Consider moving from LR classic to LR CC and cloud services

[Palh]

Lightroom Version Number

8

Operating System

1. macOS 10.14 Mojave

Hi, I spoke to adobe support yesterday, but did not get the answers I need, so I turn to your expertise. First a short description of my config.
One iMac with 256gb flash disk and 4TB hdd, using Lightroom Classic with folder structure. I only use folders, so no albums or other tools for organizing photos in LR Classic. I also use Photoshop on the iMac. Backup on a external hd in addition to cloud service.

Now I have the need to work primarily on a MacBook Pro, but it’s hd is only a 256gb flash drive. So one of my questions, since I have about 600gb of photos in a folder structure is, how do I get this over to the cloud service Adobe provides?

When moving from local folders, I need to create albums/collections in LR CC, that I can handle. But how will this structure in the cloud transfer back, if I one day decide to leave the LR Cloud, and download all files locally?

I’ve read that LR CC only upload a low quality version, not the original image to the cloud when linked to LR CC. Is this true?

Today I have tried to config LR CC on the MacBook Pro with an external 6TB drive, and the LR catalogue in this external drive, but is there any need to have this on the external drive? Now I can’t use LR without the external drive, or I can get the files from the cloud and use them in Photoshop when l’m on the move, but my LR CC will not update if I us it on the move. I feel this is not the best config..

So that’s my main questions, I now experience that I have been using LR “the wrong way” with folders instead of albums/collections, but that is one thing I can fix. My main concern is how to move all this data to the cloud, keep the original format and how to configure this for the future. I’m working with computers/IT so I usually know my way around, but I did not get any good answer from adobe support. Feels like Adobe are developing solutions for everyone else but professionals, when moving to the cloud. I would appreciate to transfer my files from LR Classic in my folder structure, into the cloud service. That would make my import, export and backup routine way more easy...

Hope I can get a few hints here, thanks in advance.

 

[johnbeardy]

Do you really want to switch to LRCC, or do you really want to continue using Lr Classic but have all your images available on the laptop?

 

[Palh]

Do you really want to switch to LRCC, or do you really want to continue using Lr Classic but have all your images available on the laptop?

Well good question. I feel more comfortable with all files locally, but it would be nice to have all files in the cloud. So I guess I would answer I do not want to move to the cloud. Just seems like the right thing to do, but I keep finding limitations that makes me unsure, that’s the reason why I wrote this post So maybe the answer is, keep it the way I have been working for several years and wait for the cloud service for now...

 

[johnbeardy]

There are so many limitations and weaknesses that I don't see the attraction of moving to the cloud. I'll use elements where they are worthwhile for me, but as far as I am concerned LRCC on Mac/PC remains little more than LR Mobile but running on my laptop, and I wouldn't think of switching to LR Mobile on its own.

If I did want my originals to be available everywhere via LR, I would use one of the LRCC apps (Mac/PC/iOS/Android) to import all new pictures, meaning they would go to the cloud, but I would keep my LrClassic catalogue synced so that the pictures would be downloaded safely and I could back up the images and my work independently of Adobe. One can also import existing images again into LRCC, putting the original in the cloud, and in theory sync is smart enough to recognise that the image already exists in my catalogue and I wouldn't get duplicates. In theory... and maybe in reality.

I have always made good use of how Adobe originally implemented its cloud solution - syncing from LrClassic, editing on the iPad or on my laptop where I use LrWeb or sometimes LRCC when I need to make local adjustments. So I am certainly not against Adobe's cloud - I just use the aspects that make sense to me....

 

[Palh]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, It feels like LRCC can be an addition, but no replacement for LR Classic in my case. Unless someone have been in my situation and found a solution they can recommend. I think I should try LRCC and see if there is limitations in the sw that I can’t live with, before even consider to move over to the cloud. I did think of LRCC as LR Classic in functionality, but with cloud service in addition. Seems I got that wrong My biggest concern is being trapped in the Adobe cloud (lack of export functionality, loosing file structure or just in poor functionality = a lot of work) or loosing the original quality (import from LL Classic to the cloud) of my files...

 

[johnbeardy]

LRCC is Develop plus cloud uploading, and a little bit of metadata - just like Lr Mobile. Obviously there are fewer features than LrClassic, and where it does appear to have the same features they are usually much weaker.

I am pretty critical of LRCC, and others will differ or be more forgiving - or not as forthright. So to give specific examples, I am shocked that it still lacks any trash feature and so I would only recommend deleting files in LRCC if one is certain that the file is properly backed up in LrClassic. You can't backup your work, so even if Adobe's data security is rock solid... you can't go back to yesterday's version if you make mistakes. Export features are very limited, it can't print, you can't edit multiple images simultaneously, it lacks history (ie cross session Undo), you can't assign GPS, mapping is tiny and it only shows the current image's location. No smart collections etc etc.

What I would suggest is getting LRCC on your laptop. Maybe import new pictures into it - it is convenient that they will automatically appear in your LrClassic catalogue and on that computer (which is nice if you have a fast enough connection). Where I do find it more useful is editing photos that have already been synced from LrClassic, but again that is just like how I use LrMobile.

 

[Palh]

....
What I would suggest is getting LRCC on your laptop. Maybe import new pictures into it - it is convenient that they will automatically appear in your LrClassic catalogue and on that computer (which is nice if you have a fast enough connection). Where I do find it more useful is editing photos that have already been synced from LrClassic, but again that is just like how I use LrMobile.

Thanks for your feedback. I think I’m missing something here, does pictures I add in LRCC on my lapto sync over to my LR Classic on my iMac? I know sync usually go both ways, but when I asked support about this, I was told that LR Classic delivers to LRCC, not the other way around. If I understand this right, pictures I upload in LRCC on my laptop, will sync to the cloud in original format and if LR Classic on my iMac is linked, they will sync to that computer as well. If so, things looks a bit brighter

 

[prbimages]

Yes, photos uploaded to LRCC will be stored in original format in the cloud, and will download in original format to LR Classic (provided that you have set up LR Classic for syncing).

In the other direction, images imported into LR Classic will be stored locally in original format, and reduced-size Smart Previews will be uploaded to the cloud (provided that they are added to a synced collection in LR Classic).

 

[Palh]

Yes, photos uploaded to LRCC will be stored in original format in the cloud, and will download in original format to LR Classic (provided that you have set up LR Classic for syncing).

In the other direction, images imported into LR Classic will be stored locally in original format, and reduced-size Smart Previews will be uploaded to the cloud (provided that they are added to a synced collection in LR Classic).

Well, that was clarifying. Thanks for all the info, I’m one step closer to figure out how I will configurate this, seems like LR Classic on my iMac and LRCC on my laptop will be the solution. All new files into LRCC, and if things work out in LRCC, I can slowly update with older files in LRClassic on my iMac. Backup will take care of my iMac and all original files and my MacBook Pro will have all files synchronized with the cloud service. And I get to keep my (old) folder structure