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Gregory25556071f00h
Inspiring
December 9, 2022
Answered

File management when using external editors

  • December 9, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 900 views

I starting using LrC a few months ago, and I have roughly 3000 photos imported and a few hundred of those "developed". Before I started using LrC, I decided to keep all of my "keeper" photos in the cloud (specifically iCloud). So, I in effect had to import from the cloud. Since LrC does not modify the originals, the cloud seemed like a good thing to use once I started using LrC. However, more recently I started using Topaz Photo AI to improve every photo "developed" in LrC. To do so, I engage Photo AI through LrC; I realize now the result from Photo AI (or Photoshop) gets stored in the same folder as the imported file; in my case this is the cloud. I can find no way to make LrC store the external result in a different folder (but again, I am a newbie). 

 

I checked the size of the external edit files, which are either TIFF or DNG; I found one that was 990MB! This was a mistake made when I first started using Photo AI, but some recent files, done with more care, were around 400MB, though the average is likely below 100MB. My ARW originals are only around 60MB. So, with the current LrC behavior, I'll reach the limits of my iCloud account very quickly!

 

At this point, I can see only two approaches:

  1. Continue using the cloud as the import source. I can either pay for more storage when the time comes, or can do the extra work to periodically cull (and likely archive in some manner) photos that no longer deserve to be considered a "keeper".
  2. Start using another location for LrC imports (e.g., an external SSD or even my laptop SSD) and use the cloud for only the originals. 

 

Doing 1 means no immediate work, but periodic work (for culling) in the long term. Doing 2 means dealing with all of the missing folders in LrC after I copy/move files, which should not be too bad a task, and then also deleting the external edit files from the cloud; so, a bit of potentially dangerous work up front, but less in the long term. I must admit I'll likely have to deal with culling in the long term anyway.

 

All of this is moot, however if I could tell LrC to place the files from external editors in another folder.

 

Anyone have any advice? Thanks!

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Gregory25556071f00h

First, thanks to all who replied.

 

Second, based on the replies and some additional thought, I've decided on the following approach:

  • copy photos from camera SD card to a folder on my computer SSD; call it work
  • import work into LrC (I could possibly use LrC to do both this step and the prior step)
  • cull the photos in work retaining only those deemed worthy of future edits
  • copy work (and of course the remaining photos) to the cloud for permanent backup
  • copy work onto an external SSD 
  • at this point can apply Photo AI to and photos in work, and of course the files Photo AI produces get placed in work

 

I think the is the least disruptive approach. I've in fact already implemented it and it seems to work fine. I can choose to copy the edited photos to the cloud or the external  SSD.

3 replies

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Gregory25556071f00hAuthorCorrect answer
Inspiring
December 17, 2022

First, thanks to all who replied.

 

Second, based on the replies and some additional thought, I've decided on the following approach:

  • copy photos from camera SD card to a folder on my computer SSD; call it work
  • import work into LrC (I could possibly use LrC to do both this step and the prior step)
  • cull the photos in work retaining only those deemed worthy of future edits
  • copy work (and of course the remaining photos) to the cloud for permanent backup
  • copy work onto an external SSD 
  • at this point can apply Photo AI to and photos in work, and of course the files Photo AI produces get placed in work

 

I think the is the least disruptive approach. I've in fact already implemented it and it seems to work fine. I can choose to copy the edited photos to the cloud or the external  SSD.

George_F
Community Expert
George_FCommunity Expert
Community Expert
December 17, 2022

I'm glad you found a workflow that fits well!  Happy shooting 🙂

George F, Photographer & Forum Volunteer
dj_paige
dj_paige
Legend
December 10, 2022

All of this is moot, however if I could tell LrC to place the files from external editors in another folder.

 

Actually, I think the best solution is to store the files from external editors in the same folder as the original. Why go through the effort to separate them? What is the benefit? Is the entire point to save disk space at the cost of losing the organizational features?

G
Gregory25556071f00hAuthor
Inspiring
December 10, 2022

I agree 100% there are substantial benefits to keeping the external edit files "associated" or "linked" in some manner. So I don't want to loose the organizational features. And likely the easiest way to maintain the features is to keep an external edit file in the same folder as the original. 

 

That said, I not really pleased with the prospect of having to pay for maybe 1600% (not a typo) more  cloud storage to retain the organization features. I really only need to keep the originals in the cloud; everything else can be recreated if needed. 

 

I confess I'm probably overthinking this. As a programmer, I'm pretty sure Adobe could figure out a way to maintain the necessary association between the original and external edit, even the the latter was stored in a different folder; but they've probably never considered a need to do so. On the other hand, if I'd started using LrC before I defined my current workflow (or perhaps more accurately, my current digital asset management scheme), I'd have ended up with what I called as approach 2 in my original post, and I'd have never needed to post on this subject.

 

Thanks for the reply!

dj_paige
dj_paige
Legend
December 10, 2022

I'm pretty sure Adobe could figure out a way to maintain the necessary association between the original and external edit, even the the latter was stored in a different folder; but they've probably never considered a need to do so.

 

I believe there are a lot of workflows that are possible, and Adobe intentionally has decided not to support many workflow (or make certain workflows more difficult and less desirable).

 

You can, after you create your PhotoAI edit, move the two files (original raw and PhotoAI edit) together to some other folder of your choice, the orig and the edit are still "linked" together in a stack. Moving just one eliminates the link.

    George_F
    Community Expert
    George_FCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    December 10, 2022

    Would exporting a tiff/png to a folder and then running through Topaz separately be a reasonable solution?  

    George F, Photographer & Forum Volunteer
    G
    Gregory25556071f00hAuthor
    Inspiring
    December 10, 2022

    It certainly is a solution. While I've not investigated, I think it would be quite disruptive to the workflow. To engage Photo AI in the current workflow, all I need to do is right-click, in the popup click Edit In > Topaz Photo AI, Photo AI starts and I can choose the necessary edits, click Save, and I'm back in LrC ready to do additional editing. To do what you suggest I think the new workflow would be export the photo from LrC, start Photo AI (if not already started), in Photo AI load the exported photo, choose the necessary edits, save the photo, in LrC, import the edited photo, then do additional editing. One additional drawback is that I'd loose the ability to engage stacking. I'm not sure of the impact on things like keywords.

     

    In any case, thanks. It is certainly worth consideration.

    George_F
    Community Expert
    George_FCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    December 10, 2022

    Lightroom has an Auto Import feature that can be set on specific folders and may be helpful to a new workflow.  I don't know how well it's works, I've never used it.

     

    What do you mean by stacking?  Are you just looking to have the original and tiff in the same folder?  Maybe a smart collection is the answer.

     

    You could also move the files from within LrC once they are saved?  Just have a separate folder outside of iCloud and move them once they are saved using the Library Module.

    George F, Photographer & Forum Volunteer
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