importing photos correctly

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janicek

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I've been using LR for years , but recently discovered the way I've been importing photos probably isn't the best. I use an external hardrive to store all my photos. That is where I told LR to put them. I didn't use smart previews (only work on photos on my computer) and i didn't send a second copy anywhere. My external hard drive crashed and has to be sent off to see if the pictures can be recovered.

What are the steps you use to import photos and store them on an external hard drive? If I tell LR to send a second copy to another location, does the edits I make in LR get saved to the second copy? What is the best way to back up my photos?

I will eventually upgrade to LR classic, but want to see if my pictures can be recovered. That will be an entirely different post with that question.
 
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I think your bigger issue isn't import, it's having a proper backup routine to a different drive. There's not just the photos to backup, check the post below on what to include in any backups.

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/backup-lightroom-files/
Also, download the free Classic eBook from our site, that has a whole section on backups.

I hope you get some recovered!
 
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janicek said:
I've been using LR for years , but recently discovered the way I've been importing photos probably isn't the best. I use an external hardrive to store all my photos. That is where I told LR to put them. I didn't use smart previews (only work on photos on my computer) and i didn't send a second copy anywhere. My external hard drive crashed and has to be sent off to see if the pictures can be recovered.

What are the steps you use to import photos and store them on an external hard drive? If I tell LR to send a second copy to another location, does the edits I make in LR get saved to the second copy? What is the best way to back up my photos?

I will eventually upgrade to LR classic, but want to see if my pictures can be recovered. That will be an entirely different post with that question.
Click to expand...

I use LR as a raw photo editor, not as a file manager. LR isn't a very good file manager even for the things it is supposed to be able to do, like moving a large directory of files from one place to another (use the OS and then tell LR to reconnect).
Thus, I make sure my backup processes happen outside LR (apart from making LR check and optimise the catalogue and then back it up every time I exit). I have multiple processes running, copying files (and the backed up LR catalogue) to various dispersed locations.
I don't use LR to read files from the memory card (I put the files in the correct (new) folder and then import, using the OS to do this).

My way of doing things, as you requested.
 
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There is probably nothing wrong with your workflow (exceptions as noted by Paul)
On Import the "Make a second Copy" is temporary insurance for the data on the camera card. You want two copies if the data sa soon as possible. One is where your import puts the images, the other is the System Backup (TimeMachine) The "Make a second Copy" location is temporary insurance to have two copies until your System Backup has next done its job. After that those "Second Copy" images can be deleted. With the "Second Copy" images, it is safe to reformat and reuse your camera card.

All disk drives will fail including the one with the Lightroom app, catalog etc. You need a system backup of ALL of your critical user data. MacOS comes with TimeMachine. You should be using at least that. With a large enough EHD you can backup all of MacintoshHD and any other EHDs using time Machine You do not need a TimeCapsule. But since TimeMachine is backing up to a disk drive, that to is subject to failure. I let TimeMachine alternate between two different EHDs.
 
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LRList001 said:
I use LR as a raw photo editor, not as a file manager. LR isn't a very good file manager even for the things it is supposed to be able to do, like moving a large directory of files from one place to another (use the OS and then tell LR to reconnect).
Thus, I make sure my backup processes happen outside LR (apart from making LR check and optimise the catalogue and then back it up every time I exit). I have multiple processes running, copying files (and the backed up LR catalogue) to various dispersed locations.
I don't use LR to read files from the memory card (I put the files in the correct (new) folder and then import, using the OS to do this).

My way of doing things, as you requested.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I would rather follow what someone else has had success with rather than figuring out one for me using trial and error.
 
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clee01l said:
There is probably nothing wrong with your workflow (exceptions as noted by Paul)
On Import the "Make a second Copy" is temporary insurance for the data on the camera card. You want two copies if the data sa soon as possible. One is where your import puts the images, the other is the System Backup (TimeMachine) The "Make a second Copy" location is temporary insurance to have two copies until your System Backup has next done its job. After that those "Second Copy" images can be deleted. With the "Second Copy" images, it is safe to reformat and reuse your camera card.

All disk drives will fail including the one with the Lightroom app, catalog etc. You need a system backup of ALL of your critical user data. MacOS comes with TimeMachine. You should be using at least that. With a large enough EHD you can backup all of MacintoshHD and any other EHDs using time Machine You do not need a TimeCapsule. But since TimeMachine is backing up to a disk drive, that to is subject to failure. I let TimeMachine alternate between two different EHDs.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I didn't know that about the second copy . very useful info.
 
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