Any good tutorials for starting Lightroom if you already have many files?

[philz40620612]

Every single tutorial acts as if you are using Lightroom you dont already have a lot of files on your computer.  They all use a flash card to show you how to import photos. How do I manage all the files I already have? Do I import them all? All at the same time? Will this take a long time? I think I want to use Lightroom but it seems very complicated when all I want to do is edit images so they look good.  When ever I have heard the term importing it always seem to me that the program would make a copy of a file. I think Lightroom doesn't do that exactly, but only makes a note of where the file is. Is that right? I think it records changes to the files in the catalog but I'm not sure. I still don't know if it create any separate files if I make changes to a image. Is the catalog the list of exsisting files or the list of changes made? Obviously I still don't get it after watching  numerous tutorials I still can't find one for people who already have existing files. Thanks.

[dj_paige]

philz40620612  wrote:

I think I want to use Lightroom but it seems very complicated when all I want to do is edit images so they look good.

So lets stop right here. If that's what you want to do, you just want to edit your photos and make them look good, then I think Lightroom is the wrong tool for you. Lightroom is a workflow solution that includes a lot of other steps (some of which are required) that have nothing to do with editing the photos.

I suggest you look at Photoshop Elements, where you can indeed just do the editing part of the process and you don't have to do any of the other parts.

[philz40620612]

So the develop tools aren't useful? Been using an old photoshop version for years but I don't think the new version of PS has ajustment brush, clarity, vibrancy, spit toning, lens correction etc... either. I thought Lightroom would make that easier but the catalogs and importing are so confusing. There just doesn't seem to be any tutorials for photographers that have a lot of exsisting files. None seem to show how to start out unless all you have are one memory card of photos. I'm trying to muscle my way thru it. If the files show up under folders does that mean they have been imported? Thanks for your input.

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

Of course the develop tools are useful.

THe problem ​some​ beginners have is that they get frustrated by the Lightroom requirement to import your photos into LR. They don't like that the Library module must be used (even if you do nothing with the Library Module). This is simply my experience talking to beginners and new LR users who use Lightroom only for editing. I am trying to save you some frustration. And you yourself state: "I thought Lightroom would make that easier but the catalogs and importing are so confusing."

Now, if you want to use Lightroom to organize your photos (which it also sounds like you need to do), despite your earlier statement that "I think I want to use Lightroom but it seems very complicated when all I want to do is edit images so they look good", then Lightroom can be extremely helpful and you can do a lot with it, but you have to learn how Lightroom works.

Again, if all you want to do is edit photos, and you don't want to organize, and you don't want a start-to-finish workflow tool, I urge you to find some other software, Lightroom is not the right tool. You are already displaying frustration with Lightroom caused by the fact that it isn't the right tool for you.

Nevertheless, to answer your questions, once you import the photos into Lightroom, they are available for editing (and all other Lightroom tasks). I don't understand your "muscle my way through it", why? To get to what end point? Again, the only endpoint you have stated is that you want to edit the photos. If that's all you want, you can do this importing in big batches or small batches, it absolutely doesn't matter.

[johnb88344927]

You have my sympathy. I went through exactly the same utter despair and frustration you seem to be experiencing. It took me almost a year to get confident with LR. I'm still learning but I'm there now and glad i persevered as it's improved my photography no end. The advice that you need to learn the library mode first is sound, not least for weeding out rejects, and applying codewords where it's invaluable. YOU simply HAVE to learn to import/ export and organise your foldersin Library mode before you can start editing. Don''t give up.  E-mail me if you need help. Good luck.

[kentdesign]

It is true that there is a learning curve because of the way Lightroom functions. LR is different from other editing software in that you IMPORT photos and that there is no Save or Save as. However like Johnb88344927 stated, the time spent learning is well worth it for a great solution for editing as well as organization.

I have two suggestions for learning:

1. LightroomQueen.com - Victoria Brampton. She has a free ebook that you might find useful and also sells books, videos, blogs etc for learning Lightroom.

The other is

2. Laurashoe.com She also teaches, has online training and downloadable books and videos.

Both are excellent educators so you would just need to find the most basic book and focus on the Library module.

3. As for lots of files when you start, if I may make a suggestion:

Start without your images! Create a Lightroom catalog, shoot about 5 photos on a memory card and import those, following the steps in either a book or tutorial video. Basically in the Import window, start on the left reading each option, then proceed to the top of the window, then down the right hand side before pressing the import button. With just 5 photos that you don't really care about, you can experiment, learn where your photos are, how Lightroom sees them, etc.

When you feel you know what LR is doing and after deciding how you want to organize your photos and where you want to keep them, you can simply delete that first catalog ( named something like Lightroomcatalog.lrcat) and its accompanying files: the Previews.lrdata and Smart  Previews.lrdata. Those 3 files are by default placed in the Pictures folder on a mac, not so sure where they go on a PC.

Then you can decide how you want to customize going forward and feel confident as you learn more.

Once you get into the Develop module, all the editing power is there. And the Editing module is basically just the same as Adobe Camera Raw, which is a part of Photoshop and even Photoshop Elements.

Hope that helps.

[Neox99]

Lightroom Tutorials by Julieanne Kost

She covers it all!