Skip to main content
D
DragonflyAI
Participant
September 25, 2021
Question

Smart Previews made previous imports disappear

  • September 25, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 85 views

Hello everyone,

I've recently started editing for a photographer and I had edited a wedding through the normal import images route. Then I imported a smart preview file to do a quick edit on another shoot and all my previous imports imcluding the wedding I had finished editing are gone. 

How can I get these back? I'm a Mac user and using LRclassic. 

 

TIA

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Rob_Cullen
Community Expert
Rob_CullenCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 25, 2021

A comment on "Then I imported a smart preview file"-

You DO NOT Import smart preview files! They are Catalog previews only, and NOT photo files!

Smart Previews, although they are DNG files (called "Proxy files" and pixel size limited), must be considered as a 'cache of previews' essential for the catalog, and not individual photo files.

Editing for another photographer will normally require that you are supplied with a Catalog and the Smart Previews (or original files). You simply 'Open' this Catalog and do the editing work.

And is it possible you have opened a Catalog that does not have your "wedding" photos?

 

 

Regards. My System: Windows-11, Lightroom-Classic 15.3, Photoshop 27.5, ACR 18.3, Lightroom 9.3, Lr-iOS 10.4.0, Bridge 16.0.3 .
johnrellis
johnrellis
Legend
September 25, 2021

Try these steps:

 

1. Click on All Photographs in the Catalog panel in the upper-left corner of Library.

 

2. Ensure the menu item File > Library Filters > Enable Filters is unchecked.

 

Do you see all the photos now?

Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices