renaming previews without a mapping
- Using screenshot-only selections
- Mixing several different filename conventions in one project
- Assuming a client will type complex filenames correctly
- Promising a direct editing-software integration when your workflow only provides filename continuity
What to do next
Once the selected originals are identified, edit only the confirmed set and keep that same selection context through final upload and delivery.
Related GaliVue product pages
Put the workflow into practice.
Use GaliVue’s Free Test to run one real project from preview sharing through client selection and final delivery.
See plans & start free