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_j_murph
_j_murph
Participant
November 28, 2016
Question

Lightroom CC was working perfectly, now it can't preview some files and will not import any photos

  • November 28, 2016
  • 2 replies
  • 266 views

Im not sure what the issue is. Ive been using Lightroom CC for about 2 months- Ive been able to upload all of my photos from my nikon D750 into folders directly from my Sandisk memory card (I just stick the card in my Macbook) and upload this way. Just now, I tried to do this, and only about 1/2 of the pictures were available for preview.. the rest were greyed out saying " No available preview for this file". I went ahead and tried to upload anyway- it didn't upload anything. it just froze, the progress bar never moved. I force quit LR and restarted my laptop. I also checked to make sure that LR was updated.

Does anyone know a quick fix for this? Im currently traveling and have so many pictures but only 2 memory cards. I would like to upload these pictures, back them up on an external hard drive, and continue shooting. I'm not tech savvy and Im still just learning how to best use LR.

Thank you!

- Jillian

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

kentdesign
Community Expert
kentdesignCommunity Expert
Community Expert
November 29, 2016

I never upload directly from the memory card. As a safety step I always copy from the memory card to a folder on my travel laptop that I call Travel Photos. Then I launch LR and import from the travel photos folder.

I can choose to copy to a new location or just add the photos with this step, depending on how I plan out my travel folder and drives. LR as 99jon said will only import the new files into the catalog and gray out the ones already in the catalog.

(Note: I also travel with a spare small external travel drive to make a duplicate of all my travel photos. That way, if my computer were to crash or get stolen, my external travel drive would have duplicates of all my travel photos for me to use when I get home! And before I import into LR from the Travel Photos folder, I duplicate that folder onto the external drive.)

99jon
99jon
Legend
November 28, 2016

Are some of the photos already imported into Lightroom? The software usually grays out any files that it recognizes as already in the catalog. This is so that only new photos get imported.

To avoid this, after import and back up I usually format the card inside the camera which wipes it clean ready for the next shoot.

Otherwise try collapsing all the destination panels (on right side of import dialog) and then re-open to show the root folder you wish to import into. The file path should be visible at the top.

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