Lightroom is deleting edits of photos I'm still working on.

[#1]

Twice in the last week Lightroom has reset all edits on photos of mine.  When I'm editing, I'll import a number of raw files, then "create a virtual copy" of each as I go to edit it.  I leave the original file as is, and edit the virtual copy.  I always have a bunch of  photos in the collection at the bottom of the screen, and I'll go back and forth between them as I edit.  The same way I've always done it.  Lately Lightroom has randomly reset a couple of my virtual copies.  When I scroll back to a photo I've been working on, I'll find it has been reverted to an exact copy of the raw file.  Its frustrating to loose hours of editing work.

I updated Lightroom yesterday, and I'm hoping that will fix the issue.  I'm just wondering if it's something I'm doing wrong?  Or if there's a better way to go about things?  Thanks guys!

[#2]

While I don't understand the reasoning of creating a virtual copy to leave the original file "as is" — becuase Lightroom never adjusts, edits or changes the image portion of your original file — Lightroom does not on its own delete your edits from a virtual copy or from an original. I suspect that you have accidentally imported the photo twice, and so one import its associated virtual copy has edits, and the other import associated virtual copy has no edits.

Please do a search for one of these photos by following ALL FOUR of these steps:

1. In the Lightroom Library Module, on the left, under Catalog, click on All Photographs
2. Turn off all filters (Ctrl-L once or twice)
3. Turn off all stacking (Photo->Stacking->Expand All Stacks)
4. Search for at least one of these photos by file name using the Lightroom Filter Bar

[#3]

Thanks for the advice! I followed your steps, but unfortunately it did not work, I’m still left with the original and an untouched copy of the original. It’s possible that I hit the “reset all” button, but I don’t think so, I’m pretty careful.

Both times this happened I was scrolling through my photos with the cursor keys, so I could see the copy and the original coming across the bottom (original - colour, copy - B&W). Only to find, when I stop on the copy it opens on the screen in colour, and both “thumbnails” on the bottom are then in colour too. I’ve always had the same workflow, and only had this problem in the last week (twice).

As for why I create virtual copies, I often like to edit the same photo in a couple different ways. I just thought it would be easiest to have the original there to go back to, copy, and start another edit from scratch.

Get Outlook for iOS

[#4 · Accepted solution]

Look at the Edit History panel of your virtual copy. What does it show?

[#5]

Stupid me! I never realized it shows the edit history! I see it there now, and it shows all the edits I made (contrast, highlights, etc), then the last thing it shows is export to hard drive. While I did export to hard drive, I will often, and did in this case, want to go back and adjust things. However, though it does show all my edits in the history, the photo appears there the same as the original (which is also there).

Get Outlook for iOS

[#6 · Accepted solution]

Do the sliders reflect the final edited position?

If you click on the top-most entry in the history panel and then click on the bottom-most entry, you see no difference, but you should see a difference? What if you click on one of the middle entries?

I ask because sometimes I outsmart myself, I make a dozen edits to the photo, only to find out that the dozen edits has resulted in an edited photo that is visually indistinguishable from the unedited photo.

[#7]

Yes!! You just solved my problem! When I click on the entries under edit history it does apply them to the photo! Thanks so much! Such an easy solution, but I had no idea about the edit history tab. Also, still not sure how it would have reverted in the first place, but I’ll keep an eye out for this in the future!
Thanks again! I really appreciate it!

Get Outlook for iOS

[#8]

Every one of us has clicked on the wrong spot without realizing it at some point or another

[#9]

I don't know why your virtual copies are being reset unless somehow the reset button in the lower right-hand corner of the editing screen is being selected. The virtual copies should retain their adjustments just like the original images would.

I'm not sure why you think it's necessary to create virtual copies for editing. If you think it's necessary to protect the original from being damaged then I'd like to point out that that really isn't necessary. All adjustments that are made using Lightroom are stored in the catalog. Nothing is ever done to the original image. That master image is always left in its pristine state. The adjustments are stored in the catalog, and when you export a copy of an image the catalog combines the master image along with its stored adjustments to create a new image that represents all of the work you have done using Lightroom. But the choice is yours. If you feel more comfortable doing it your way I suppose there's really nothing wrong with it. I just don't feel it's necessary because you can always click on the reset button to clear out all the adjustments and start over. And through it all, nothing is being done to the master image.

[#10]

Thanks for your advice/ input.  I'm by no means an expert with Lightroom.  I only really got into using it in the last couple years.  I'm just going through it on my own, trying to figure out the best way to do things.  When I find one way to do things I'll often stick with it, but I'm always open to alternative possibilities.

I like to create virtual copies to edit, leaving the original untouched, because I'll often edit the same photo a number of different ways.  I figured it would be easiest to leave the original there to copy, and start another edit from scratch.  Thanks again for your response!

[#11]

Off track, but

OP is probably using virtual copy's as to have seperate treatments, seperate workflows for the one image withou having to start from scratch (as in edit, then export, then edit, export..)

For example, one copy black and white, one copy high key, one copy way overkill bonkers saturation just for fun, etc

[#12]

This is exactly why I do it! I like to have the original there to start separate edits from scratch.

Get Outlook for iOS

[#13]

By default this virtual copy's get stacked, unstuck them, can lead to accidental edits if LRC thinks they are all selected, and that can occur with stacks.

One of those, opps, issues.

[#14]

Ok. Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind going forward. I appreciate the advice!

Get Outlook for iOS

[#15]

I've been having the same problem. After I launch Lightroom and start editing a photo, once I leave the photo and then come back to it (even if I click the one right next to it and then imitately back on the picture I was editing before) all the edits will be gone. The edited picture that I had previously will show small at the bottom where you can see all the photos in your folder but not actually on the view. The only wat that I've gotten them to come back is if I press comand z (Edit Undo). Does anyone have any idea how to fix this or why this is happening? This doesn't happen every day but I've never been able to fix it once it starts. I'll just come back the next day and it will work fine.

[#16]

When you go back to the photo you edited and then left, what shows in the History panel? Are your edits showing there?