MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Hi all,
So I've started to use Photoshop Lightroom 4, and love it so far, makes editing images, especially in batches, so easy.
However, I'm a little confused by the whole file management side of things.
So it's supposed to essentially replace Windows Explorer and Windows Photo Viewer for bringing images onto the PC, viewing them, organising them etc (as well as the whole editing side of things of course). So if it's to replace Explorer, it should behave in vaguely the same way.
This is where I get confused.
So I have some pictures on my camera. Using Lightroom, I import them onto my PC, adding them to a new folder; "XYZ photos". I then go onto Develop and edit them all. These are then exported, with the edited versions placed in a new folder within "XYZ photos", named "Edits".
So now, on my PC, if I were to use Explorer, the pictures in "XYZ photos" would be the original unedited versions, whereas those in "Edits" would be the edited versions.
However, if I looked in both folders using Lightroom, they would show the contents to be the same, i.e. both folders have edited photos in them, which is incorrect.
So basically (and I know this is incredibly long-winded for what I'm asking), how come? If I am to use Lightroom to view the various photos on my computer, why does it not show me what's actually there?
Does it assume that once a photo is edited, why would you want to view it in it's unedited state again?
Or am I just being a muppet and not getting the program, or simply have a setting wrong?
Thanks, Duane.
You can set it up to import to a folder of your choice whilst importing into Lightroom. I tend to drag and drop images from the card into a folder in My Pics, then import into LR from that folder.
One word: A-D-O-B-E
read it and weep - they're the home of decrepit software metaphors 🙁
user-removed, the issue isn't importing the pictures in. I can do that fine either copying them in manually, or using Lightroom. It's just that once I've edited and exported the images (exported as copies, not replacements), Lightroom shows the originals as being edited.
Does it assume that once a photo is edited, why would you want to view it in it's unedited state again?
This, essentially.
In the most basic of terms: when you edit the photo it doesn't actually edit it, it simply links the original image to a set of 'editing instructions' which it applies within Lightroom. This means you always retain the original file. You can then export edited versions, which you have now done. I haven't used Lightroom for a few years, but I think that it you have the edited versions safely exported as separate files, you can then open the original files in Lightroom and "Remove Effects" or something similar, which should display your original files 'as is' once again.
Right OK, that makes sense.
Now to figure out how to "remove effects" en masse..
I've been using LR for years, the secret of it is to either...
1) allow LR to import your photos, edit them, save them and archive them into batchs etc, and control movement and location of photos around the entire PC/Laptop
OR
2) only import photos into LR from your already saved file and export it back. Doing all your backup's and saves yourself.
Anything in between makes for a giant logistical nightmare.
Lightroom is awesome if you use it as intended. Pleaderwilliams has it right..
Lightroom is just a big database of edits. So the original file always remains untouched. When you view the photo in LR or export them the edits are just applied.
You can have multiple "versions" of the same photo by using "virtual copies". This doesn't create a new file, it just creates another set of edit instructions for the same file.
Therefore there is no reason to export edited photos to another file just to save the edits. This can be done in LR. Photos only need to be exported if you need them outside the Adobe environment for emailing/uploading/printing etc
Lightroom also links very nicely with proper pixel editors like photoshop or other cheaper programs with edited files automatically added to the Lightroom catalog.
Get the Scott Kelby book would be my number one Lightroom tip [url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Photoshop-Lightroom-Digital-Photographers-Voices/dp/0321819586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341008857&sr=8-1 ]Book[/url]