Recommended Lightroom workflow

[Astraeus]

Over the past two years of using Lightroom, I've managed to never successfully achieve a decent workflow and I've now ended up encountering the following problems:

1. Certain folders are now split between a folder, a .lrcat file and a Previews.lrdata folder.
2. Many of my web exports have no tangible, physical copy on my HDD.
3. Several catalogues are now in place.

All I want is a workflow which allows me to import my files into a situation-specific folder (France (2011) for instance), rename them to a AAA_00001 filename and then allow me to edit them. After editing, I'd like the option to export to Photoshop for certain pictures and then have all of the edits exported to a "Edits" folder. All of this done, of course, in one catalogue but with several folders detailing each situation-specific event. France (2011), London (2010) and such.

Can anyone educate me on how to do this?

 

[Chappers]

This is my workflow that I have used for some time and seems to work for me

At import , import the images to the folder I want the images to go into i.e. France 2011.
Once they are imported I then rename them and if required add Keywords. Next back up.

As far as editing in Photoshop is concerned I prefer the way Lightroom works in that when you export to PS via Lightroom that after editing you save the file and it placed in the original folder next to the original. However if you want to save them in another location simply use "Save As" in Photoshop. However this may not automatically add these into the Lightroom catalogue

I'd also make a folder(s) on you hard drive called Export, or similar. This is where you send the exported images. You could have it subdivided into Web, prints etc. You can set up a preset in the export module to preselect these destinations.

Hope this helps

 

[Astraeus]

This is my workflow that I have used for some time and seems to work for me

At import , import the images to the folder I want the images to go into i.e. France 2011.
Once they are imported I then rename them and if required add Keywords. Next back up.

As far as editing in Photoshop is concerned I prefer the way Lightroom works in that when you export to PS via Lightroom that after editing you save the file and it placed in the original folder next to the original. However if you want to save them in another location simply use "Save As" in Photoshop. However this may not automatically add these into the Lightroom catalogue

I'd also make a folder(s) on you hard drive called Export, or similar. This is where you send the exported images. You could have it subdivided into Web, prints etc. You can set up a preset in the export module to preselect these destinations.

Hope this helps

Thanks. Do you manually rename each file? My next import will be ~3,500 files so I'm struggling with the idea of that. When I set the algorithm for batch renames, it was sporadic in its application and left some of them with the desired prefix whilst others maintained the camera's default prefix.

I didn't realise Photoshop was so well in-line with Lightroom so as to be able to keep its edits in the Lightroom library so that gives me some hope. I think I'll end up having each folder with an "Export" folder giving all of the exports for that situation, be they for web, print or whatever else.

Thanks.

 

[Chappers]

Yes you can batch rename. Hi light all the images you want to rename, with the same name .i.e Beach. Press F2 and you get the renaming options available. I simply renumber them , so the become Beach 1 Beach 2 etc. There are other options available including custom settings

You might want to nip over to the Adobe web site they have some good tutorials on Lightroom

 

[Astraeus]

Yes you can batch rename. Hi light all the images you want to rename, with the same name .i.e Beach. Press F2 and you get the renaming options available. I simply renumber them , so the become Beach 1 Beach 2 etc. There are other options available including custom settings

You might want to nip over to the Adobe web site they have some good tutorials on Lightroom

Thanks. I think I'll have to just spend a bit more time thinking through what I'm doing on Lightroom to get the most out of the software. Having skim-read the 166-page Adobe guide, I already feel a bit more comfortable with it!

 

[awp]

You can rename them automatically on import.

 

[Xenon54]

Situation specific folders are a bad idea in my opinion. The whole point of LR is that it's a powerful library that can search/filter by many different criteria, the main one being keywords. All my photos go into folders by date, one for each month (so I only have 12 per year), and LR creates a new folder automatically on import if necessary. This makes for a simple and logical underlying folder structure. I batch keyword them on import, then add photo specific keywords if necessary (although I try to keep keywords to a minimum to save time). If I want to find photos of "France" in "2011" then I search for that keyword and that date. Simple. I don't really need to know or care about the underlying folder structure (as I interface with it through LR which is much more powerful), but I keep it neat and tidy by date anyway.

I have an export folder that contains sub-folders that are situation specific as this makes more intuitive sense to me, and I also distinguish between output type (eg web, print, ipad etc). For example, from my "France 2011" holiday I might generate several outputs: I might have had a photobook printed so I save the images uploaded to my suppliers website (in case I want re-print), I might have sent a copy of the best pics to the friends I was holiday with so they can get prints done or save digi copies, or I might have put a load on my iPad so I can show everyone my holiday, or I might have uploaded some to flickr or facebook (via publish services) etc etc. You get the drift.

HTH,
Will

 

[Astraeus]

Situation specific folders are a bad idea in my opinion. The whole point of LR is that it's a powerful library that can search/filter by many different criteria, the main one being keywords. All my photos go into folders by date, one for each month (so I only have 12 per year), and LR creates a new folder automatically on import if necessary. This makes for a simple and logical underlying folder structure. I batch keyword them on import, then add photo specific keywords if necessary (although I try to keep keywords to a minimum to save time). If I want to find photos of "France" in "2011" then I search for that keyword and that date. Simple. I don't really need to know or care about the underlying folder structure (as I interface with it through LR which is much more powerful), but I keep it neat and tidy by date anyway.

I have an export folder that contains sub-folders that are situation specific as this makes more intuitive sense to me, and I also distinguish between output type (eg web, print, ipad etc). For example, from my "France 2011" holiday I might generate several outputs: I might have had a photobook printed so I save the images uploaded to my suppliers website (in case I want re-print), I might have sent a copy of the best pics to the friends I was holiday with so they can get prints done or save digi copies, or I might have put a load on my iPad so I can show everyone my holiday, or I might have uploaded some to flickr or facebook (via publish services) etc etc. You get the drift.

HTH,
Will

VERY helpful input Will, thanks ever so much for that.

I really like the idea of just using a monthly folder structure and then exporting to Web/Print/Share folders. Is there a way to have LR automatically create the folder for the new month and, if so, where can I find that option?

I'm also at a loss as to where to start with my keyword trees because I want to be absolutely comprehensive but, from previous experience, I know I often miss out key keywords.

 

[technics100]

I use one catalogue, and import my photos using the following date system


2010 (folder)

20101006_Description (folder)

20101006_4932.jpg – (4932 is original camera file number)


That means that the latest most recent folder is always at the bottom. I import in Lightroom straight from the card to a NAS drive, I get lightroom to create a subfolder with the days date & description - 20110811_test and also rename all photos to 20110811_test_4576 (which is the file sequence from the camera)

So final path of photos are;

s:\photographs\2011\20110811_test

I have the NAS drive set to backup to a 2nd drive every night at 12am..

 

[StephenArfer]

I'm a bit surprised to see no mention of Lightroom Collections and Collection Sets in this thread.

An image or group of images can be allocated to any one or more named collections which although you (and I) may still wish to maintain a logical folder structure, allows group categorisation for any purpose. Images in a single collection can originate from multiple folders.

Collections, along with keywords and labels, are a powerful means to catalogue and maintain images and groups of images. For example a subset of image that were exported and uploaded to the web on a specific site/date, or selected for any other purpose and/or subsequent retrieval.

Collections are not necessarily single time use. A collection could be maintained for say "Entered in Competititons" and images added at any time. The normally applied image keywords can then be used much more flexibly.

Virtual copies are often useful when a group of images are used for one purpose for which a record must be kept, but might subsequently be modified.

I'm also a great believer in ensuring that "Photoshopped" images are retained in the Lightroom catalog along with the original RAW. Otherwise it all gets a bit disjointed.

Just my 2d worth.

 

[Xenon54]

Is there a way to have LR automatically create the folder for the new month and, if so, where can I find that option?

I'm also at a loss as to where to start with my keyword trees because I want to be absolutely comprehensive but, from previous experience, I know I often miss out key keywords.

(a) yep, there's an option in the import dialogue box, which is also where you specify the folder and file naming conventions. LR shows you where it's about to import that files to as well, which is nice.

(b) IMO less is more with keywording. Some people have the discipline to add many to every picture they take, but for me that's not necessary (I'm not a pro for one thing!).

I'm a bit surprised to see no mention of Lightroom Collections and Collection Sets in this thread.

Yep, (smart) collections are very powerful and one of the reasons to use LR. In fact, once you get away from a traditional (and limiting) folder tree organisational structure, you never look back. A Keywording based system just makes so much more sense, and means that......

I don't really need to know or care about the underlying folder structure (as I interface with it through LR which is much more powerful), but I keep it neat and tidy by date anyway.

 

[Astraeus]

This. Is. Overwhelming.

Never quite figured out why/how to best use Collections. If anyone is able to provide a sample of a few directories/collections using their methodology, it'd be much appreciated. I'm a small fish in a big pond with Lightroom!

 

[Xenon54]

This. Is. Overwhelming.

Never quite figured out why/how to best use Collections. If anyone is able to provide a sample of a few directories/collections using their methodology, it'd be much appreciated. I'm a small fish in a big pond with Lightroom!

Go check out some of the online video tutorials, there's nothing better than seeing it all done.

SLRLounge has some good ones broken down into nice bite sized chunks, and search the archive at lightroomkillertips. There's other good ones too, search TP for threads, it's been discussed before.