Staying organized from the beginning will make your Lightroom experience more enjoyable. Lightroom Classic is a reference program. Lightroom “manages” the images you import. It doesn’t matter where you keep the images (internal/external drive), they never leave the location you put them in (until you move them). Lightroom refers to them as you import and apply your edits. There is no “save as” in Lightroom. When you Export, Lightroom applies all of your edits to the image file.
Importing from your camera. This class we started by learning how to Import from the camera card.
Go to the Import Module and from the Source at the top left of the Import page, select the camera card and the folder your camera put the images in. It usually is identified with DCIM
You will notice that the only choice you have is Copy. This is intended to protect the files during transfer to Lightroom. There is always a very slim chance that a file will not transfer properly. If this occurs the image is still on the camera card and can be accessed again for transfer.
2. The preview window show you what is on the card. The default has every image checked but you can uncheck anything you don’t want to import…..poor focus, accidental shots, etc. You can also Import in batches of like images by only checking those ones.
3. We have selected the where the images are coming FROM by selecting the Source. This case is a camera card. Now we will make our selections on the right hand panel labeled TO:
Choose what Previews you want to use: Minimal, Embedded & Sidecar, Standard, 1:1. Smart Preview are for laptop users.
Don’t import Suspected Duplicates: If this is checked then any image already in Lightroom will be grayed out.
Save A Second Copy To: If this is checked the program will default to the Pictures (PC: Photo) area of your hard drive and save a 2nd set of images. It is recommended to have this pointed at a second external drive that backups your images imported.
File Handling: Choose the Size of your Preview: Minimal for faster loading, Embedded & Sidecar, Standard or 1:1. Smart Previews are for laptop users
Choose: Don’t Import Suspected Duplicates, if the image is already in LR it will be greyed out
Choose: Make a Second Copy To….point the software to an additional external drive to have the images imported there as well for backup
Choose: Add to Collection… you may add to an existing Collection or create a new one, efficient if you are going to create a Collection after Import
Choose: File Renaming…there is a menu of format to choose from if you want to give your chosen files a name as they are Imported. It varies from date only, subject only, File Name and names etc.
Choose: Apply during Import….you can choose to apply a preset to the images as they are imported OR add a Copyright to the metadata on Import.
Example: I have Simple Copyright listed on the example
Choose Keywords: Click on the grey box and it turns white. You can then place your cursor in the box and type keywords relating to your images being imported. I suggest generic keywords at this stage and you can add more detailed keywords after Import. The example is Soberanes Point for the file name. Generic to the location it was photographed.
Destination: Now we need to tell Lightroom where you want to put those images. I put a checkmark next to Destination. There is a small text box there. Click and place my cursor in the text box and name my folder Soberanes Point. Scroll down and I can see that My Lightroom Folder 2 is properly chosen.
I scroll down my list of destination folders on my external drive and see that the software is asking me if I want to create a folder with the name Soberanes Point and add the images that I have selected to it. So, I check and it is there. I can now click on the Import button on the bottom of the panel and my images will be copied from the camera card, any files names or keywords will be applied and they will be put in the new folder created called Soberanes Point.
ADD METHOD: There is another method for the organized individual. Essentially, you organize your images on an external or internal drive, outside of Lightroom and then ADD them. Let me explain further.
First: Wherever you put your images make sure you have a master folder called My Lightroom Photos, Photos or anything you want to name it.
Under that main folder, create folders that are named things like Travel, Sports, Vacation, etc. Subjects that are in the genres of your photographs. Then you put or drag folders of images into those categories. Example would be Ireland put into Travel or Vacation. Little League into Sports. You get the idea. This is one way of thinking about it OR
You can skip the folders titled Travel, Sports, Vacation and put or drag folders with subjects or dates under the main folder or My Lightroom Folder. Example: Here I have “added” a folder called 8x10 exhibit to My Lightroom Folder. It is highlighted in the graphic below.
When I go to the Library Module and look at my folders, there is no 8x10 Exhibit in the list. Why? Lightroom doesn't know it is there. I go to the Import page and navigate to the external drive and find the 8x10 Exhibit folder I have just dragged into my external drive. Click on the 8x10 Exhibit folder and the images inside are in the Preview window with their checkmarks already done. I choose Add in the center to tell Lightroom how I am handing these images. The right side panel is smaller now. You can choose:
Build Previews, Don Import Suspected Duplicates, Make a Second Copy To, Add to Collection, Develop Settings, Copyright and Keywords. Click on Import and Lightroom will ADD this folder to your catalog and Lightroom know where they are. See Below for the Add button and the 8x10 Exhibit showing in the Library Module
Remember: This is for those of you who can be organized outside of Lightroom and have your folders ready to go or want to take the time to organize them outside of Lightroom and then ADD them.
Important: All photographs or images in one place saves you from having to remember where they are in various places scattered on your computer, external drives, etc.
If you have read this far, thank you for the attention. I am open to questions or clarification. Week 4 will be about some of the fine points in the Library Module…Working with Folders and Collections.