kitrn23

I back up LR every time I quit the program. I read where LR does not keep the photos. I have several storage devices (WD etc.) How do I send photos to those devices. I am not stupid just get so confused with all the ways to do things on computer.

Seabastes

Drag the folder containing your photos to the device and it will save them there, it is a good idea to
save your photo files on two devices.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Any editor "cataloger" is only a database LIST of your photos. Backing up LR, or any cataloger, simply backs up THAT LIST ONLY.
None of the photos are stored IN the catalog OR the editor.
The cataloger simply keeps a list of what you have and where you have them on your computer, provided you told the cataloger where all of your photos reside on the disk.

The actual directories containing the files on the disk are what must be backed up to have a backup copy of your images. Most people will recommend an "external to your computer" backup on an external drive, plus a cloud backup copy for disaster recovery. None of the backup files should be used as "operating files", ONLY backups.

There are multiple ways to backup your images. Being well versed in the operating system filing system and how it operates will be of great benefit to you.

You should get multiple suggestions here on various methods to do that.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

You are not backing up your photos, you are backing up the LR Catalog of where they are and the commands for edits you have made. Not the actual picture.

If that is the only backup you do, you don't have a backup.

There are several apps for doing backups, some simple ones built into your operating system depending on your system. I use Acronis and do a full back up of my whole computer once a week with daily incremental backups in between (to an external hard drive) and have used it four times. Once when a hard drive failed, twice when I installed a new bigger hard drive and once to a whole new computer. Acronis and some of the other backup apps also have a setting to create an emergency boot disk/usb drive or a backup that can be installed on a different machine instead of only the one the backup is from.

It is also a good idea to keep a second copy of your backup or at least the most important things, like you photos on an entirely different external drive. Long ago I kept a copy on CD, then DVD but now the apps, pictures, music, video etc. are far too big for that to be practical, I would spend most of a day burning DVDs or a large number of the largest usb drives I own.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The LR 'back-up' is a maintenance function of the relational database that is the file LRCAT. You should be backing-up your entire \Photos\Lightroom folder (update the name to your exact folder location on your computer) onto your back-up media.

You also should periodically be going into the \Backup folder inside \Lightroom and purging the older date-stamped files. These LRCAT back-ups are cumulative, so everything that existed in a backup from say March 22 will be found in March 29, less any deleted images and all new images / edits added between March 22 and March 29.

To your question about the image files, you need to manually copy your images onto your external HD, or find some automated software to do this function for you. Personally, I store all my images in date-stamped folders, such as 2010, 2011 ... 2022\20220329. It's rather easy for me to identify the new 2022 folders to copy onto my external HD created since the last copy. Also, I periodically sort my older year folders by the modify date for any changes to historical images. I just copy the entire folder over, although using LR, there are no changes directly to the underlying original images. What likely happened in historical folders is I culled an image or created a new transition file between LR and PS or Topaz. That transition file is picked up by the copy. You can see how automated software helps will all this processing.

If you have several external HDs, you probably want to make some management decisions: which is large enough to hold your entire image collection, with some room for growth? If none, you need to buy the necessary equipment, within reason. A 4TB WB passport runs about $100. You can get two, in different colored cases, and have a simple strategy of a primary back-up and a 2nd copy back-up, assuming your current total storage need is 3TB or less, allowing for growth. If 4TB is grossly too large, look at the 2TB models.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

It depends on "where" the device is located logically and the operating system (OS).
In Windows, simply dragging a folder to the same logical drive (ie from C: to C:) MOVES the folder; dragging it to an external device (ie. from C: to F:) will ask if you want to make a copy OR move. But that may depend on the version of the operating system also.

To be safe, one must understand the operation of the filing system and commands in the OS.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Backup is important. Backup is NOT only for photos. You should be backing up any file that would cause you pain if it disappeared. Photos, word processing files, text files, program configuration files, email, program installation (and uninstallation) files, spreadsheets, any documents you save on your computer, everything.

Develop a backup strategy and stick to it. Usually that means two or more external hard drives with all your important stuff on it. One of them stored remotely, or at a minimum, not plugged in where it will be susceptible to line surges. That is your primary backup. It's a good idea to have a cloud backup too. That is a secondary backup. The local backup is primary because it's easier to restore files from it. Cloud backup is secondary, but it's safer than local backup. It's for use when your primary backup fails.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

You have to create your own workflow. What works for me is to copy my camera mem cards to an internal disk drive on my PC dedicated to raw camera files. I import from this hard disk to LR and I have LR convert the raw files to dng, which are stored on another internal disk drive on my PC. You can tell LR where to store the dng files in the upper right hand corner while in import. That's when I delete the files on my mem cards to reuse them. About once a week, I back up my raw image files disk to an external drive. So, I always have my original raw files both on internal hard drive and external hard drive and the dng working files on an internal disk. When I am done processing an image in LR I export 2 copies of the jpg file to my C: drive. One is a high quality full res jpg. The other is a 2000x1333 (3:2) pixel high quality jpg for posting on social media. I do sometimes make them 1200 x 1200 for other social media platforms like Instagram.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

As a reminder, if your LR software directly supports your camera's RAW files, converting to DNG is a waste of time, effort and storage.

As a reminder, Instagram limits the square format to 1080 x 1080 pixels. Anything wider is compressed by IG.

As a reminder, Instagram supports a 4x5 portrait, with dimensions 1080 x 1350 pixels. Anything wider (or longer) is compressed by IG.

As a reminder, Facebook supports a number of different aspect ratios, but all are limited to 2048 pixels wide. Consider creating reusable LR export presets that use this maximum width.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

The dng conversion gives me another backup. My choice to use belt and suspenders. I know you will do what's right for you and I will continue to do what's right for me. You are right about the other formats, but I didn't want to get too deep beyond the ops original topic of backing up photos, so I kept it short.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

It's only another backup if you store it on a different drive. Otherwise it's just a duplicate.

If it's right for you, there's no problem.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

If your files are on C: drive, don't backup to C: drive, no matter how large it may be!
If you loose C: drive you'll also loose your backup.
AND, don't partition the one physical drive into multiple logical drives (ie. C:, D:, E:).
If the physical drive fails, you'll loose all the logical drive partitions also.

kitrn23

I have 3 external drives and I have always done backups, but I cannot find the app on my PC or just turning to an 80 yr old lady I cannot figure this out. I sure appreciate all the help

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

1) How big are each of your three external HDs?

2) How big is your computer hard drive?

3) What are the purposes of the three external drives?

4) Where do you keep your images? Are they under one high-level folder, like c:\pictures?

These types of answers will help give the basis for some high-level ideas of how to create and process your backups in a relatively easy (maybe) process.