Lightroom catalog question

[ho_co]

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I've let Lightroom do its own catalog construction, and it has done some strange things (see screen grab below).

Should I just let it continue to file 2019 additions in a subfolder under 2018-01-08 for example? 

Or should I drag subfolders to what I think are more logical locations? What would be the ramifications if I did that?

Thanks for any thoughts on the matter!

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[wda]

LR has done exactly what you requested, listed what it found on your computer. Now you can tidy up your existing file structure any way you want, BUT .. MOVE the folders within LR. Otherwise LR will lose track of them. Resynchronising them is another operation.

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[pedaes]

Have to stress what David said about only moving files through LR as consequences of not doing so a real pain in butt. Suggest you understand how to build a catologue and slowly (through LR) click and drag existing files into new headings. This might help 

See also J-A's tutorial on importing from card. Good luck.

Edited March 2, 2019 by pedaes

[jmahto]

If you are importing new files then check in the import dialog for import folder and format for new folder name. I import it to folder name after year (2019) and sub folder name based on date.

And always move the folder through LR as others have suggested. 

[Exodies]

3 hours ago, jmahto said:

If you are importing new files then check in the import dialog for import folder and format for new folder name. I import it to folder name after year (2019) and sub folder name based on date.

And always move the folder through LR as others have suggested. 

This folder structure is the only sensible one. Anything else is subject to change based on whim. For those other kinds of organisation use collections.

[jmahto]

19 hours ago, Exodies said:

This folder structure is the only sensible one. Anything else is subject to change based on whim. For those other kinds of organisation use collections.

I heavily use collections. It is useful since pics can be in more than one collection. Another organization tool is keywords. For example I add keyword “Instagram” for the pictures published in Instagram. It is quicker than creating a collection called Instagram. 

[wda]

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11 hours ago, jmahto said:

I heavily use collections. It is useful since pics can be in more than one collection. Another organization tool is keywords. For example I add keyword “Instagram” for the pictures published in Instagram. It is quicker than creating a collection called Instagram. 

I agree. And Smart Collections are even smarter; they automatically collect new images when keywords are added.

[M11 for me]

Your catalogue is very bad the way LR did that. As it was said above you have now to built a better structure all by moving the folders you have arounsd as you like to have them. You can ads well just move pictures around if needed.  

BUT BY ALL MEANS: Do al that work within LR. And then go to look in your finder or windows explorer if it is right there. Normally you should not tough the structure within the finder or Explorer. Work just within LR. You will see that the folders or files move in finder or explorer as well. 

It is a big job to put everything right. But it is worth it. Think as well how the structure is right for you. The logic must be right for you.

[M11 for me]

vor 17 Stunden schrieb jmahto:

I heavily use collections. It is useful since pics can be in more than one collection. Another organization tool is keywords. For example I add keyword “Instagram” for the pictures published in Instagram. It is quicker than creating a collection called Instagram. 

But I think that before you start with collections you have to have the basic structure right. A picture always references a folder in the initial structure that you se as well in the finder (Apple) or in the Explorer (Windows). If you start directly with collections you will have a black box at the end and your original inages are just somewhere. Some people‘s brain work perfectlywith such a situation. I am an engineer type and could never have that. Based on a clean catalogue you xan then have your collections of course. 

[jmahto]

On 3/1/2019 at 6:25 PM, ho_co said:

I've let Lightroom do its own catalog construction, and it has done some strange things (see screen grab below).

Should I just let it continue to file 2019 additions in a subfolder under 2018-01-08 for example? 

Or should I drag subfolders to what I think are more logical locations? What would be the ramifications if I did that?

Thanks for any thoughts on the matter!

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

I looked at it again and now I understand how it might have happened. If you are importing files to the catalog using LR import dialog, you have to specify what is the destination for the new folders. In your case while importing 2019 pictures you seemed to have specified folder 2018/2018-01-08/2019 as target folder. 

It is not a disaster since you can always drag and drop files/folders inside LR to restructure it. If you want to avoid this work then be careful about your destination folder while importing pictures.

[wda]

On 3/2/2019 at 2:25 AM, ho_co said:

I've let Lightroom do its own catalog construction, and it has done some strange things (see screen grab below).

Should I just let it continue to file 2019 additions in a subfolder under 2018-01-08 for example? 

Or should I drag subfolders to what I think are more logical locations? What would be the ramifications if I did that?

Thanks for any thoughts on the matter!

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Howard, when reconsidering how many folders and sub-folders you want, do so after considering how you intend to use your catalogue in the future. I see no point in having individual folders for every shoot and download.  So long as LR will help me find the files I want, I don't care where they are. In fact I only separate my files by Years. Everything shot this year goes into one folder. The search facility allows me to filter and find the pictures I need at any time. You can set your preferences to achieve any desired result. You do not need to use default settings if you prefer otherwise. An amazing amount of information and sorting is possible based on metadata information before you add in custom keywords. If you haven't already done so, spend a little time reviewing Julienne Kost's excellent videos on these various aspects of using LR. It is a good investment of time. I regard such learning as 'my night-school'

[Jeff S]

+1

Here’s a link to some Julieanne Kost videos....

http://blogs.adobe.com/jkost/lightroom-training-videos

I also use only folders by year, with keywords, but Julieanne shows effective use of sub folders and/or collections, as well as keywords and searches. And I stick to one master catalog...her video on one vs multiple catalogs provides some good organizational structure tips and rationale.

Jeff

Edited March 6, 2019 by Jeff S

[ho_co]

On 3/5/2019 at 3:47 PM, wda said:

Howard, when reconsidering how many folders and sub-folders you want, do so after considering how you intend to use your catalogue in the future. I see no point in having individual folders for every shoot and download.  So long as LR will help me find the files I want, I don't care where they are. In fact I only separate my files by Years. Everything shot this year goes into one folder. The search facility allows me to filter and find the pictures I need at any time. You can set your preferences to achieve any desired result. You do not need to use default settings if you prefer otherwise. An amazing amount of information and sorting is possible based on metadata information before you add in custom keywords. If you haven't already done so, spend a little time reviewing Julienne Kost's excellent videos on these various aspects of using LR. It is a good investment of time. I regard such learning as 'my night-school'

David, is the information on filing by just the year in the Kost videos? If I start doing that, will I be able to change my mind later? Will LR still want to file by year + day and will I need to defeat that each time I download to the program? Or is that all in the Kost videos?

 

Thanks also to Jeff for the link to the Kost training sight!

[wda]

Howard, I am not sure whether Kost videos cover filing by year. I guess they do, but it doesn't matter if you look carefully at the options on the right-hand side of the Import page. Look at Destination and set Organize to 'Into one Folder'. Below that select your chosen folder.

Yes, you can undo your choice of folder and make another choice so long as you work within LR.

Third question: No unless that is your specified choice. LR remembers your preferences until you change them.

Try this exercise, assuming picture folders by year do not exist on your computer. In LR select the Library module. View in Grid and select Library Filter (top of grid) and select Metadata. By default one column should be headed Date. If not, set one of the titles to Date. Select any one year, say 2018 and you will now be looking at all pictures in LR for 2018. Select all pictures (Contol + A). Now Identify Folders in the left column and click on the + sign. In the fly-out menu click on 'Add Folder'. Now you can name the new folder '2018', assuming such a folder does not exist. Make sure the new folder is where you want it. Mine is a sub-folder of MYPIX. Follow the process through by including all preselected pictures, i.e. those filtered for 2018. Check that it has worked as described. Now do the same for pictures filtered for the year  2019. Now when you add new pictures this year, in the Import>Destination box choose the folder named '2019'.

I cannot think why you would want to reverse the process because when you filter your collection or pictures by year, you can open the 'year' and thus reveal pictures by month and date. If filtering is new to you, spend a little time exploring how useful this feature can be. You can find pictures taken by specific camera, or specific lens or at specified ISO for example.

I have found spending time working through Kost videos a rewarding way of learning to get the best out of LR post-processing. Don't expect to become an expert overnight.😀