Confused, need help with deciding workflow

Report · Oct 19, 2018

Hello everyone!

I have been using Lightroom 5 up until this point, mostly on my laptop. Whenever I needed to use it on my desktop I would simply copy everything, import catalog etc.

Now, I have signed up for the Photography Plan, and need to decide how to set up my workflow. The important points is listed:

1. I like the mobile app, will use that.

2. I am a person that enjoys having access to everything everywhere. I am spoiled when it comes to internet speed (living in Norway), with 250/250 at home and 4G everywhere else. So no worries when it comes to speed.

3. I have a desktop and a MacBook pro that I bring basically everywhere, and I would like to be able to use both.

4. My photo collection is at around 200 gb.

I have been googling possible answers, and messaged pro photographers on SoMe, for almost two weeks and I ended up with more questions than answers.

Now, my options seems to be, so far:

1. Lightroom Classic CC on desktop (I got around 2-3 tb of storage on this. Can fit more and also switch out old disks) and Lightroom CC on laptop

- I am not so fan of having to use a "lighter" version on my MacBook and would like to be able to have classic cc on both machines

- In case of doing this, I should just update my classic cc and my cc will always be updated? Or do I need to create a sync collection in classic which I set up to be synced through adobe cloud?

2. Classic CC on both

- This is what I would prefer, in my head. Why Adobe haven't created a way to do this with automatically synced catalogs across computers in 2018 is beyond me, but anyways.

- The problem here, it seems, is that there is no good way of syncing a catalog between two classic installations?

- Or, can I place the catalog in the Cloud folder on my computers and this will sync it?

- Whenever I go traveling I always bring my MacBook and my camera. Then I usually transfer pictures to my laptop, do all the necessary stuff and go on with my life. Will this workflow be able with option 1, without losing edits on either computer?

3. Use Lightroom CC on both.

- This is borderline out of the question. Classic CC has a lot of functionality that I really like and am accustomed to, and will not live without. Like keywording.

Now, based on those options, which should I actually pick? And, how should I store the catalog/photos? I am thinking about keeping all my photos in iCloud and sync them between everything this way. 2 tb of storage is borderline free ($12 or something equivalent to 100 NOK a month. That's cheap) so that is an option. I could live with having classic cc on desktop, creating smart previews of everything shot this year and sync them with everything, and removing last years photos from this collection.

As you can see, I am a mess of questions and have no overview. I simply want to be able to sync edits and work done on two computers, with uploads to either.

I gotta say to Adobe; you really need to get a coordinator for your photo package that makes everything actually work as fluidly together as one should be able to expect now. And if you actually do; communicate it easier. I am in no way a technical intermediate (I have a degree in programming/networking) and this is simply just a mess to figure out. Especially since some sources say that classic cc and cc should not be mixed, stick with one.

Report · Oct 19, 2018

Here is my take. I have not even tried the CC version since it has limited functionality. I know the tools in Classic AND use them all of the time. Why would i sacrifice these tools? Mobile is great but the issue of my iPad or iPhone matching in color to my Color Corrected Eizo is a issue. Yes it is close, but precision and quality is what we offer.

What i did is bought a unlimited storage from dropbox and sync all of my computers using classic, utilizing dropbox. I keep the actual LR program on each computer, but my LR catalog and all of my images I use Dropbox. Dropbox also solved the issue of me giving access to my customers their files. Dropbox has a unlimited storage rate per year with a flat rate, not the size rate as per adobe. I love Adobe but this monthly charge per TB is not acceptable. Maybe Adobe should team up with Dropbox?

I can also use a dropbox feature that allows me to only load specific files on selected computers. So if my laptop cannot only hold my 9TB of main storage i can use this feature to allow access of these files from this specific computer.

This unlimited storage of any type of file is really a benefit to us. The feature to right click a file and send a link to allow a customer to download these files really rocks.

Also on my iPhone or iPad i have instant access to ALL files that are downloaded on my drop box. I have been at home depot and needed to pull up a invoice and on my iPhone i can do it.

Hope this helps.

Hope Adobe sees this as a opportunity for the future?