Help please, can't find photos in the gallery

[emesfa]

Hi! I have a problem I already had like a month ago but I don't know how to solve it.

I upgraded from L2.5 to L3 and couldn't import some of the photos I had been using with L2.5 (some!) I was getting crazy when someone here recommended me to open the L2.5 gallery and convert it and then import from the gallery. Great, problem solved.

But now I can't find MOST of my pictures (the ones used with the L2.5 and some used with L3) and I just don't know what to do. I've done the previous instructions over and over but the only thing I get is to creat gallery-3/-4 but nothing really changes...
I have a whole 2010 folder that is not found... and I can't "find the folder" because it doesn't appear in there!
I'm thinking about erasing all the galleries because I can't even import my photos and this is really driving me crazy... any suggestion?

 

[emesfa]

yes, but we are done with those, we can remove them (security copy I did back then when the drive I used broke)

ok, I'll probably check later this afternoon or if not, tomorrow. Thanks for everything!

 

[Jim Wilde]

OK, let's start by creating a top level folder on \I that we can add folders to as we go along. All this work should be done using Windows Explorer and with Lightroom closed down. So on drive \I create a folder called "Lightroom Fotos", then inside that create another folder called "Canon Archive" (you may want to use the Spanish word for 'archive').

Next, drag the 2007 folder from 'Canon 2008 y anteriores' and drop it into "Canon Archive".

Then do the same with the 2008 folder.

Next, check that there are no pictures left in 'Canon 2008 y anteriores', and if OK go ahead and delete it.

If you want, drag "portatil" and drop it into "Canon Archive" (at some later stage we can merge all the dated sub-folders into the main 2008 folder).

If everything has gone OK unto this point, next I want you to COPY the folder 2008-10-06 from the 2008 folder on the G drive, and paste it into the 2008 folder inside "Canon Archive" on the I drive.

Next I want you to COPY the 2009 folder from the Fotos\Canon folder on the G drive, and paste it into the "Canon Archive" folder on the I drive. This will take a little while as there are more than 13000 photos being copied.

When you have done that, you should have a folder called "Lightroom Fotos\Canon Archive" on the \I drive which will contain folders 2007, 2008, 2009, and portatil. Please take a screenshot for me to check before we move into Lightroom.

Thanks. If doing any of this worries you let me know and we'll try to clarify things.

 

[emesfa]

Sorry, couldn't do it sooner.
Done everything except copying the 2009 from G to I, yet. I guess we'll be able to recover 2009 in LR eventually?
And there are some folders within "portatil" that are the same (may some files be different) as in 2008 folder. Can I merge that? Should I wait?

Will continue with the copy of 2009 as soon as you tell me (yes, it worries me a little). after that, I'll be off for some hours but you can leave me the next instructions.

 

[Jim Wilde]

Yes, let's leave the 'portatil' merge until later as that is going to be a little tricker (but not TOO much!).

You can go ahead with the 2009 copy whenever you want to....I have chosen this method specifically because it poses no risk to your Lightroom catalog. Lightroom will continue to see the 2009 photos on the G drive until we tell it to stop and to look at the I drive instead. We will do that when you tell me that the copy of the 2009 folder is complete. There is no hurry, do it when you are ready....it is a simple copy, no risk to your photos.

 

[emesfa]

Hi Jim, sorry I couldn't make it for these past few days, lots of work and needed LR. I'm running out of space in G drive :sad:

here you have the last screeshot you asked.

Thanks!

 

[Jim Wilde]

Hi Emma, no problem.

Am a little surprised that you are running out of space on G, there was 40+gb free a few days ago.

No matter, now that you have copied 2009 from G to I, you should start Lightroom and in the Folders Panel you should right-click on the 2009 folder which is under 'Canon' and choose 'Update Folder Location'....a file browser dialog will follow, browse to and select the 2009 folder under 'Canon Archive' on the I drive, then click OK. That should add the I drive to your folders panel, and switch 2009 to that drive.

Let me know when that is done, and can I have a new screenshot of the Folders Panel? Thanks.

 

[emesfa]

yes... took many pictures this last few days and they are very "big".

ok I did what you asked.

By the way, I have a question. I may change my computer in some time (hope not too long) having the catalogues saved, I just need to open LR with that catalog, right?

 

[Jim Wilde]

OK, now you should do the same for the 2008 folder. Then I want you to just check in Lightroom that you can access the 2008 and 2009 pictures OK, and that there are no 'missing files' or other problems. As soon as you are satisfied that everything is OK you can go ahead and delete the 2008 and 2009 folders from the Canon folder on the G drive. When you have done that, empty the Recycle Bin and you should have a lot more free space on the G drive.

By the way, I have a question. I may change my computer in some time (hope not too long) having the catalogues saved, I just need to open LR with that catalog, right?

Although it shouldn't be very complicated, it isn't quite that simple....when you get your new computer you will need to copy the Lightroom catalog from the C drive on the current computer, you will also need to copy your Lightroom settings (for plug-ins, presets, etc.).....and of course you will need to ensure that the external drives get the same drive letter on the new computer (although we can get around that should they have different letters). Just check back in when you are ready to upgrade and we can help with the move.

 

[emesfa]

Ok, I remember there was a way to check if there was any missing folder. Was it "Library-Find missing files"? So it's totally safe to delete 2009 and 2008 from G now, right?

 

[Jim Wilde]

Yes, if you've updated the location for 2008 and there are no missing files, then yes you can go ahead and delete 2008 and 2009 from the G drive.

Perhaps we need to look at how much space your processed files are taking up, and if there is a more efficient workflow....maybe that should be the next job we tackle?

 

[emesfa]

yes, I may need to do something with my processed files, didn't move them because of what I told you, Photoshop wouldn't recognize the psd files.

 

[Jim Wilde]

OK, let's start looking at that tomorrow?

 

[emesfa]

yes! no problem! thank you! and see you tomorrow!

 

[emesfa]

hi Jim! can we have a look at my processed files' folders? Thanks!

 

[Jim Wilde]

OK, tell me again where you keep them, and why you don't use the 'Edit In Photoshop' option from within Lightroom.

 

[emesfa]

I have them in the G drive and I don't do the "Edit in Photoshop" because I could save the psd but could save the jpg. Maybe there's something I'm missing...

 

[Jim Wilde]

Sorry, don't quite understand....should there be a 'not' in there somewhere?

 

[emesfa]

sorry... yes, I meant that I can save the psd but CAN'T save the jpg in Photoshop, then.

 

[Jim Wilde]

OK, I guess what you mean is that you can only save Tif or PSD in Photoshop to have the file automatically imported into Lightroom. So that you then have to do a 'Save As' in Photoshop in order to create a Jpeg, right?

But I guess my next question is: why do you feel the need to create a jpeg?

 

[emesfa]

Sorry, I didn't explain myself very clear. If I do the "Edit in Photoshop" then, in Photoshop I can only save the psd (and Tiff, but I don't tend to save tiff), but I also want to save the jpeg which I can't. Then, what I do is, I export to Photoshop and when edit the picture I can save the psd and the jpeg.

 

[Jim Wilde]

Yes I think I understood your workflow....but I don't understand why you need the additional saved jpeg?

I sometimes work in Photoshop, though not very often (though coincidentally I'm actually doing that while talking to you). I use 'Edit in Photoshop' and when done select Save and the Tif file is saved and appears in Lightroom stacked with the original. Depending upon what I want to do with the Tif, I may export it as a jpeg....but that would usually be a 'disposable' file that I will eventually delete when it has served it's purpose. All my 'file management' is done within Lightroom, so I have little need to be separately managing files outside of Lightroom......any time I need to produce another jpeg copy I can do so.

 

[emesfa]

Ok, I should do that then, I didn't know how I could created jpegs that way but now I see it.

then, what should I do if I want to change my processed pictures' folder? or it's better I don't do that?

 

[Jim Wilde]

The thing is that when using the 'Edit in Photoshop' process, the Tif/PSD file is automatically stored in the same folder as the original Raw file, so there is no need for a separate folder. When you export from Lightroom to create a jpeg, you CAN create the jpeg in the same folder as the original, and you can even add them to the catalog and stack them with the original. Lots of options....if, however, the jpeg truly is a temporary file for a specific purpose (printing, web gallery, sending to client, etc) you could just as easily export them into named sub-folders within My Pictures (which is sort of what I do)....just remember to delete them when you don't need them.

Regarding your exisiting Processed files, that's a bit more of an issue....you COULD import the PSDs into Lightroom, though you will have a lot of problems trying to match them to the original Raw files. Might simply be easier to just leave them outside Lightroom for now, and start over with a new process going forward.

 

[emesfa]

ok, I'll start processing them this way from now on. I tend to save a "big" jpg for clients and another one to publish on the gallery which is framed and with the signature. Should I just open the "clients'" one with Photoshop and add the frame and signature?

 

[Jim Wilde]

If all that you are doing in Photoshop is adding a border and a signature, there are other ways of doing that from within Lightroom....this would avoid having to save and keep those very large PSD/Tif files. Although I have never used it, the LR/Mogrify plug-in gets widely recommended on this site.