How can I save a photo in lightroom by replacing original?

[melk28]

I have a folder of product photos I want to edit. I used to export and change the name, but today I do not want to do that. I want to over ride the original photo, but everytime I try and export I select "exisiting photos- override without warning" but when I press export it says it can't do it because it will replace the exisiting file. How do I replace the exisiting file without running into this issue?

[dj_paige]

Well, I think the advice everyone in this forum will give you is to NEVER overwrite your originals.

If they are RAW, they cannot be overwritten by LR. If they are JPG, you can overwrite (I'm not going to tell you how because I could not live with myself) but overwriting a JPG original with an edited original destroys the usefulness of Lightroom for this photo. It is doubly a bad thing to do.

[melk28]

With my normal photography I share on my site and social media I never override originals. For side hustles like my online shop I don't want double of every angle of my product.

[dj_paige]

Here's the problem with overwriting JPG files:

Let's suppose you edit the file in Lightroom Classic, and you increase the exposure by +0.5. This change is written into the LR Classic database. Then you export it and overwrite the original. The exported file shows the +0.5 exposure change, which is "baked in" and the pixels are actually changed. But Lightroom Classic thinks the original is now the exported version that overwrote the original with +0.5 exposure, and so LR adds what is in its database (Exposure change of +0.5) to the appearance of what it thinks is the original (but is really not the original, it is the export). Now LR displays this image with a 1.0  exposure change.

This is not good, and I don't think it is what you want or intend, and it is not recommended. In fact, I would avoid doing this like the plague.

[johnrellis]

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In my own workflow, I agree with dj_paige and would never delete originals. But it sounds like you understand the issues.

"I select "exisiting photos- override without warning" but when I press export it says it can't do it because it will replace the exisiting file."

Interesting, that seems like a bug to me.

Assuming you want to overwrite JPEG originals with exported versions, here's an alternate method:

1. Export the photos into a subfolder using these options:

2. Use Finder / File Exploer to move the exported photos from that subfolder back into the parent folder.

3. Select all the photos and do the menu command Photo > Develop Settings > Reset to clear all the develop settings from the catalog, which are now "baked in" to the exported photos.  

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[richardplondon]

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[GoldingD]

Have you considered creating virtual copy's and editing thise.

[GoldingD]

Might be a bit of confusion revolving around the use of the word original.

Are you actualy trying to replace the original photo that came from your camera? Or, are you seeing your first exported photo after initial edits as an original?

Replacing the first basicaly a sin

Replacing the second no big deal.

[stefpix]

I have the same issue. I have folders with exported JPGs I want to resize. I have the original RAW files in separate folder/catalogs.

I just want to resize the exported JPGs to a smaller size to save space.

I used to be able to do it quickly and easily with iView Media Pro. It would load images is folders and subfolders and there was an option to write over the original file. Apple Preview can not load images in subfolders. I did a LR catalog of the exports folder with the subfolder, but there is no way to rewrite the originals. More than 10 years ago there was an freeware app for Mac that would resize all the images in folders/subfolders with the option to overwrite them. Now I don't see anything.

Unless I do each subfolder individually with preview, but it is not worth my time.

I wish LR would allow in some case overwriting originals.

[Rob_Cullen]

Another (dangerous?) approach might be to use Photoshop to resize the JPG files.

Define an Action that resizes (image pixel size) first, then run an Automated Batch Action on a folder of the JPG images.

My example (Pixel Dimensions to 50%)- Before and After: (it need not be 50%- could be 75%)

   

I agree totally with- "NEVER overwrite your originals."

[barborav67903681]

I just wanted to add that original doesn't have to mean the original from the camera, but original file before export.

I have to save space on my website so the best way for me is to import all these files into lightroom and export them with compression and resize settings. It reduce 30-50% of the size without loosing visible quality. But its time consuming, that I can't replace them directly, but have to make different folder and then replace them by hand... So you can live with yourself when you give out that information :). It doesn't always mean deleting your camera files.

[dj_paige]

I'm afraid this doesn't make much sense to me.

What is on your website has no impact on Lightroom Classic. Furthermore, exporting to achieve size reduction is fine for the website, but then when you replace the files, the information in the original files is lost.

[Shaylynn22892440us3c]

I think you're the one not making sense here, and are being a bit pedantic for no reason. It is perfectly reasonable to copy/paste photos from your SD card, then want to only keep the edited versions, wheras your SD card is safe and sound, never deleted.

[richardplondon]

Perfectly reasonable and perfectly compatible with a file-centric workflow - though many people may dispute whether a SD card is an appropriate long-term storage location for camera original data.

But LrClassic is a library-centric workflow, with which that idea is not so compatible, inherently. 

IMO it is not pedantic to draw and explain that distinction, and to advocate for complete clarity on this. Trying to force a system into working against its own design principles and approach, will surely just be a recipe for frustration. Which such advice is honestly trying to reduce.

Lr Classic works as intended when used as intended.