Batch rename photos with player names

Name every photo after the athletes in it, in your office's format, without a separate batch-rename step.

A file called DSC00001.JPG tells an editor nothing. DSC00001_031426_JS_Marcus_Hale.jpg tells them who, when and who shot it. Metadata Express names photos as you tag them, so there's no extra trip to a batch-rename tool afterwards.

Two ways to set it up

Quick styles: in Session Setup, turn on Rename photos with player names when saving and pick a style: MarcusHale1, Hale_Marcus_1, HALE_1 and more. Numbers keep counting so names never clash.
Your own Name Format: choose Custom (or the Name Format button while tagging) and build the name from pieces: the original file name, the date taken, your initials, the game, a photo number and the players. Or type the pattern exactly as you want it:
```
{original}_{date}_JS_{players}   →   DSC00001_031426_JS_Marcus_Hale.jpg
```

What gets renamed

Every file of a photo, together: the RAW, its JPEG partner and its .xmp sidecar always keep one name, so nothing gets separated.
Several players are all included (Marcus_Hale_Devin_Brooks), written the way you choose.
Already tagged a game? Rename All Tagged Photos Now applies your format to every photo you've tagged, with Undo.
Before tagging, Cull's Rename names a whole card at once with variables like date, event, camera and a sequence number, also with Undo.

Your tags and captions stay inside the files, so renaming never loses anything.

Questions

Can I keep the original file name?

Yes. Start the name with {original} (or tick “Keep the photo's original name”), and the camera's name stays at the front, followed by anything else you add.

What happens to RAW and JPEG pairs?

They're renamed together, along with the .xmp sidecar, so a RAW, its JPEG and its metadata always match.

What if two photos would get the same name?

The second one gets _2 (or the next number), so nothing is ever overwritten.

Can I undo a rename?

Yes. Rename All and Cull's Rename both offer Undo, which puts every file back the way it was.

Does it also work for video clips?

Yes. Label Clips has the same Name Format for video, so photos and clips can follow one convention. See labeling video clips.

Try it free

Metadata Express runs on Mac and Windows. Every feature is free for 14 days, no card needed. Download it here. Questions? Send us a message.

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More guides: Sports photo captioning · Label video clips by player · Rename photos with player names · Tag by jersey number · IPTC metadata explained