# Photo Asset Pipeline — OPERATING MANUAL

Last updated: 2026-06-17 (AEST)  
Source bundle: `outputs/melifemyfuture-online-dashboard-v1_3-20260610`

## Purpose

This workflow locks down photo intake, editing, export, and reuse so every file has:

- a known source
- an explicit processing state
- a safe handoff target
- a recoverable path for later reuse

Use this for every brief from Adam or any lane handoff.

## Folder Architecture (Do Not Rename)

```text
01_source_photos
02_best_selects
03_edit_instructions
04_finished_exports
05_website_assets
06_social_or_promo
07_archive_do_not_touch
```

## Folder Rules

### 01_source_photos

**Role:** Raw capture only.  
**Allowed:** camera exports, direct screenshots, and any file with no manual edits.  
**Naming:** `raw_<source>_<date>_<sequence>.<ext>`  
**Do not do:** edits, crops, color fixes, watermark removals, AI retouching.

**When to use:** First pass of new shoot, user submissions, raw content sent by teams.

---

### 02_best_selects

**Role:** Curated, unfinalized candidates for review.  
**Allowed:** quick exposure/contrast pass for compare, basic crop if required for framing.  
**Naming:** `sel_<date>_<asset>_<scene>_<v#>.jpg`  
**Do not do:** final delivery compression, aggressive retouching, watermarks.

**Use rule:** only files approved in this folder move to `03_edit_instructions`.

---

### 03_edit_instructions

**Role:** Files under active brief direction.  
**Allowed:** per-asset edit recipe, before/after notes, approved instruction docs, batch rules.  
**Mandatory fields in every edit note:**  
- Brief reference
- Desired output type
- Crop/aspect ratio
- Color direction
- Text or overlay requirements
- Keep/omit list

**Naming:** `edit_<lane>_<asset>_<brief>_<v#>.md` (notes) and `editin_<asset>_<date>.<ext>` (edits).

---

### 04_finished_exports

**Role:** Final export set for handoff.  
**Allowed:** deliverable versions, compressed web versions, upload-ready copies, alt versions.  
**Naming:** `exp_<asset>_<target>_<date>_<v#>.webp|jpg|png|mp4`  
**Do not do:** keep untagged duplicates here; every export must link to source and instruction reference.

**Required metadata file:** `manifest_finished_exports_<date>.csv` (or `txt`).

---

### 05_website_assets

**Role:** Web-ready and UI-ready files.  
**Allowed:** hero images, card covers, logo variations, icon sets, header media.  
**Requirements:**  
- final resolution
- compression standard
- no sensitive EXIF metadata
- consistent baseline for light/dark themes where relevant

**Naming:** `web_<page>_<asset>_<purpose>_<v#>.webp`

---

### 06_social_or_promo

**Role:** Campaign copies and promo variants.  
**Allowed:** social crops, reels frame assets, teaser cards, ad-style layouts.  
**Checklist:**  
- platform target (IG, X, YT, etc.)
- caption-ready naming
- safe-space and compliance checks

**Naming:** `promo_<platform>_<campaign>_<format>_<date>_<v#>.jpg|mp4`

---

### 07_archive_do_not_touch

**Role:** Immutable historical record.  
**Allowed:** completed sets after a campaign closes, versions superseded by proof, and deadlock records.  
**Rule:** move only with lane approval and date lock note.  
**Naming:** keep original with appended `--ARCHIVE-<timestamp>`.

## End-to-End Workflow

1. Receive brief.
2. Place all captures in `01_source_photos`.
3. Move only curated candidates to `02_best_selects`.
4. Create one instruction file in `03_edit_instructions`.
5. Produce first edit set and validate with requester.
6. Move approved outputs to `04_finished_exports`.
7. Push web-specific outputs to `05_website_assets`.
8. Push campaign outputs to `06_social_or_promo`.
9. Move historical versions to `07_archive_do_not_touch` after final closure.

## Session-to-Site Handoff Method (Use Every Time)

- `Snapshot first`: capture current request summary and owner.
- `Folder map`: send the full 7-folder status after each major handoff.
- `Evidence lock`: each move includes source + output path pair.
- `Health check`: no folder should contain unknown duplicates or un-labeled output.
- `Rollback ready`: if a set is wrong, revert from `04/05/06` using source and instruction lineage in `03`.

## Quick “go/no-go” checks

### Go
- file names include lane + date + version
- raw intake remains unedited
- instruction note exists for every edit batch
- at least one finished export in `04` and `05`
- archive move recorded with timestamp

### No-go
- unlabelled files in mixed folders
- final asset missing source reference
- duplicate exports with different dimensions without notes
- raw files moved before `03` instruction exists

## Immediate Next Actions

- Add this folder map to Adam brief packets as a hard requirement.
- Keep one running photo log using `PHOTO_PIPELINE_OPERATING_MANUAL.md` for auditability.
- Before each batch closes, update:
  - what entered each folder,
  - what moved out,
  - and what was archived.