Lightroom Storage how does it work

[Paul5E59]

I literally just turned Lightroom on.  I have two distinct sets of photos.  I want them all stored on my local machine!!! (So first question is Lightroom vs Lightroom Classic).  I have my PC setup with programs on C: and Data on D:.  My main photoset (family, etc) is about 200GB with 40K+ photos.  When I tried to import them, it said I need more storage (since it was trying to do something on the C: drive).  I don't want Lightroom to copy/modify them, just want it to catalog them.  So I can sort by dates, and start adding characteristics, faces, etc.

My second set is of kids sports - football, etc.  This is a more dynamic set where I will take 1200 photos, and then remove all the crap ones, and end up with 100 photos.  I will then want to edit some, and after a while, I will delete them.  This set is usually around 200GB also.

Anyway to understand just what an Album is, what LR is doing with the files, etc?

Thanks

[Jim Wilde · Accepted solution]

If you only want local storage, forget Lightroom and use Lightroom Classic instead. Lightroom principally stores all the photos in the cloud, although it is possible to also have some content additionally stored locally. It will always import new images into a local storage area (the default storage area can be changed by the user to a different drive if needed) before they are uploaded to the cloud, and it can take a long time before the local copies are removed.

Classic, OTOH, only store all photos locally, though it is possible to additionally sync smart previews of selected images to the cloud (which do not count against the users cloud storage allowance) for subsequent viewing on mobile devices and sharing to the web.

[josephlavine]

Lightroom Classic is the desktop-based version meaning images are stored locally, although you also have cloud storage.

Lightroom is completely cloud-based; all images are stored on the cloud

warmly/j

[default4jfayfxlvbz3]

I'm using Lightroom (mobile? The iPad version) I would rather save all my photos to my iPad and not the cloud, is this possible? Additionally can I choose what if anything I do upload to the cloud? What happens if I use up my 20Gb do I have to buy extra storage?