IzzyKap Loc: Rockville, MD

While traveling, I process my images using LR Classic on my laptop. When I come home, I 'export as catalog' and 'import from another catalog' to my desktop. This works fine. However, I would like to continue processing the images on my laptop LR Classic. Is it possible, and if so how, to sync these newly processed images to the LR catalog on my desktop? I know that this could be achieved using LR Cloud but I frequently use plugins such as Luminar, On1, and NIK and I don't think that they can be used with LR cloud.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Let's assume IMG-0001 that you've exported as part of your catalog from the laptop and merged into the main catalog. You can grab an example 'IMG-0001' and verify for yourself. Do some additional edits on the laptop. Export this changed IMG-0001 as a new catalog. Copy this new 'transfer' LRCAT file to the machine with the main catalog. Use command 'File / Import from Catalog' pointing to the new transfer catalog. LR will detect the transfer-LRCAT contains existing images. You have a few options for 'Changing Existing Photos'. For existing images, you'll need the Metadata and Develop settings. Since you're using external editors, you'll likely have TIF files associated with the new versions that will be needed too within the main catalog. Consider preserving the old settings as a virtual copy, if needed / useful. You can even reorder the images in the resulting stack to move the old edits 'back to the top', as well as all the syncing options if you want to merge and / or undo the old with the new.

Another option is to export the edited images from the Laptop as a DNG. On the main computer, import the DNG. Keeping the DNGs 'synced' or 'stacked' with the older images seems less automatic in my testing, but that may be related to how I've named the files. Or maybe, the DNG is already seen as 'new' rather than another version of an existing file, and you'll have to 'stack' the files within the main catalog to keep the images as a group known to LR.

juan_uy Loc: Uruguay

Related question: when the user imports from a transfer-LRCAT as the example, will LR import the RAW files from it's original location to a new location on the target computer?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I suggest testing to verify the process to your own comfort level. The LRCAT will have a 'pointer' to the image file location. If the two computers involved do not share a common storage, the 'transfer' LRCAT may be a problem if you don't bring along the related image files and well as placing those image files into their 'standard' locations as they belong on the main computer. The DNG method includes the underlying image file directly, where again the LR operator needs to consider their standard / permanent location within the main computer when sharing / importing the DNG files.

juan_uy Loc: Uruguay

Thanks for your reply!

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I think there is another way to do this which "should" work.

Use the option to write metadata changes to xmp in the Catalog Preferences.
Keep your traveling images on an external drive. The laptop LR will recognize your drive as part of its catalog.
When you attach the drive to your desktop, LR should also recognize the drive as a part of the desktop's catalog. Using the option to either add or sync the folder, it will read the xmp data and create previews, adding them to the preview catalog, so any changes will be reflected. This method will keep the edits with the file and not require multiple files which can get messy.

I suspect that you can do the same thing using cloud services, but this will work regardless of whether or not you have internet access. I've never bothered to use the Adobe cloud so I can't comment on how it would work.

juan_uy Loc: Uruguay

Thanks for adding/commenting, sounds like it should work and may be even a easier work to work.

smf85 Loc: Freeport, IL

I have LR classic set to sync with the cloud. I load the pictures into LR CC albums - these then get downloaded to LR classic on both my laptop and desktop as collections. I can edit the collections pretty much normally from LR classic then save them and they're sync'ed to all my computers. If you create a copy in LR classic it will get sync'ed - if you create a virtual copy it won't be (no equivalent in CC). The initial sync is tedious because you're effectively uploading the album then downloading its previews.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

I have a synced collection in my LR Classic. It syncs with my LR Cloud account. Create a collection in LR on your desktop and sync it. On the laptop you can do the same thing or just sync everything. Then, when you load photos on the laptop they will get loaded into your cloud. When you get home they’ll be in the cloud collection in your desktop. You can leave them there or move them to a non-synced collection. I tend to use the 20gb cloud storage as “working space”. Stuff I’m working on is in there. I can then work on the same file on my desktop, laptop, iPad or iPhone. When I’m done working with that file I move it to another collection that isn’t synced to keep my cloud under the 20gb threshold.

terpentijn

Syncing to the cloud works very well albeit just for one catalog. If you're working with different ones it soon becomes a hassle.

IzzyKap Loc: Rockville, MD

Thank you all for the suggestions. I am traveling again but will check them out upon return.

juan_uy Loc: Uruguay

Thanks for sharing, it looks like a very good workflow that I could use myself

smf85 Loc: Freeport, IL

I tried it this way but found that the sync'd items weren't editable. Is there something that can be set to alter this behavior? Or is it limited to non-Raw files?