Picture deleted due to 'remove from this collection'

[Nachtfuchs05]

I'm about to create a 'best of collection' of an event. I worked alot on a picture and put it in that collection. Because it was already in another collection I chose the option "remove from this collection" in order to have the picture just in the new collection.

What happened was, that LR removed the Picture out of both collections and out of the imported Fotos aswell. Amazing. Really. I'm speechless. 2h of work for nothing, because LR shows the option 'remove from THIS collection' and actual does 'delete the picture from LR'.

Seriously, not only it seems like one have to have doctor title to be able to understand how collections work in LR (its crazy how complicated such an easy Object can be implemented). But LR is also able to throw away 2h of work, because of 'deleting' the picture instead of 'removing it from a collection' like the button says. And - of course - without asking another time. If I tried to close the App I have to subscribe with blood that I'm sure and confident in what I'm about to do. But if a picture which is edited for more than 2h is going to be deleted LR is like "you want to remove it from the collection? You now what, I'll deleted for you, no need to ask again".

Sorry for my English, I'm obviously not a nativespeaker. And sorry for the sarcasm, but without its just not possible to endure it.

If anybody has an idea to backup the old, edited version of the picture it would be great. But since can't found it anywhere in LR and LR itself claims that the picture has to be synchronized because it's new (really!? Don't you say..), I've actually no hope. 

To be clear again: I was in the library-view and what I did was a right click at the picture and a selection of the option 'remove from this collection'. I selected the picture in a collection I had created and I tried to remove it from that collection again.

I know it's a lot about the user. But sorry Adobe, the is B*S*. No one would expect the picture to be deleted from LR by choosing that option. Now it seems like my whole work for this is gone and I'm definitely not in the mood to do it again very soon.

LR - version: LR Classic 9.2

Operating system: Win 10 home 10.0.18362

[Rob_Cullen · Accepted solution]

First- you are not talking to Adobe here, only other Lr users.

Understand that Folders and Collections are different entities (in Lightroom jargon)-

Folders are actual and exist on your hard-drive.

Collections are virtual and only exist as lists of data in the catalog.

Photos (usually) are to be found only in ONE folder. But one photo can be added to any number of Collections.

If you [Delete] a photo when viewing it from a Collection- the photo will only be removed from this (virtual) Collection. Lightroom does NOT remove it from the Catalog, neither does it delete it from the Hard-drive, neither does it remove it from any other Collection that has this photo listed.

If you [Delete] a photo when viewing it in Library Grid view of a selected Folder (or in 'All photographs') then you get a dialog to make a choice-

[Remove] will remove it from the Catalog database and all your editing and Collections go also.

[Delete from Disk] does as it suggests- Deletes and Removes if from everything.

There is no necessity to "Remove from Collection" any photo because you want it also in another Collection.

I might have the same one photo listed in several Collections- My Favorites, A Portfolio, A Book, A slideshow, etc.

Just be very aware that if you see the 'Confirm' dialog when you press [Delete] key- you are removing or deleting from the Catalog entirely and possibly the Drive!

[Nachtfuchs05]

Hi WobertC,

first of all thank you for the help and dealing with my issue!

I didn't know that this forum is just for LR users, so thanks for the info aswell.

I already knew that LR is creating a Catalogue (I think the catalogue is what is being created first, when you import fotos. So when I write catalogue I think of the virtual Folder LR is creating to leave the original pictures on the hard drive untouched). So I knew that LR don't influence the pictures on the hard drive in any way (unless there is a clear notification). So the picture is still on my hard drive and I fortunately never had issues with deleted pictures.

Maybe I expressed it a little wrong but for me it's a usecase to remove pictures from certain collections because the collections are denfined by a certain criteria (best of, just portraits, pictures I want to provide to friend x and so on). So I wanted to remove the picture just from one certain collection. But when I chose it with right click and selected 'remove from this collection' I swear it was gone from all collections and the catalogue (not from hard drive). The problem for me is, that all the work I've put in, all the development was gone too.

I didn't expect LR to remove it from all instances in LR, but I couldn't find it in any collection it was before, not even in the catalogue itself (and LR itself suggested to import it, obviously because it was new to LR).

I have to admit that I tried to do it again the same way and it didn't worked out like with my first picture. LR kept the pictures in the catalogue but removed it from the collection (as supposed to do). So it seems pretty much like the problem had been in front of the screen. But I swear I didn't do anything else when it happened and the picture was gone from the catalogue aswell (I imported it again as LR suggested it). I've no explanation for that but there was neither a dialogue like the one shown in your answer nor I pressed any key like 'delete'.

I seems like I have to deal with it but it leaves my with a shattered trust in the collections. I'm not sure whether I would risk again to try to remove a developed picture from a collection because I fear to lose my work again.

Best regards and thanks another time for sharing your knowledge.

Lennart