There's no single "correct" folder structure, but there is a hierarchy that holds up better than most, because each level answers a question you'll actually ask months later: when, for whom, and from what.
The short version: organize by date (YYYY-MM-DD), then client or project, then camera. Stop at three or four levels, and use the same structure for every project.
Date first
You almost always remember roughly when you shot something, even years later. A top-level
folder per date, formatted YYYY-MM-DD so it sorts chronologically for free,
means you can find any project by scrolling a list — no search required.
Client or project second
Under the date, name the project or client. This is the level deliverables and invoices actually map to, so it's the one you'll navigate to constantly during editing and again during archiving.
Camera third
On anything multicam, split by camera model or unit inside the project folder. It keeps footage from different sensors, codecs and frame rates separated at a glance, and — as covered in our DaVinci Resolve guide — it turns into a clean, already-organized bin structure the moment you drag it into an NLE.
Stop at three or four levels
It's tempting to keep nesting — by scene, by take, by lens — but every extra level adds a click to get anywhere and a chance to put a file one folder too deep to find. Date, project, camera is usually enough; add a fourth level only when you genuinely need it every time, not "just in case."
The real value is using the same one every time
A structure only pays off once it's automatic. If project 40 uses a different layout than project 1 because it seemed convenient in the moment, you've lost the thing that made it worth having a convention at all: knowing where something is without opening it first.
How ShotGrab applies this: you set the template — date, camera, client, in whatever order you want — once, and every card you connect afterward gets sorted into it automatically, without creating a single folder by hand.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best folder structure for photos and videos?
Date first (formatted YYYY-MM-DD so it sorts chronologically), then the client or project, then the camera. Each level answers a question you'll ask later: when, for whom and from what.
Why put the date first?
You almost always remember roughly when you shot something, even years later. A YYYY-MM-DD folder per date sorts itself in chronological order, so you can find a project by scrolling a list.
How many folder levels should I use?
Usually three: date, project, camera. Add a fourth level only if you need it every time. Every extra level adds a click and another chance to put a file one folder too deep.
Why split footage by camera?
On multicam shoots it keeps footage from different sensors, codecs and frame rates apart, and it becomes an already-organized bin structure when you import the folder into an editor such as DaVinci Resolve.