creating catalogs, what to do with folder in main catalog?

[cameragirl]

I am preparing/organizing my photos so I can save all on an external hard drive later this week. So I created a new catalog with, for example, family photos. OK its all in here. But going back to my main catalog, do I delete this folder now? Please help me and any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[dj_paige]

First, many people here, including myself, would recommend that you use a single catalog for all your photos, unless you have entirely non-overlapping subjects in your photos (such as work and personal)

In your case, you have a catalog with your family photos, and a main catalog. We don't know more about the purpose of these two catalogs, so how can we help you decide whether or not you should delete from the main catalog?

Since you are a beginner, I'm going to guess and say ... go back to one catalog. It's simpler. No need to delete anything. (And start thinking in terms of Lightroom structures such as keywords, metadata, collections instead of thinking in terms of folders)

 

[cameragirl]

First, many people here, including myself, would recommend that you use a single catalog for all your photos, unless you have entirely non-overlapping subjects in your photos (such as work and personal)

In your case, you have a catalog with your family photos, and a main catalog. We don't know more about the purpose of these two catalogs, so how can we help you decide whether or not you should delete from the main catalog?


Since you are a beginner, I'm going to guess and say ... go back to one catalog. It's simpler. No need to delete anything. (And start thinking in terms of Lightroom structures such as keywords, metadata, collections instead of thinking in terms of folders)

Since I have Lightroom 2, I never worked with more than one catalog. Everything is filed in one, my professional and family photos. But then I was reading Scott Kelby's book about organizing/archiving and so I thought that it would be an idea to create more catalogs. Apparently it is not.So I guess, I go back to what I did before...
It was just a question that if I created a new catalog, that it contains same photos as the folder in my main catalog. In that case, why keeping two same files? So would I delete the one in my main folder if I am going to create more than one catalog.

 

[Denis Pagé]

Lightroom can view same original photos from different catalogs no problem BUT will your prefered rendering of a given photo be in one catalog or the other? That is where you may get confused over time. So, it is suggested that different catalogs be used for different photos.

As you put a definite line between family photos and work photos and if you don't work for/with family members, having those two catalogs may very well fit your needs. Only you know. If it is your choice, the best way to split the single catalog is by selecting all family photos and then "Export as Catalog". This way, you don't loose edits like if reimporting in a brand new catalog. Once exported, still having the family photos selected, just delete them from the original catalog. You will be offered to just delete from catalog or also delete from disk. Just take care not to remove from disk and you are all set.

 

[cameragirl]

Lightroom can view same original photos from different catalogs no problem BUT will your prefered rendering of a given photo be in one catalog or the other? That is where you may get confused over time. So, it is suggested that different catalogs be used for different photos.

As you put a definite line between family photos and work photos and if you don't work for/with family members, having those two catalogs may very well fit your needs. Only you know. If it is your choice, the best way to split the single catalog is by selecting all family photos and then "Export as Catalog". This way, you don't loose edits like if reimporting in a brand new catalog. Once exported, still having the family photos selected, just delete them from the original catalog. You will be offered to just delete from catalog or also delete from disk. Just take care not to remove from disk and you are all set.

Thanks for your explanation, Denis. It makes sense. I think I prefer what I did, keeping it in one catalag. Just making folders (sorry there is no other way than not thinking in folders) with subjects. BTW, do you work with one catalog?

 

[dj_paige]

But then I was reading Scott Kelby's book about organizing/archiving and so I thought that it would be an idea to create more catalogs. Apparently it is not.

A lot of Kelby's recommendations about workflow and organizing are good recommendations for people who are professional photographers, like Kelby. IMHO, many of his recommendations are not good recommendations for personal photographs, or for non-professional photographers like myself.

So I guess, I go back to what I did before...
It was just a question that if I created a new catalog, that it contains same photos as the folder in my main catalog. In that case, why keeping two same files? So would I delete the one in my main folder if I am going to create more than one catalog.

If you did have two catalogs, your photos are not in both catalogs. They are not even in one catalog. Your photos remain on the hard disk, and Lightroom contains only pointers to your photos and a thumbnail. This is a crucial concept if you are going to use Lightroom effectively. Now, if you meant that you only need to have each photo imported into only a single catalog, I approve of that.

 

[dj_paige]

Just making folders (sorry there is no other way than not thinking in folders) with subjects.

Use keywords and collections instead of folders. They are much more powerful.

I never think in terms of folders any more. I have no idea what folders my photos are in, and I can find them instantly in Lightroom.

The sooner you force yourself to move away from a folder-based thought pattern, the sooner you will use Lightroom to its full potential.

 

[Denis Pagé]

Thanks for your explanation, Denis. It makes sense. I think I prefer what I did, keeping it in one catalag. Just making folders (sorry there is no other way than not thinking in folders) with subjects. BTW, do you work with one catalog?

I am still using only one with clients, weddings, football, personal, family and anything. I am at 2'5'' photos at the moment and it is still responsive on the MacPro.

I use a mix of folder organization and Lightroom's way. I do organize by date as of today: .../2''9/2''9-'6-'9 _Small_Event Description/images

The three dots may be:
Photos/Clients/ClientName
Photos/Sports/TypeOfSport
Photos/Family

I keep it as minimalist as possible tough a little like if I had three catalogs at folder level (Clients,Sports,Family). What fall outside is managed by Lightroom by keywording and or can be in Photos/2''9/2''9-5-27 and so on.

This folder splitting is mainly meant for backup purposes:
Family on 16'GB ext drive
Sports on 5''GB ext drive
Clients on 32'GB ext drive

The important thing to me is that "Photos" do appear in Lightroom as the top level folder so if I have to move all this structure to a new bigger drive with a command having the option to verify the copy bit for bit before deleting the source. Then, I just have to relink the missing "Photos" folder in Lightroom and all the rest fall in place.

You may read sometime "Never move photos outside of lightroom" but this is to be taken with a grain of salt... Corruption happened to me moving within Lightroom massive directory structures from internal to external in the perspective of changing hardware. In such a case, it may be preferable to move the folder structure outside of Lightroom with a software performing validation and then relink the missing structure in Lightroom. What one should avoid is to move some photos from a folder to another, restructuring the folders hierarchy adding some and moving other all that outside Lightroom; Then you can make a real mess having a hard time relinking image by image and folder by folder. On a side note, such corruption never happened to me within internal drives but better safe than sorry.

 

[MarkNicholas]

It is really a question of personal choice. There is no right or wrong way of doing it.

I maintain one big catalogue of all my photos taken using my 3'D. But then I have other catalogues for my previous cameras and even one for my scanned prints. I have never felt the need to combine all these catalogues together into one. I have copied settings and presets etc. from one catalogue to the other so that they are the same and I am quite happy with it that way. Its fairy quick and painless to switch between catalogues.