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Back-Up Strategies

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amy_4

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Joined
Apr 27, 2023
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2
Lightroom Version Number
Lightroom Mobile
Operating System
  1. iOS
My system is fully mobile and I don't have internet at home- I do have cellular on both my iPad and iPhone that does work at home. (But we don't have home internet. . . . when we want to watch something on TV, we just hotspot from our phones.) I have my entire catalog from my classic days etc in LR- currently over 47,000 photos. (The photos before I went fully mobile I do have a back-up of on hard drive and cloud.)

I've been happy this way until recently and right now I'm trying to figure out how to alleviate a few issues.
1) In terms of Apple Photos- it's a bit clunky- I end up with way too many pictures there and then have to double weed out- in LR and Photos . Plus I might delete a photo in Apply Photos and then not have a back-up of the one in LR.
2) With Adobe getting rid of a lot of Creative Cloud syncing of other files, I'm worried about what happens if they stop this cloud storage as well.
3) There's been this growth of photos that I've taken and then mostly cull/delete- the reason for the second process below.

What do you do to back-up your files without a computer? Suggestions? I wish there was a service that would allow me to sync my LR creative cloud photos to some other sync service (likely a one way sync)- maybe Dropbox via the internet. I definitely want something that uses two companies- aka not just Apple. What might I do to be less dependent on LR/Adobe for storage? After typing up my processes below, I'm thinking something like the second one might work where I then sync my Apple Cloud Files to Dropbox (or another service) via MultCloud- One way- But I can also do that with my Apple Photos to Dropbox. I would definitely prefer something automatic.

I am a big believer in having at least two independent copies- even if not fully synced with edits. (Yup, it would be pain if I had to re-edit but at least I'd still have the pictures.)

Since going mobile, my process has been:
Use my Phone- Since it's always with me.
  • Take Pictures with camera
  • Import from camera card through phone to Apple Photos
  • Import from Apple Photos on Phone to LR automatically (So of course, the pics I take with my phone also go to LR)
  • (this of course all syncs to my iPad)

More Recently, also use my iPad
I've been shooting a lot more and often just practice shots that I don't necessarily want in my phone's camera roll. So, I've altered that some and use use my iPad since I typically edit on it and have it with me when I want to do something with these pics (NOTE: One thing I also like about this is that it gives me a record of things like pull backs and outtakes if I ever wanted to share them- such as in teaching.):
  • Take Pictures with camera
  • Import from camera card to a folder in Icloud on my iPad
  • Import manually from Icloud to LR on my iPad
(I plan to still do the other method for things as well- either because I'm out and about and don't have my phone handy or because I know I'll want those photos in my camera roll)
 
@amy_4

Welcome to the Lr Queen forums.

I do not have any Apple devices, so I can only answer part of your questions.
Adobe ending the Creative Cloud file sync was likely because it did not serve a business purpose. I believe there are too many competitors in that space; and Adobe had nothing to differentiate itself. In terms of Adobe ending the cloud storage for Lightroom, I highly doubt it. That is the who purpose of the cloud ecosystem. Here is my boot and suspenders backup approach, I am NOT sure how much of this can be replicated to your Apple iOS devices.

On my Windows desktop, I have selected "keep a copy of originals". As I add/delete images, Adobe LrD (Lightroom Desktop, there is also a Mac version) keeps this folder in sync. Worst case, I lose the edits but have the raw images.
Primary backup solution, and the more likely one for me, is I maintain a few exports or all images, one export as full resolution lossless jpg, the second as full resolution Tiffs. I update the jpegs pretty much after every trip. And the tiffs, just a couple times a year.

In terms of file backup, I have local backup for the images exported from Adobe. Outside of photography, all other files are backed up as part of my Microsoft OneDrive subscription.

Tim
 
1) In terms of Apple Photos- it's a bit clunky- I end up with way too many pictures there and then have to double weed out- in LR and Photos . Plus I might delete a photo in Apply Photos and then not have a back-up of the one in LR.
2) With Adobe getting rid of a lot of Creative Cloud syncing of other files, I'm worried about what happens if they stop this cloud storage as well.
3) There's been this growth of photos that I've taken and then mostly cull/delete- the reason for the second process below.

What do you do to back-up your files without a computer? Suggestions?
1) You do not need two image management systems. I no longer user the Apple Photos camera unless it has features that are no available in the Lightroom Camera (i.e. 48mp RAW files) All photos that do use the Photos camera and App are auto imported into Lightroom. So I can delete any that are on my iPhone/iPad in my Photos app because I have a copy in Lightroom.
2.) The Creative Cloud Storage is now used exclusively for images in an app plan. Adobe would be shooting themselves in the foot if they abandoned this direction away from Lightroom Classic that they have pursued for almost ten years. I recently participates in an Adobe survey where Adobe asked questions like: "Would you use Lightroom more if more storage were available at a lower cost?" This sounds to me like they are considering expanding on their Cloud storage direction.
3. If you have a plan that uses the Adobe Cloud to store then you should take advantage of it. You can always increase youry plan storage limits for a price.

My Primary image management app remains Lightroom Classic. I use Lightroom and the Adobe Cloud for travel and as an adjunct to LrC. Since everything I import into the Adobe Cloud, syncs down to LrC, Lightroom Backup is not so important to me... except when I travel. When I travel, I may not have access to the internet for long periods or the internet may not be adequate for syncing. When I travel, I carry along a portable Hard Drive and Back up to the portable hard drive. I carry a 1TB 2.5" HDD that is a little smaller than a Phone. It would seem to me that this would be possible for you to use in your situation.
 
You have a solid mobile workflow, but I understand your concerns. Here are some suggestions:

  1. Simplify Apple Photos and LR:
    • Turn off automatic import to LR from Apple Photos. This way, you can manage photos separately and avoid duplicates.
    • Only import selected photos from Apple Photos to LR manually.
  2. Backup Solutions:
    • Use services like Dropbox or Google Drive for additional backup. You can use apps like MultCloud to sync your LR photos to these services automatically.
    • Consider using iCloud for your main backup and another service (Dropbox/Google Drive) as your secondary backup.
  3. Alternative Cloud Services:
    • Explore alternatives like Amazon Photos or Microsoft OneDrive for additional backups. They offer robust storage solutions and might provide better peace of mind.
  4. Automatic Sync:
    • Set up a workflow with MultCloud or similar to sync iCloud or LR photos to another service automatically. This ensures you have backups across multiple platforms without manual effort.

i hope it will help
 
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