Reduce size of Originals folder for travelling

[Velile Sipho]

I have over 5TB of Originals in LR CC.  I want to reduce the size for travelling purposes by deleting approx 2TB of the older Originals.  I plan to store these originals in an identical copy of the folder tree on another drive.  When I return, I will copy back to the original LR CC folder tree drive the new daily directories which have been created during my travels.  I will also return the deleted files to that same directory.  Then I will redefine the old drive as the destination for Originals.  When I restart LR it should find the complete tree and not consider any originals to be missing.

My Question:  will this work?  What problems might I encounter? Does the XML file with the edits get lost or LR get corrupted?  I am nervous about experimenting.  Appreciate any help.

[F. McLion]

You have local copies only of the originals, right?

If you work with Lightroom (not Lightroom Classic), then all your photos are always in the cloud. The local copies are not actively needed, though can speed up work and work w/o internet access.

Let me know if I got you wrong.

[Velile Sipho]

Thanks for the answer. I think that this is the correct approach. I will
simply disconnect my MacBook from the external drive containing the
Originals. I will secure the originals separately on a traveling drive, but
only sync to the Originals directory once I return. --
Regards
Tom Schuster
Past is prologue

[F. McLion]

You are still writing about originals on the drive.

Please clarify whether you use Lightroom or Lightroom Classic.

[JohanElzenga]

You have 5TB of local original images? That, and what you ask us, sounds like you are probably using Lightroom Classic (or its predecessor). 'Lightroom CC' is an old name that was abandoned years ago. If you are indeed using Lightroom Classic, then what you want to do will work, but is unnecessarily complicated. Lightroom Classic can store originals on any drive you like, also on multiple drives. So just move the old images to the other drive and let Lightroom Classic manage them there. No need to move them back after you've returned from your trip.

If you are using Lightroom (cloud) after all, then just delete those originals. They are not needed. I doubt that removing them and putting them back on return will work.

[Noman30597873aecw]

When using Lightroom (not Lightroom Classic), all your photos are consistently stored in the cloud. While local copies are not necessarily required for active usage, they can enhance the speed of your workflow and allow you to work offline without an internet connection.

[Noman30597873aecw]

OKay so after discussion with expert, consider my for Lightroom Classic, or Lightroom. There's nothing for Lightroom CC

[Noman30597873aecw]

The answer in the above post is for the Lightroom Classic,or Lightroom. Just for avoiding any confusion.

[Noman30597873aecw]

Because I've tried for both Classic and Lightroom.

[Noman30597873aecw]

It sounds like you have a well-thought-out plan for managing your Lightroom CC library while traveling. Your approach of temporarily moving older Originals to another drive and then reintegrating them upon your return seems feasible, but there are a few potential pitfalls to consider:

1. File Management: Be meticulous about managing your files during the transfer process to avoid accidental loss or corruption. Make sure to accurately duplicate the folder tree and files on the new drive, and carefully handle the copying and moving of files back and forth.

2. Metadata and Edits: Lightroom CC relies on its catalog file (usually in the form of a SQLite database) to keep track of metadata, edits, and the location of Originals. Moving files around outside of Lightroom can sometimes result in metadata inconsistencies or lost edits. It's crucial to ensure that Lightroom's catalog file remains intact and accurately reflects the changes you make to the file structure.

3. Synchronization: Upon reintegrating the previously deleted Originals back into your Lightroom CC library, there might be some synchronization issues, especially if edits were made to those files while they were temporarily removed. Lightroom may need some time to reconcile the changes and update its catalog accordingly.

4. Backup: Always have a reliable backup of your Lightroom catalog file and your Originals in case anything goes wrong during the process. This ensures that you can recover your data in the event of accidental loss or corruption.

[F. McLion]

@Noman30597873aecw 
Please be clear in the naming of Lightroom to not mix up things, there is no Lightroom CC.

There is either Lightroom Classic, or Lightroom.

No one here does understand why Adobe did go that way....

[Noman30597873aecw]

oh thanks for correcting, is there any option to edit my previous comment?

[F. McLion]

Click on the three dots below your post and select to edit

[Noman30597873aecw]

Thanks