Cataloging Photos: I use PSE 9 on my Macbook Pro and just installed Lightroom 3. My laptop is overloaded with photos, and since I have a 2 Terabite backup drive I want to store the...

Photoquilter Loc: Virginia

I use PSE 9 on my Macbook Pro and just installed Lightroom 3. My laptop is overloaded with photos, and since I have a 2 Terabite backup drive I want to store the photos on that auxilliary drive and import only the ones I want to show others to iPhoto. Any suggestions before I get started? Hoping to simplify, not complicate!

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

two ways: import all into lightroom from where the photos are now then in the catalog move the photos to the new drive LR will now know where they are
OR
Move the photos to the new drive then imort the photos from the new drive into LR

(BTW) think of getting LR 4 much better than LR3

Photoquilter Loc: Virginia

mborn wrote:

two ways: import all into lightroom from where the photos are now then in the catalog move the photos to the new drive LR will now know where they are
OR
Move the photos to the new drive then imort the photos from the new drive into LR

(BTW) think of getting LR 4 much better than LR3

Thanks for the suggestions. I currently have most photos in a folder on the HD, but family pictures in iPhoto. LR reads the folder just fine, but does not seem to see the iPhoto library. I think I will export the iPhoto pics to the main Photography folder, import into LR, then save to the Terabyte drive and set backups to be on the Tdrive. Question - if I then to remove them from HD, can I redirect LR so it will find everything on the Tdrive? I have noticed that when I change a location, it is really hard to get LR to find them.
Appreciate your help!

flyguy Loc: Las Cruces, New Mexico

Photoquilter wrote:

quote=mborn two ways: import all into lightroom f... (show quote)

The info in the reply just above is spot on.

You mention here that you are changing the location of your images and Lighroom can not find them, it is because you are using the the Mac "finder" to access your computer hard drive and making changes there, you should make all moves through Lightroom from now on and you'll have no problems.

PhotoArtsLA Loc: Boynton Beach

Keep in mind, the Mac likes to COPY, not MOVE files. The simplest way to move images to the new drive is to organize them (or not) in a single folder, then copy that folder to the new drive, after which, CHECK the files in the new location, and, when satisfied, DELETE the folder on the original drive from which it came. This finishes the move.

Most programs allow a relinking function when moving images around.

For myself, this scenario would not work because of sheer image quantity over decades of pro photography. I simply use the Microsoft acquired (because they could never have created it themselves) Expression Media which allows you to have offline archives (like whole hard disks, DVDs, Blu Rays, and the like) but still be able to view and locate images using the online catalog.

Photoquilter Loc: Virginia

Thanks so much for the advice and info, everyone. It is really appreciated!
Barb

ab7rn Loc: Portland, Oregon

If you use an external hard drive, be sure and take good care of it. I had one for back=up and downloaded photos to it because my computer was full. It fell off a shelf, about 8 inches and I lost all info on it.

Photoquilter Loc: Virginia

ab7rn wrote:

If you use an external hard drive, be sure and take good care of it. I had one for back=up and downloaded photos to it because my computer was full. It fell off a shelf, about 8 inches and I lost all info on it.

Oh dear, that is certainly a disaster! I send my sympathies. How many out there have a double back-up system?

birdpix Loc: South East Pennsylvania

Using light room, move the existing photos that are already in LR to the new external hard drive. Then, using the LR import function I would "copy" the iPhoto files to LR on the new drive. Only after assuring yourself that the photos are on the new drive AND I have backed them up would I delete them from the laptop. I would not put your backups on the same hard drive because if it fails both the original and the backup will be lost. Use a second external drive or an online service for your backups.

I have two external hard drives for backing up which I alternate on a weekly basis.

redpepper Loc: Central NY

Hi, I've just loaded LR and am trying to understand cataloging. I previously used Picassa and would then export the edited version of image into another folder say, "to be printed". After my pics were developed, I would then move these images to respective folders. My original imported images were uploaded into a folder for processing in Picassa called Digicam Raw. After edited/developed photos were complete, I'd delete the unedited originals from the Digicam raw folder.

I think I understand the cataloging in LR, but how do I set up the same scenario I'm comfy with and how do I export images for photo processing by Snapfish? BTW, I have a pc Windows 7. Thx

birdpix Loc: South East Pennsylvania

Since LR doesn't change any of the files directly, you never delete the originals, except for those you really don't want to keep, like the out of focus ones etc. The catalogue is how LR keeps track of where the photos are. Folders and keywords are how you keep track of your photos. Through the import dialogue, you can "add" your current file structure to LR. The most versatile part of the organizing part of LR is the use of keywords. This avoids the limits that a strictly file based system has. Specifically that a photo can be many things at once with keywords but can only be in one file folder at a time.

You can import photos to a folder, process them and then move them to the appropriate folder then delete the temporary folder.

You would use collections to hold photos you wanted to print, temporarily. There is a Snap fish plug in available for LR at http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/exchange/index.cfm?event=extensionDetail&extid=2156022

redpepper Loc: Central NY

Thank you! I will try what you advised.

PhotoGator Loc: Florida

Photoquilter wrote:

I use PSE 9 on my Macbook Pro and just installed Lightroom 3. My laptop is overloaded with photos, and since I have a 2 Terabite backup drive I want to store the photos on that auxilliary drive and import only the ones I want to show others to iPhoto. Any suggestions before I get started? Hoping to simplify, not complicate!

Check out Greg Cazillos Cataloging in Lightroom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9LiieMyQds&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLC8EqnzTso&feature=relmfu