Importing RAW images

Hi @Zachariahprime !

Check my tutorial on importing images:

https://youtu.be/HBW1DyxCf8g

You are importing from a card or camera. So there are no other options.

If your images are on the harddrive, you can move or add them.

All my photos were taken and saved to an SD card ive been using for at least a year. Ive had no trouble in the past with the ADD function but now it just wont let me.

UPDATE:

I tried uploading them to my external Hard drive but no luck with that either.

I think my SD could be damaged in some way. When i tried moving them to the external it said " The Finder can’t complete the operation because some data in “IMG_1132.CR2” can’t be read or written.
(Error code -36)"

It does this for all current photos Ive taken. But not for ones ive taken a year ago. so i think i may just need a new SD card?

One of the safest ways to import photo files into Lightroom, is to make a folder on your desktop and copy or drag the photo files into that folder. Bonus is that you have a backup copy  of your photo files in addition to their original location (usually a memory card). Then you can launch LR, and in the Import Dialog box,  after directiong LR to import from that folder, you should have all 4 options: Copy as DNG, Copy, Move and Add. Copy as DNG adds the photo files to the LR catalog, makes a copy of the photofile and turns it into a DNG if possible —you select the location where you want the photofile moved to in the right side panel.  Copy adds the photo file to the LR catalog and makes a copy and moves the copy to the location you select on the right hand side. Move, adds the phtoofile to the catalog and takes the photo file out of the folder and moves it to the selected location. Add only adds the photo data to the catalog, The photo files (original photos) stay where they are. Hope that helps.

There is information about the security settings here. https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/macos-catalina-compatibility.html

Where are the photos located? If they are on a memory card, that is the only option you will get. If they are on the internal drive, or an external drive you should be able to import with the Add option. If that is not available you probably need to set the security preferences to allow Lightroom access to the drive.