Using Lightroom Via External Drive

[Plne]

My computer's hard-drive is small and would soon get overwhelmed if I stored my master-images there. My plan is to store my master-images on an external drive.

Here is my planned set-up/workflow: I work with previews in Lightroom, back up my LR catalogue regularly as I exit, and only access my master-images when I wish to export/print/copy an image.

Along with this I would keep a regular back-up of those master-images on another drive.

Will this work? Is there anything I've missed here? I'd appreciate some comment keeping in mind the aim is saving hard-drive space on my computer along with ease and convenience of work-flow. If there is a better way of doing it, let me know.

[JP Hess]

There really is no need to NOT work with your master images because Lightroom doesn't do anything to the image file. All of the adjustments are stored in the catalog. So it seems to me that a good workflow is to only work with master images, exporting copies when needed for e-mail, or to send to a lab, etc. Those copies can be discarded after they have been used.

[Plne]

99jon, Thanks, that's largely nailed it for me. I will follow the procedure as you outline it.

djpaige, Thanks for picking up on my lack of clarity. Unfortunately, my work flow involves frequent moving from my own computer to my University LAN for print out. While I do most of my work in Lightroom and PS on my own laptop, the final print-out always involves a back and forth unplug/plug-in dance with another computer.

I take your point, however, and will work with the drive connected. It sounds like I'm going to need to carry an external drive around with me.

And Jim, what you say implies that I work with a hard-drive connected to my computer at all times. Based on advice here, that is now my plan.

Cheers to all.

[Plne]

I have had a few issues with this course of action. Because this thread has gone onto other things I've made a new post here. Thanks

[Dave Merchant]

Plne's new thread is at

Disappearing Files When Updating Location

[juliot57479953]

Can I download the actual Lr and Ps app in the external driver? 

[Geoff the kiwi]

No, the apps need to be on your OS drive as many items go in different folders of the OS..