If you simply deleted the collection, that only removed the collection from the catalog. However, the images should still be in their folders. A collection is simply an organization of images within the catalog. It does not physically move images. A collection can be an organization of images from multiple folders. But it does not move the images from those folders. It simply creates a reference to those images and organizes the images in a group within the catalog. So unless you went to the folders and delete the images they should still be in their original location.
If you did in fact delete the photos you should be able to find them in the trash or the recycle bin, depending on your operating system. But in that case it will be necessary to edit them again because all of the editing will have been discarded from the catalog.
Hi GoldingD, Thanks for your reply. I had accidentally deleted the photos from the catalog and hence they were also removed from the folder. Fortunately I had not formatted my compact flash card in the camera. So, I have imported the originals again into the Lightroom and will have to spend several hours again to edit them. Lesson learned the hard way!
I did this in Lightroom classic. Instead of deleting the rejected photos from the collection, I accidentally deleted them from the catalog and hence they were also removed from the folder. Fortunately I had not formatted my memory card and I was able to re import the photos into the Lightroom. Of course, now I will be spending several hours again to edit these photos.
I'd like to suggest you consider a backup strategy that would protect you from this and many other problems. (NB putting files in the Cloud doesn't mean you can forget about backups, as some sites claim - it's misinformation!)
@anilp1948 wrote: Hi GoldingD, Thanks for your reply. I had accidentally deleted the photos from the catalog and hence they were also removed from the folder. Fortunately I had not formatted my compact flash card in the camera. So, I have imported the originals again into the Lightroom and will have to spend several hours again to edit them. Lesson learned the hard way!
anilP1948
You could have saved yourself those hours of work in the following way:
First, you should have restored the images. Either from that memory card, but it's better to have a backup of your photos. This could have happened with a folder of older images too, and then you probably would not have had the possibility to restore them from a memorycard.
Second, you should have replaced your catalog by a backup copy. That backup catalog would have contained all the edits, as long as it was a backup from just before you made the mistake.
"Deleted"? What were the exact sequence of steps (in detail, please)? Were these steps done in Lightroom Classic or in your operating system, or somewhere else?
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