Lightroom workflow help needed

ndwgolf

ndwgolf

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Neil Williams
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Guys
I'm struggling getting my head wrapped around importing and organizing bulk imports.
I just come back from a trip and have 10k pictures to import and sort ( yep 10k).
I know how to do it but I just can't get my head around how to sort so many frigging pictures
What I do is import then in libery mode I start going through them one by one and either delete or press B to add the good ones to the (can't remember the name of the folder) and then just keep doing that. Then I take the ones in that folder and save the collection as Best of ABC and then open that collection and do it all over again until I get just the very best then work on those in PScc.
Is there an easier way to do this or can I do something like this in Bridge........... I really don't know the best way forward.
 
I wonder if you're overcomplicating it?

I just create a folder for the processed images (eg, Holidays / Iceland), then import them all (LR will automatically put them in a folder by date, I shoot raw so thats ok), then I just scroll through, process the ones I want, then export the final image to the folder I created and delete the ones that don't make the cut. I then leave the raws in the LR folder it created should I need to go back.
 
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Not sure if you've ever used "Refine Selection" in the library module but it might help. Basically you go through pressing "P" to select for your first pass, then select "Refine Selection". Anything without a "P" gets changed to an "X", and all the ones you had selected with a "P" get the flag removed. Repeat as necessary until you have the desired number of shots.

I don't use this a lot myself, but it has proved useful on occasion. I am always on the look for the "perfect" lightroom workflow. My bugbear is multiple similar images, I'll select the first, decide I like the second then find a third even better.....
 
benc98 said:
There's no point me making suggestions - I've never had to import 10k images.

I mean what is your biggest pain point? because what ever solution will require you to review images one by one
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I'm thinking would I be better in Lightroom or Bridge. I have both?
 
For that number of images I'd use positive selection rather than negative selection. Yes, it might mean you miss out on an average composition which is perfectly in-focus or has a hidden gem such as someone winking at you, but if a composition or the light is poor, no amount of rescuing is going to fix it. I'd go through a thumbnail gallery and just pick out the (say) 500-1000 best images and then refine down. How many do you realistically want to end up with?
 
Matt-P said:
My bugbear is multiple similar images, I'll select the first, decide I like the second then find a third even better.....
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You've hit it on the nail. That's exactly what I find myself doing.
I do like this P thing so I will try it after I get home from my current trip with only 8k RAW files[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji482][emoji482][emoji482][emoji482][emoji482][emoji23][emoji23]
 
pjm1 said:
For that number of images I'd use positive selection rather than negative selection. Yes, it might mean you miss out on an average composition which is perfectly in-focus or has a hidden gem such as someone winking at you, but if a composition or the light is poor, no amount of rescuing is going to fix it. I'd go through a thumbnail gallery and just pick out the (say) 500-1000 best images and then refine down. How many do you realistically want to end up with?
Click to expand...
I'd be delighted with 50
 
ndwgolf said:
I'd be delighted with 50
Click to expand...

You can be pretty brutal then! Just the very best 500 "unique" ones selected from thumbnail size. After this, if you're looking at those full-size and someone has eyes closed or something's flown in/out of the shot, you know you'll probably have a couple of shots either side which are ok.

That first 20:1 cull needs to take as little time as possible so you can focus your efforts on the final 10:1 selection. IMHO!
 
It might be quicker to use something like FastStone Image Viewer to cull the images you want to get rid of then only import the images that are likely to get processed.

I've found that a much quicker way of reducing down the load than trying to do it all in Lightroom.
 
I import all photos then go through them and rate them.. 1 star for anything in focus, 2 star for something better. then at the end (or in a few weeks) sort all unrated images and delete them from the disk..
 
technics100 said:
I import all photos then go through them and rate them.. 1 star for anything in focus, 2 star for something better. then at the end (or in a few weeks) sort all unrated images and delete them from the disk..
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Thats what I have just started doing and up to now it seems to be working a treat......... only 16300 to go :( :( :(
 
Most I did in one go was 8500....
Guess you were a little enthusiastic there Neil.....lol

I would not import 10000 pics.

View them in fsviewer, delete the out of focus, and others with obvious flaws then import the rest...

Saves hours of time importing
 
Next is to NOT pick the crap shots....

I use a 1 star for a pic, & a x for delete. - that's it....

All x's are deleted straight away,
Any not 1 starred left alone at present.
Then only look at potentially processing the 1 stars.
After processing get 2 stars,
Then final cull get 3 stars (take out all the similar shots)....
 
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