lightroom questions

I've had LR for quite a while and have used it off and on but never got really into it in the way I intended. I've been working with it again this week and have a couple questions for anyone that uses it regularly.

I'm concerned about backups and trying to make sure I understand how LR works.

So when I do a catalog backup that is just backing up the file structure, tags, ratings and stuff like that right? Not the actual photos right?

What about my edits? Say I edit a photo and LR shows the edit (although my original photo isn't changed), how do I backup that edit? Does it backup in the catalog backup or do I need to burn a full size copy with the edit and backup manually?

Those are fabulous questions that I wish I had the answer to but the truth is I have been using LR for 2 years and have never used the backup feature. I just have everything backed up to my EHD's as soon as I take them off my cards.

No idea, we've been using LR some at school, I haven't really looked at it that close to figure it out.

When I get on my other computer, I'll post a link our teacher gave us on it, I haven't read it, but maybe it'll answer your questions.

Emmy said:

So when I do a catalog backup that is just backing up the file structure, tags, ratings and stuff like that right? Not the actual photos right?

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Yes, the catalog backup just backups the catalog information, not the actual physical photos themselves.

But when you import from a camera card, there is a checkbox that says "Backup to:" which you can set to have it save a duplicate copy of your images to store on a backup EHD or network drive or something along those lines. It won't however save the folder structure it imports the files in, it just lumps all the photos from the import into a folder with the import date.

What about my edits? Say I edit a photo and LR shows the edit (although my original photo isn't changed), how do I backup that edit? Does it backup in the catalog backup or do I need to burn a full size copy with the edit and backup manually?

Click to expand...

Lightroom doesn't actually make any physical changes to the photos. All "edits" are simply instructions written into a file aka the catalog. So as long as you're backing up catalog, all the Lightroom editing information should be backed up as well.

If you want to save a physical copy of your edited photos, then you would need to actually export them from Lightroom in whatever format you choose (like jpg or tif). The other option, which is what I do, is I always edit my photos in Photoshop after I edit them in Lightroom so I right-click on the photo itself and choose Edit in Photoshop and choose to Edit file with Lightroom adjustments. Then Lightroom essentially exports a copy for me which I can then save as a file from within Photoshop. The nice thing about this is it will name the image for you so all my edited photos are then saved as IMG_2333-Edit alongside the original so they all show up together when I go back into Lightroom.

Not sure if that all made sense so if you have other questions, feel free to ask.

Nettio said:

Then Lightroom essentially exports a copy for me which I can then save as a file from within Photoshop. The nice thing about this is it will name the image for you so all my edited photos are then saved as IMG_2333-Edit alongside the original so they all show up together when I go back into Lightroom.

Click to expand...

Ok that makes sense to me - I've done that and I've seen where the edited photo shows up as a separate file. But then in order to back up that new edited file I have to manually copy it to my backup location right? I mean there's nothing automated that will put that edited copy anywhere other than my original file structure where I keep my photos, right? I am a backup junkie and just want to make sure I don't lose my edited photos should my laptop go down.

just btt for Lynette to see so she can answer my question lol

Yes, if you exported it as an edited photo to edit further in PS, and it creates a new file, then you have to manually backup that image.

LOL! Yes, you would need to manually backup the edited files later on or you could use some kind of backup software to keep track of all that for you which is what I do. Either way it's not something Lightroom itself will do for you.

ok thanks girls!

Enjoy!