Saving work in progress in LightRoom Develop: I was wondering how people save pieces of work that they are working on and want to go back to in the Develop mode of LightRoom. I realise...

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Saving work in progress in LightRoom Develop

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Dec 3, 2018 03:13:00 #

Jupiter Creek

I was wondering how people save pieces of work that they are working on and want to go back to in the Develop mode of LightRoom. I realise that the picture etc is still in my library but what ways do people use to find them again. That is, a way to record which picture you are working on etc. I can create a separate collection for work in progress, or write the details down in a notebook - I won't risk my memory! - but I'm sure there are people who have developed systems that work for them that they may be willing to share.

Thank You.

Dec 3, 2018 05:45:18 #

rdubreuil Loc: Dummer, NH USA

Jupiter Creek wrote:

I was wondering how people save pieces of work tha... (show quote)

Hi JC,

By default any image you work on gets a small icon placed in the corner of the image, LR saves a sidecar file automatically of the modifications you've made, no need to do a save per say, any time you return to an image and re-enter the develop module your right back to where you left off, nothing is set in stone until you export your file as a .jpg or other format. I hope this helps and good luck with your PP, and keep shooting...

Dec 3, 2018 05:54:39 #

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Jupiter Creek wrote:

I was wondering how people save pieces of work tha... (show quote)

If I am understanding what you are asking, use of the rating system or color codes could help, I myself use the star ratings to mark keepers to be edited, edited and published images on Flicker

Setting the color code to red could easily indicate the current image being edited, very easy to spot.

Of course assigning an image to the “being edited” collection would accomplish the same thing

Dec 3, 2018 06:09:59 #

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

rdubreuil wrote:

In Lightroom, you have to set the catalog preferences to write changes to xmp. The default state is to only keep edits in the preview database and NOT write them to xmp.

Changes made to a raw file are never set in stone. Exporting an image merely takes a snapshot of your current edits and commits them to a bitmap file. The original edits can still be undone, fine tuned, or you can even make virtual copies and reset the image to it's unedited state to do a different treatment - high-key, split toning, monochrome, etc.

Dec 3, 2018 06:15:10 #

rdubreuil Loc: Dummer, NH USA

Gene51 wrote:

In Lightroom, you have to set the catalog preferen... (show quote)

Thanks Gene, thought the sidecars were default. What I meant by set in stone or baked were the resulting exports.

Dec 3, 2018 06:21:11 #

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

Jupiter Creek wrote:

I was wondering how people save pieces of work tha... (show quote)

You can filter for edited/unedited images in Lightroom Classic CC -

Go to Library module - set the view to grid - if the metadata filter is not showing, press the backspace (\) key. Mouse over any one of the four headings, and when it is highlighted, click it, which will reveal a drop down menu - select the "edit" parameter - and when you click, the heading will be changed to Edit - and it will show you which images have been edited and which ones have not. That is how you can find your work in progress.

Dec 3, 2018 06:59:47 #

Linary Loc: UK

Jupiter Creek wrote:

I was wondering how people save pieces of work tha... (show quote)

In addition to above replies, in the Collections section, Smart Collections, there is a ready made Smart Collection entitled "Recently Modified". This is set by default at the previous 30 days, but can be changed by right clicking on the Smart Collection > choose "Edit Smart Collection and changing the 30 to whatever you want.

Dec 3, 2018 07:03:53 #

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

You might also look at virtual copies as well as the edit history of an image within LR. Say you worked on an image for 20-minutes, displaying the history window while in the Develop module will show every sequential step. You can click back on one of this steps and revert back to that edit step. You can create a virtual copy of the image up through that step.

Dec 3, 2018 07:53:10 #

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

Jupiter Creek wrote:

I was wondering how people save pieces of work tha... (show quote)

When I import, all images get assigned the red label. As I work on the images, if I don't complete my work, I assign a yellow label for that image. Once the image is completed, I assign it the green label. If I take a raw image to PS for some work, I bring back a PSD that is colored green (if it is finished, yellow if not) and the original raw image is assigned the blue label. Panos are assigned the purple label.

A Smart Collection for yellow labels will quickly let me see what I'm working on.

Dec 3, 2018 09:05:51 #

juan_uy Loc: Uruguay

brucewells wrote:

When I import, all images get assigned the red lab... (show quote)

This looks like a great "system" as an answer for the OP's question.
Thanks for sharing :)

Dec 3, 2018 16:41:02 #

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

juan_uy wrote:

This looks like a great "system" as an answer for the OP's question.
Thanks for sharing :)

It has worked well for me.

Dec 3, 2018 17:17:39 #

Jupiter Creek

Thank you for the great ideas.

I will be trying them out straight away. I am particularly keen on the label system suggested by brucewells.

Thank you again

Dec 4, 2018 06:22:24 #