Import / Collections?

Joe94

Joe94

Messages
542
Name
Joe
Edit My Images
Yes
Good afternoon all,
Looking for some help on the following if I may,

1) Firstly am I right in saying that a good effective way to use Lr is.. When importing my images, letting Lr automatically files them in data folders etc.. then creating Collections for actual grouping purposes? So for example create a collection for any images that are related to Insect Macro shots, Landscapes or A recent holiday?

2) If my above thinking is correct, do collection that you create also get backed up in the catalog? I understand that when using collections the images don't actually get duplicated or moved from there originally folder location, but do the fact you have created that collection get saved? Or when if you moved pc, do you have to re set up all you collections?

Many Thanks all :)
 
I use LR in the way you suggest in (1), and it works well.
I have LR automatically create a folder structure of Year/Date, and I also do a file rename on import to prefix by camera (since I have multiple cameras) to ensure unique file names.
The Collection information is stored in the catalog - you can add images to multiple collections as well.
Another useful option is the 'virtual copy' - this creates a duplicate of the image(raw + edits) at the point you make it, and allows you to then continue to edit the copy separately, without adding a duplicate of the original raw file, so it's efficient in disk space terms.
 
Faldrax said:
I use LR in the way you suggest in (1), and it works well.
I have LR automatically create a folder structure of Year/Date, and I also do a file rename on import to prefix by camera (since I have multiple cameras) to ensure unique file names.
The Collection information is stored in the catalog - you can add images to multiple collections as well.
Another useful option is the 'virtual copy' - this creates a duplicate of the image(raw + edits) at the point you make it, and allows you to then continue to edit the copy separately, without adding a duplicate of the original raw file, so it's efficient in disk space terms.
Click to expand...
Hi Jonathan,

Thank you for you reply. Firstly its good to know that my plan is actually something that is already used and approved as an effective way of managing photos :) I thought this may have been better using collection than creating separate folders based on the type etc.. as I feel the route folder system really works best in date order, which is why Lr Collection feature is so good a suppose, as it let you have the best of both worlds!

Also thank you for confirming that the catalog info does get saved, which is good to know so I have no worry of having to re collect everything as it were if I upgraded pc etc.. (although that shouldn't be for a while aha).

Thank you for the tip about virtual copies too! that sounds it could be very useful... Would I be right in saying then, that you may wish to use that if for example you process and image, but then decide you want to try something else but don't want to affect the original until your happy, so you would create the virtual, try what you wish and then if your happy then you can save it to affect the original and then of course if it doesn't work then you can just remove the virtual but the orginal edits/file are untouched?

Hope my undertsanding of that is correct?

Cheers Joe :)
 
I always do my editing on virtual copies. There is virtually no memory/storage overhead as all that is stored in the virtual image is the list of edit operations without the actual image.
 
john.margetts said:
I always do my editing on virtual copies. There is virtually no memory/storage overhead as all that is stored in the virtual image is the list of edit operations without the actual image.
Click to expand...
Hello,

So do you create a virtual copy of every image then? & once you have processed an image, what do you do if your happy and want to apply this to the original?

Sorry the use of virtual copies is new to me aha so just interested to see if it’s something that would benefit my workflow :)

Thank you
 
Joe94 said:
Hello,

So do you create a virtual copy of every image then? & once you have processed an image, what do you do if your happy and want to apply this to the original?

Sorry the use of virtual copies is new to me aha so just interested to see if it’s something that would benefit my workflow :)

Thank you
Click to expand...
No, I do not make a virtual copy of every file, just those I want to process. The virtual image is the original Raw file with a separate list of edit instructions. If I like the result of my editing, I leave it alone. There is no need, and no point, to repeat the instructions on a non-virtual copy of the Raw file. The big advantage is, if I can see a second, different, treatment of the same Raw file, I can make a second virtual copy and edit it differently. Or a third treatment . . .
 
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I do the same, I always edit on virtual images.

Once they are edited, I simply export the virtual copies to my modified folders on the hard drive.
 
john.margetts said:
No, I do not make a virtual copy of every file, just those I want to process. The virtual image is the original Raw file with a separate list of edit instructions. If I like the result of my editing, I leave it alone. There is no need, and no point, to repeat the instructions on a non-virtual copy of the Raw file. The big advantage is, if I can see a second, different, treatment of the same Raw file, I can make a second virtual copy and edit it differently. Or a third treatment . . .
Click to expand...
Ahh I see okay, thank you for explaining that it gives me something else to look at. It also sound like something that could be useful too :)
 
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