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Participant
December 4, 2018
Question

Lightroom Classic - Exporting Final Archive created in LR to client

  • December 4, 2018
  • 3 replies
  • 790 views

I have been hired to re-organize and re-structure a photographer's archive using Lightroom Classic. I want to create and export a restructured archival system (folder structures, file names, etc...) so he has a consolidated new archive (of final renamed files with all the info I embed through LR) he can easily search through on his own hard drive AND through Lightroom (using keywords, meta-data, etc..)

I am working on my Lightroom from home. I assume the existing archive files and the newly exported finals should all be saved on a HD (as should my lightroom catalogues, collections, etc..?) Can he copy all to his computer and upon opening his own Lightroom, "see" what I have worked on, as it appears on mine?

And finally, can I export the renamed/tweaked final files in full resolution on the HD (versus sharing my collections as lower resolution resized previews, or the like?) Essentially I want my final product to be all his, available on his HD, viewable in his LR.

I ultimately want him to have a "final" archive that he can use LR to search through, just unsure how it works when working off two computers, individual membership and not going "cloud" on this. I don't want to "share" as much as deliver, if that makes sense?

ANY and all insight would be golden. First time using Lightroom properly, so much to learn and don't want to get too far without knowing what's up ahead.

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3 replies

elie_dinur
Participating Frequently
December 7, 2018

One other point that I don't think was mentioned above; if you create the catalog using an older major version of LR than the client's, he will be able to update the catalog when he first opens it, BUT if the opposite is true and you have a later version while he is using an older major version, it will be useless to him. LR catalogs are not back-compatible.

Todd Shaner
Legend
December 5, 2018

athanasiak8121221  wrote

First time using Lightroom properly, so much to learn and don't want to get too far without knowing what's up ahead.

Here a couple of books that pretty much cover it all:

Organizational Tutorial (Says LR5, but applies to all versions except the new LR CC.)

Organizing Your Photos: the Resources Page - The DAM Book

How To Use LR

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/shop/adobe-lightroom-classic-missing-faq/

OR (if you prefer learning videos)

https://laurashoe.com/learn-lightroom-5-6-classic-7-video-training/

Participant
December 6, 2018

Thank you Todd! On it.

Legend
December 4, 2018

Wait, you have been hired to organize a guy's files using Lightroom and its your first time using the program? Ay Caramba.

Before you do ANYTHING:

1. Make a backup of his entire library onto a second hard drive that you put away for safekeeping.

2. Spend some time taking classes or going through tutorials on how to use Lightroom.

3. Sit down with this guy and find out what he wants and what will work for him.

dj_paige
Legend
December 5, 2018

Lumigraphics  wrote

Wait, you have been hired to organize a guy's files using Lightroom and its your first time using the program? Ay Caramba.

Double ay caramba! I agree with point #2 and point #3 made by Lumigraphics. Furthermore, Lightroom is a program that can mystify beginners who don't grasp the concept of how LR works, and don't take the time to learn. Countless hours of frustration result in these cases. Do not try to figure it out yourself, no matter how good you think you are at using computer software. Lightroom is not like other programs. Read and view tutorials on Lightroom.

Before you do ANYTHING:

1. Make a backup of his entire library onto a second hard drive that you put away for safekeeping.

2. Spend some time taking classes or going through tutorials on how to use Lightroom.

3. Sit down with this guy and find out what he wants and what will work for him.

4. Make a backup of the Lightroom catalog file! Do not skip this step.

5. Know that LR is a database, that the photos are not stored in Lightroom, that Lightroom knows the photo by its file name and file location and if those are changed outside of LR, then you must tell LR the new location and name of the photo.

6. Before you make any changes to the real photos and catalog, create an experimental catalog with experimental photos, and try making the changes there, if you make mistakes, no harm done.

Participant
December 6, 2018

Thank you very much, to you all. I am knee deep in online tutorials as I have never thought myself program savvy.

The major question I have is that I want to be able to hand over the work I do both in LR and on a HD (after I use LR to reorganize and rename the photographers’ archive) so he can continue on having his organized archive and viewing it in LR in the same way I organized it and set it up (with tags, keywords, etc..)

Is that possible? To basically export out my “work”? In proper files (not lower res or non destructive, etc..)

Thank you, thank you, thank you...