Is Lightroom for me?

[htid]

I use Nikon and have always simply taken any images off my memory card, placed them on my PC and then edited them in the Nikon software or Photoshop if I wanted more advanced editing. For whatever reason, the Nikon software since being updated to NX-i seems very slow and often at 100% I get totally grey screens making quick comparison between 2 images impossible.

I thought I'd have a look at Lightroom since I have the full creative suite but I really can't get my head around it. I've watched some videos and I still don't know what I'm doing. Basically I have a folder on my HDD called D7200. Within that I'll create folders for each place I visit and within that a list of folders of the different bird species I've taken on the day. All I want to do is what I've always done with the Nikon software, but without the ridiculous slowdown. I thought I could just import my D7200 folder into Lightroom and view my images, but it just imports EVERYTHING into 1 huge list of thumbnails. I don't want that, I want to see them in their relevant folders!

Am I missing something here or is Lightroom not for me? Should I use something else?

 

[Marc]

Chris, have you checked "include Subfolders"?

 

[rob-nikon]

With Lightroom I have my folders set to year, month, day. On import LR imports by creating new folders for each day the images where taken. I've not yet started to do it but key wording and collections seem to be the way to find stuff quickly. I set this structure up when I first started using Lightroom in 2012 and I've kept using it this way ever since. I didn't really have anything worth importing so I never imported the older stuff. What I like about year, month, day folders is I can go into the latest day folder uploaded, cull the rubbish images, then rate them and edit depending on the ratings applied. You can filter by rating then select all to delete etc. Once you get your head around how it works it's more efficient.

The best way may be to look at a folder structure that will import the way you like, then start importing folder by folder key wording as you go (key wording should be easy if all squirrels, red kites etc are in the same files). Key wording will be your new file structure (want a buzzard images, just search for buzzard, want a buzzard taken at a RSPB site then search buzzard RSPB if you keyword it correctly previously).

Don't forget one of the best things about LR is importing RAWs and the non destructive editing (ie your RAWs are not touched when you edit). I only ever export if I want to use a file, if not it stays as an edit in LR until I decide what I want to use it for (web, print etc). This saves lots of hard drive space as only RAWs are really stored. Jpegs are exported directly to my website using quick collections and a plugin. Another thing is do everything in LR otherwise LR losses where files are in they are moved outside of Lightroom. In 4 years I've not had to touch my hard drive where the RAWs are stored as I don't need to.

 

[gramps]

To me Lightroom is a pain, it just wants to take over and catalogue everything (and woe betide you if you mess up a catalogue!) and offers less processing power than Photoshop ... what's the spec of your PC Chris?

 

[Kodiak Qc]

To me Lightroom is a pain,

•

To me too!

I always stay as long as possible in my RAW files converter
(Capture One Pro) and I rarely have to use the pixel editor!

 

[wave01]

I like Lightroom I do all my conversion there and only move to Photoshop for the stuff that Lightroom doesn't do. I have come from aperture and I wasn't sure about Lightroom but I am fan now

 

[simon ess]

I love it. Not much else to say.

 

[rob-nikon]

To me Lightroom is a pain, it just wants to take over and catalogue everything (and woe betide you if you mess up a catalogue!) and offers less processing power than Photoshop ... what's the spec of your PC Chris?

That's one of the things I love about it, that and the fact you are not actually altering the RAW. I only need to keep the RAW and LR catalogue, no need for RAWs, converted RAWs, edits in TIFF and final JPEGs.

I don't think any software is right for everyone, it's a case of finding what you like and using it.

 

[gramps]

That's one of the things I love about it, that and the fact you are not actually altering the RAW. I only need to keep the RAW and LR catalogue, no need for RAWs, converted RAWs, edits in TIFF and final JPEGs.

I don't think any software is right for everyone, it's a case of finding what you like and using it.

Well for me it's a question of keeping the RAW, (which remains exactly the same if you delete/remove/rename the associated .xmp file), and any .jpegs, (or whatever you process into), but I agree it's a case of horses for courses

 

[Major Eazy]

I thought I'd have a look at Lightroom since I have the full creative suite but I really can't get my head around it. I've watched some videos and I still don't know what I'm doing. Basically I have a folder on my HDD called D7200. Within that I'll create folders for each place I visit and within that a list of folders of the different bird species I've taken on the day. All I want to do is what I've always done with the Nikon software, but without the ridiculous slowdown. I thought I could just import my D7200 folder into Lightroom and view my images, but it just imports EVERYTHING into 1 huge list of thumbnails. I don't want that, I want to see them in their relevant folders!

Am I missing something here or is Lightroom not for me? Should I use something else?

I'll try as simple as I can...

Lightroom is a catalogue showing you all your photos you have on your HDD, just like Argos is a catalogue showing you all the production they are selling.

Just in the same way as Argos sometimes have thin cagalogues, that shows all related production, for example jewellery catalogue, toys catalogue, sales catalogue, you can do something similar with Lightroom by creating a Collection.

You cherry pick what photos you want and put them in a Collection, can create as many Collections as you like.

 

[Major Eazy]

I'm assuming according to you when you said "have a folder on my HDD called D7200. Within that I'll create folders for each place I visit and within that a list of folders of the different bird species" I would assume it seems somewhat like (purely as an example for illustration only, and where X:\ would actually be whatever HDD you are using, which could be C:\ or D:\), something like...
X:\D7200\America\Eagles
X:\D7200\United Kingdom\Hawks
X:\D7200\United Kingdom\Robins

If so, then you click on the one marked 'Folders' and click on the folders you want to open, same way as you would be doing with Windows Explorer.

However assuming if rather than having folders of different bird species under the places you visited, you actually had them all under places folder, for example...

X:\D7200\America
X:\D7200\United Kingdom (in this folder you got a mixed photos of hawks, goshawks, robins, blue tits, etc., etc.,)

Then that is where Collections comes into play.

You could create a Collection labelled Eagles, and import thumbnails of any eagles from America, Scotland, from any folders into it.
You could create a Collection labelled Hawks, and import only thumbnails of hawks and goshawks but not robins from any folders.

That way, you can either use the Folders for the actual relevant folders you seek, or the Collections for related images from all folders.

Smart Collections is usually the one that ends up showing ALL the thumbnails which is what you feel annoyed about.

 

[htid]

@Major Eazy Actually my workflow will soon change when I upgrade to an SSD as my main HDD / temporary space for putting images from my memory card onto whilst I edit before moving them to a larger slower drive for long term storage. So basically say I go to RSPB Rainham Mashes. It would be:
-X:\7200
- Rainham Marshes
- Sparrow
- Robin
- Heron
etc.

Each folder has all the images of this bird. I go through and decide which are the best and delete the ones I don't want. The best ones get edited as I want and then moved from the SSD to the slower HDD into a folder called
Z:\Birds
-Avocet
- Blackbird
etc.

So they only stay in the original location whilst editing and then are physically moved. I'm thinking Lightroom isn't for me as once I've edited them I rarely look at them again and they just go onto the other HDD for storage.

 

[htid]

To me Lightroom is a pain, it just wants to take over and catalogue everything (and woe betide you if you mess up a catalogue!) and offers less processing power than Photoshop ... what's the spec of your PC Chris?

It needs upgrading which I'm going to do soon, so hopefully that will speed up View NX-i and I can continue as I always have done

 

[Major Eazy]

@Major Eazy Actually my workflow will soon change when I upgrade to an SSD as my main HDD / temporary space for putting images from my memory card onto whilst I edit before moving them to a larger slower drive for long term storage. So basically say I go to RSPB Rainham Mashes. It would be:
-X:\7200
- Rainham Marshes
- Sparrow
- Robin
- Heron
etc.

Each folder has all the images of this bird. I go through and decide which are the best and delete the ones I don't want. The best ones get edited as I want and then moved from the SSD to the slower HDD into a folder called
Z:\Birds
-Avocet
- Blackbird
etc.

So they only stay in the original location whilst editing and then are physically moved. I'm thinking Lightroom isn't for me as once I've edited them I rarely look at them again and they just go onto the other HDD for storage.

That's okay if you prefer doing it in this way. No worries.

Still the example could help other new users to Lightroom to get some ideas.

 

[tonybassplayer]

Fairly new to digital photography but saw that LR and PS seemed to be a bit of an industry "standard" so opted for the CC monthly package as I wanted to start a good library system rather than have to start afresh later and I love how simple it "now" seems.

I felt to go through a bit of an initial uphill struggle to get the basics under my belt but love it now. Still loads to learn but now use it with the free NIK software and think I am pretty much sorted for a long time to come.

I use a Mac and find it easier to create the new folder I want to download my next batch of pictures in to before I start the download. I can then check all looks correct before I press import.

Highly reccomended.

 

[JonathanRyan]

I thought I could just import my D7200 folder into Lightroom and view my images, but it just imports EVERYTHING into 1 huge list of thumbnails. I don't want that, I want to see them in their relevant folders!

Go to the folders list on the left (you're probably in "Previous Import" under Catalog atm). Click the turny down arrow next to your D7200 folder. Clicking on a folder shows you everything in that folder and subfolders. So you can either view all your sparrows or all shots on Rainham Marshes etc. That's before you start messing with collections.

Here's part of my folder list from a regular client (some details blurred)

 

[Deadlock]

adobe has an evangelist called Julieanne Kost.
Her videos teach you how to use lightroom to take advantage of its potential.
Watch this to understand how to organise your images.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUqqm3DaTmE&feature=youtu.be


I’ve been running my business on it since V3 and find it fast, efficient and methodical - once you have worked out your organisational structure that works for you.

Have a look at it and if you have any further questions I’ll check back.

 

[Harlequin565]

Not sure if your OP has been answered, but you can just add the existing photos without importing them all over again.

Go into the import process. (File>Import Photos & Videos). Select the folder you want to add. Could be your root folder (D7200) or a subfolder. But instead of choosing "copy as dng", "move" or "copy", choose "Add". This will add the photos to LR without moving them on disk or changing them in any way. In the Library mode, you can then navigate using your existing folder structure.

When you add new folders for new shoots, you can put them in folders as you normally do, then either "add" them using the process above, or - if you've put them in existing folders, go into the Library module and right-click "Synchronise" the folder you added new photos to. This will then pick up the newly added photos.

I'm thinking Lightroom isn't for me as once I've edited them I rarely look at them again and they just go onto the other HDD for storage.

I use LR to categorise, sort, rank and edit my best work, so LR is invaluable to me. If you're not going to look at them once they're edited, then perhaps ACR + Photoshop + Bridge might be a better option. Have you tried Bridge?

 

[Oliver Pohlmann]

Lightroom can be confusing until you get your head around it. Once you do, there's no going back.

See if my video tutorial on importing photos and creating catalogs helps:

www.wearesophoto.com/how-to-import-photos-in-lightroom-5/

 

[tonybassplayer]

Lightroom can be confusing until you get your head around it. Once you do, there's no going back.

See if my video tutorial on importing photos and creating catalogs helps:

www.wearesophoto.com/how-to-import-photos-in-lightroom-5/

I would agree with that.

I had a few "wrong imports" until I got to grips with the very logical way it works

Love it now.

Takes me minutes to import, grade, select and start editing

Not an expert by any stretch of the imagination but really feel to be growing with it now

Like how it seamlessly works with Photoshop and the NIK software too

 

[htid]

Well looks like I'm going to have to try Lightroom again. I formatted my PC and reinstalled the Nikon View NX-I software that I've always used, but it seems they've removed the editing features!!!! You now have to edit in their own Capture NX-D which I tried and seems quite sluggish. Why do people have to change things that work!!

Lightroom can be confusing until you get your head around it. Once you do, there's no going back.

See if my video tutorial on importing photos and creating catalogs helps:

www.wearesophoto.com/how-to-import-photos-in-lightroom-5/

Thanks I'll have a look. The way I want it to work is:

1. Put memory card into PC
2. Transfer my photos to a 5gb partition on my C drive (SSD)
3. Edit the photos on there since it should be quicker on an SSD
4. Save the ones I want to keep to my other sata HDD for storage

Let's see if I can achieve that simple task with Lightroom

 

[AJQS]

Well looks like I'm going to have to try Lightroom again. I formatted my PC and reinstalled the Nikon View NX-I software that I've always used, but it seems they've removed the editing features!!!! You now have to edit in their own Capture NX-D which I tried and seems quite sluggish. Why do people have to change things that work!!



Thanks I'll have a look. The way I want it to work is:

1. Put memory card into PC
2. Transfer my photos to a 5gb partition on my C drive (SSD)
3. Edit the photos on there since it should be quicker on an SSD
4. Save the ones I want to keep to my other sata HDD for storage

Let's see if I can achieve that simple task with Lightroom

Should be easy enough - Lightroom auto activates when I put a memory card in, I import everything onto an external HDD and make a second backup copy to another. I edit, then export to wherever it's needed using presets for different things. Lightroom is pretty straightforward and is plenty capable at processing most things, in fact I rarely process anything outside of LR any more.

 

[Travelling Man]

Well looks like I'm going to have to try Lightroom again. I formatted my PC and reinstalled the Nikon View NX-I software that I've always used, but it seems they've removed the editing features!!!! You now have to edit in their own Capture NX-D which I tried and seems quite sluggish. Why do people have to change things that work!!



Thanks I'll have a look. The way I want it to work is:

1. Put memory card into PC
2. Transfer my photos to a 5gb partition on my C drive (SSD)
3. Edit the photos on there since it should be quicker on an SSD
4. Save the ones I want to keep to my other sata HDD for storage

Let's see if I can achieve that simple task with Lightroom

View NX-I version 1.2.0 has editing. You can also try Capture NX-D version 1.4.0

 

[htid]

View NX-I version 1.2.0 has editing. You can also try Capture NX-D version 1.4.0

Cool thanks! I've used nx-2 and then nx-i for years and always been happy with it, I thought they'd just removed the editing features in the latest version to make you use capture nx-d. Stupid that when I googled view nx-i, The links were to download version 1.0!! Update your links, Nikon! Downloading v 1.2 now and won't bother with Lightroom , as I say, I've always been happy with my workflow through View NX-I.

 

[htid]

Actually I might give Lightroom a go anyway. I'm just going through tutorials.

I have a folder on my storage hdd called DSLR. Inside that are folders from the cameras I've used
-D7000
> Reserve name
+ Bird name
-D7200
>Reserve name
+bird name
-D500 (empty!)
- Birds
>Bird name

Ideally what I'm meant to do is when I've sorted/edited the images, remove them from the reserve folders and put them in the Birds>Bird name folders but I'm lazy!

What I've done so far in lightroom is File > New Catalog, created that catalog in the DSLR folder and now I need to import. Do I simply select the folder DSLR and import everything? How do I keep them all in their folders? Thanks!

(- > and + denote folders and sub folders)

 

[NeilA1975]

Cool thanks! I've used nx-2 and then nx-i for years and always been happy with it, I thought they'd just removed the editing features in the latest version to make you use capture nx-d. Stupid that when I googled view nx-i, The links were to download version 1.0!! Update your links, Nikon! Downloading v 1.2 now and won't bother with Lightroom , as I say, I've always been happy with my workflow through View NX-I.

Like you I had a hard time getting on with LR, so I gave up on it in the end and used Bridge for file organising. Much easier IMHO and allows me to use which ever software I want to process my image, which for my work flow is Capture NXD (no processing just open > save to 16 bit TIFF), open in ACR (no processing just check Remove CA) and then open into PS where I complete PP finally saving to JPEG.

 

[Travelling Man]

I use LR but as CNX-D/View NXI mature I find I get better results if I do the initial raw editing in the Nikon software. That said, ACR is much more powerful, it just does not seem to interpret the NEF data in the same way that CNX-D does. Therefore I tend to do the initial edit in CNX-D and then export a tiff to o LR/PS.

Using Bridge is certainly a realistic option and especially so seeing as it is a free download these days. If I did not have LR I would certainly consider Bridge as my DAM.

 

[MissingMan]

I couldn't do without Lightroom. A superb piece of software that turns my photos into part of the way I earn my living.

 

[Richard C. Jones]

Capture One v9.1 is the got to for my work. May I suggest you download the free trial version and access the many tutorial videos on YouTube, it may be a turning point in your photography life.

 

[Travelling Man]

C1 vs LR, the debate that will rage forever. Personal choice will always be the deciding factor

 

[ttard]

My mainstay previously was iPhoto and more substantial editing in Nikon Capture. I've had Lightroom 5 installed for three months now and don't use anything else. Very impressed. (Macbook Pro with 8GB memory)

 

[Travelling Man]

No doubt LR is impressive and I do spend a lot of time in it - ACR is a great raw editor, especially when one wants to be selective.

 

[odd jim]

To me Lightroom is a pain, it just wants to take over and catalogue everything (and woe betide you if you mess up a catalogue!) and offers less processing power than Photoshop ... what's the spec of your PC Chris?

You can almost forget about the cataloging aspect if you wish as you can create whatever target folder you wish then export the final photo to there on export.

It only catalogues my raws and they are by default set by date. I only use that as my archive.

 

[Travelling Man]

And the processing power of PS is not always required. It is rarely that I leave LR for PS. I do try to get my pics right in camera.

 

[odd jim]

And the processing power of PS is not always required. It is rarely that I leave LR for PS. I do try to get my pics right in camera.

Processing isn't because you aren't "getting it right in camera"

 

[Travelling Man]

Processing isn't because you aren't "getting it right in camera"

It is in my case - I am rarely into heavily edited stuff, although I agree some of it looks good, I just like to replicate what I see (give or take). Either way my comment still stands: PS is not usually required as LR has some fine tools via ACR.

 

[odd jim]

It is in my case - I am rarely into heavily edited stuff, although I agree some of it looks good, I just like to replicate what I see (give or take). Either way my comment still stands: PS is not usually required as LR has some fine tools via ACR.

I take it by heavily editing you mean massively cooked PS stuff?

I use LR to simply being the final image to what my eye sees (landscapes) which is normally almost impossible with a camera processed JPEG, the highlights and shadows always sway to the extreme, and the JPEG is never what you saw with your own eyes.

 

[Travelling Man]

I take it by heavily editing you mean massively cooked PS stuff?

I use LR to simply being the final image to what my eye sees (landscapes) which is normally almost impossible with a camera processed JPEG, the highlights and shadows always sway to the extreme, and the JPEG is never what you saw with your own eyes.

Exactly. Except I shoot raw and the ACR module excels imo. I rarely use PS when all I need is to tweak an already reasonable photo.

 

[the black fox]

Only been on it a week or two ,but it's growing on me ,I have one section for mine and one section for the wife's ,done by date at the mo but will add keywords soon ,used aperture before but as its no longer supported this will have to do .also running p/s cc for finishing

 

[BrynBoru]

Rob-Nikon pointed out at the start of this thread the importance of assigning key words when importing images. This I suspect is a poorly understood aspect of Lightroom and cannot be over-emphasized.
Working with a conventional hierarchical folder list in tree view in a browser programme is fine if you can remember in which folders you have stored your images. However as you start working with thousands of images, you will find this is no longer such a practical solution. While Lightroom can store your files in a neat hierarchy of folders, its real power as an asset manager comes into play when you use the filter bar to search for images in the catalogue. Once you get into the habit of entering descriptive key word information each time you import new photos, you will be able to search the archive more easily and more quickly when browsing for specific photographs. For example if you search for a specific keyword, then all images with that keyword in the metadata will be displayed, even if they are in different folders from different years. Not understanding this feature means missing out on probably one of the most important features of Lightroom as an asset manager. I must add that, having been brought up in the old school of conventional file management using folder descriptions, etc, it took me some time to get to grips with this way of managing images. Once understood, life becomes so much easier!