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Zoe7traveller
Zoe7traveller
Inspiring
December 22, 2017
Answered

Why use Bridge?

  • December 22, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 13378 views

I've been using most of the Adobe products for years -- especially Lightroom and Photoshop.  However, I've never quite understood the purpose of Bridge.  Lightroom (slowly) manages most of my digital assets such as photos and videos, so why would I need Bridge?

If I have content in Bridge, I would surely want to use them first in Lighrtoom anytime I ever wanted to do anything with them, so I'd have to open Bridge, move them to Lightroom and them edit them there or move them yet again into Photoshop ------ so why Bridge?

I'm sure there's something fundamental that I'm not understanding about Bridge in regards to a healthy work flow.  Could anyone help me understand why I would ever want to use Bridge and how I might best include it in a workflow?

Thanks!!

    Correct answer 99jon

    In a nutshell Lightroom is for photographers and Bridge is for graphic designers and artists.

    Lightroom only manages the files you import. Bridge is a browser and sees all files on a computer. Creative Cloud customers using applications like Illustrator, InDesign, and Dreamweaver will often use Bridge for their file management and workflow.

    2 replies

    M
    michaelg10143989
    Participant
    March 16, 2018

    That is a great explanation. 

    It makes more sense to think of it as a browser for visual artists.

    I am a visual artist who has been using Illustrator and Photoshop since they were invented.

    Over the years I have created a very streamline, and intuitive understanding of managing image files in Windows.

    There have been many types of software (they often come with cameras) that provide image downloading/file management functions.

    All of these including Bridge, seem to be another "layer" over the basic Windows Explorer filing system. 

    All of these including Bridge, seem to be another "lens" through which we can see the basic Windows Explorer filing system.

    Exploring all the functions of Bridge and these other file management tools, I don't find much that can't be done with the existing Windows Explorer filing system.

    This being the case, why would we add an extra layer of software/complexity over another software which does the same thing?

    By doing this, we are just asking for more problems.  Add more software and you are going to add more problems, that's just a fact.

    If the added software doesn't really add much functionality, then why would we introduce more trouble to our lives?

    -Michael

      99jon
      99jon
      Legend
      March 16, 2018

      Hi Michael, I think it is because Bride integrates seamlessly with other Adobe apps and shares the camera raw plug-in. Metadata entered in Bridge can be read in other Adobe apps and its simple to export, batch export, enter keywords in bulk, create a contact sheet etc. Documents will open automatically in Photoshop with a simple double-click from Bridge whereas in Windows it would be necessary to right-click and choose “Open With" and then browse to choose the appropriate application.  For me certain file types are not recognized by Windows but I can always see a thumbnail in Bridge. So it could be seen as an extra layer but a very useful one.

        99jon
        99jonCorrect answer
        Legend
        December 22, 2017

        In a nutshell Lightroom is for photographers and Bridge is for graphic designers and artists.

        Lightroom only manages the files you import. Bridge is a browser and sees all files on a computer. Creative Cloud customers using applications like Illustrator, InDesign, and Dreamweaver will often use Bridge for their file management and workflow.

          Zoe7traveller
          Zoe7travellerAuthor
          Inspiring
          December 22, 2017

          Thanks!  I can appreciate that.  I guess I didn't consider use outside a photography framework.

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