Catalog workflow best practices

[cbattaglia]

I finally organized my external drive with all of my LR images. I have over 6k raw files, and I've moved to a MacBook Pro from a Windows PC. I'm happy with my file structure on the external drive - named by event and then date. Here's my question: Should I create a new catalog for each folder/event and store that catalog in the corresponding folder with the raw images, or should I try to create one "master" library catalog for all 6k images?
I haven't imported any of my images into LR yet...I was hoping to get some good advice on a catalog workflow method that will stand the test of time.
Many thanks in advance!

 

[Kiwigeoff]

I finally organized my external drive with all of my LR images. I have over 6k raw files, and I've moved to a MacBook Pro from a Windows PC. I'm happy with my file structure on the external drive - named by event and then date. Here's my question: Should I create a new catalog for each folder/event and store that catalog in the corresponding folder with the raw images, or should I try to create one "master" library catalog for all 6k images?
I haven't imported any of my images into LR yet...I was hoping to get some good advice on a catalog workflow method that will stand the test of time.
Many thanks in advance!

That will depend on your method of working.
What I have done after experiencing slow downs over 1'k files in catalogs on my low end system is use different catalogs for different groupings such as portraits, family groups, events, personal.
Some files are in multiple catalogs. I have about 1' different catalogs.
However 6k would go well in one catalog to start with and there is the possibility of splitting it at a later date if that becomes necessary.

 

[Sean McCormack]

I'm happy with my file structure on the external drive - named by event and then date.

So was I until I saw the light..

http://lightroom-blog.com/2''7/12/import-by-date-file-structure.html

Date file structure is the only viable, repeatable, dig your self out of a hole way of keeping images safe and tidy.
Use Collections to sort by Genre/Event etc and leave everything in Date folders. I use a final named folder under the date. I'm slowly rebuilding everything to make this happen, and it's a royal pain in the butt. Fortunately, it's only really 2''6/2''7 that are out of whack, all the earlier stuff is fine.

If you keep the current method, you're making life hard, further down the line. Trust me (i say as I copy files to dates folders.. ouch!).

6k is not a large catalog, I'm running at 7'K at the moment, and that's still not all my photos.

My advice off the bat is to use the 2''7/12/31 date import and then create subfolders after the fact when you move the folder to the macbook pro.

 

[Andrew Hayton]

I use several catalogues and one main catalogue. The main one has a copy of everything so that I can search the entire collection. The smaller catalogues are sections of the main catalogue, ie commercial, portraits, personal etc. I then use the smaller catalogues to work on and the update the main catalogue by synchronizing the drive where the images are stored. All images are imported in under date order and then for commercial, portarit and wedding work, the name of the family etc. This way I can find a shoot by name or by date and seems to be working well. So my folder list would look something like
2''7/
December/
2''7-12-25 (LR's naming)
then customer name.

This tends to keep the file list down and I find easier to look through.
I wouldn't say that there is a correct way of doing it but some methods will be better for you than others.

 

[Victoria Bampton]

6k in one catalog will be no problem for you MBP, and it makes it easier to search. If you were using really old slow hardware, my answer would be different, so enjoy your MBP!

Depending on how your backup is set up, I'd say the same as Sean - it's far harder to keep track of backups by event or category than it is by date. So before you get too heavily invested in that system, just think it through.

If your hard drive died, would you easily be able to rebuild the same structure from your backups? If so, great, go for it! If not, consider importing them into your LR catalog as they are, making collections and adding keywords based on your event structure, and then, within LR, moving them into new folders based on date. I simply divide up by year/month, and don't take it down to date as well, but anything along those lines works.

Also consider the speed at which your catalog will grow, and how often you'll debate which category they should go into. How many images do you expect to add each year? If you're shooting a few thousand every week, you may want separate catalogs. If you add a couple of thousand a year, one catalog will be fine. As a rough idea, my first generation MBP starts to run a little slower around the 2'k mark, and you can check the specs in my signature. (While we're on the subject, would you like to add your system specs to your signature too? Instructions are here)

Well, hopefully that's given you plenty of food for thought... and not confused you completely!!

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Replytoken]

You may want to spend some time reading the forum at Peter Krogh's site: http://www.thedambook.com. Its a good place to read up on DAM, and there are a variety of good threads on this subject.

--Ken