Q: Video from camera to folders of my choice?

Hi can anyone suggest how I can upload video from DSLR and Camcorders (both with sd cards and my iMac has sd slot) to the folders of my choice and bypassing iPhotos and iMovie ? I am making tuition videos with multi camera setup and editing in Adobe Premiere CC. Currently I have been importing to IPhoto as it is the only way that has got the vid clips on the computer in a consistent manner. I have tried image capture but sometimes it doesn't recognise videos on sd or via usb.

I want to have control over where files are stored (have a portable drive in mind), how they are named etc and intend to be handling quantities of them. I can't get my head around iPhoto. Any help for a newbie? Running el capitan 10.11.5 on iMac.

Thanks in advance

M