Import preferences help???

[tomp]

I have had a hard time getting started using Lr (v2.6). After much help from this forum and reading many responses I have decided that I want to use keywords as my main organizational tool. My attempts at using too many folders has just caused me confusion and I have simply started over.

With that said I would like to have some advice on the best preferences set to to accomplish the following (or other advice).
1. I want to upload photos from my camera CF card directly into one folder on the OS. On my Mac there is a structure called "places" which contains "pictures" and within "pictures" I have a folder called "Lightroom" and within this folder there is the catalog called Lr2 catalog.lrcat.
2. Once the photos are uploaded from the CF card into the "Lightroom" folder I would like to preview and then import the photos I select into the Lr catalog. As part of the import process I would like to automatically convert the images to dng.
3. Once my selected photos are imported into the Lr catalog I am going to use keywords as my main organizational tool.

It is my understanding that once this is accomplished I will have one folder that I always upload to from the camera and then import into Lr...one folder and one catalog.

I could use some instruction/advice on selecting the correct import preferences and/or other settings to accomplish this process.

Thanks

 

[clee01l]

I would load directly from the card to LR. I think most people do. Import directly into a date names folder which you can choose from LR's choices. Review these images in LR and cull out the ones that don't pass the test with a "Reject Flag". Once you have decided which to reject, then Delete them fron LR and the Disk. At that point you are done with the import and can begin to keyword, develop etc.

Now for the existing catalog. Impot it as a catalog into your new catalog and let LR move the images into the DateNamed folders as I suggested above. LR will pick up all the old adjustments, keywords etc. You can re-keyword these better later and you haven't lose any of the hard work you have put forth already on these images.

 

[jljonathan]

The only thing that bothers me about the import directly into LR is the lack of the loupe view which can be useful culling out rejects based on focus etc. prior to importing. The loupe does work when viewing a folder of files on the desktop or external drive. So, if you download to a drive first, you can use the loupe. Most of the time I still import directly, but I miss that view. Hope they include it in an update to the beta so that it would work off of the card.
JL

 

[clee01l]

[quote author=jljonathan link=topic=9''8.msg6'745#msg6'745 date=12643997'7]
The only thing that bothers me about the import directly into LR is the lack of the loupe view which can be useful culling out rejects based on focus etc. prior to importing. The loupe does work when viewing a folder of files on the desktop or external drive. So, if you download to a drive first, you can use the loupe. Most of the time I still import directly, but I miss that view. Hope they include it in an update to the beta so that it would work off of the card.
JL[/quote]You don't look at them before you load them into the computer. How is this any different? I shoot DNG+JPG on my camera card. B4 LR, I just imported in the computer and used a simple viewre to just look at the JPEGs to see which DNGs I wanted to keep. Now I just load those DNGs & JPEGs using LR. I never have more that ~8'' images (4'' pairs). Even with a full card, it goes quickly. On the 'Last Import) group, I filter out the DNGs and view the JPEGs in the loupe one at a time with my finger on the "X" rejecting as i review. JPEGS that can stand on their own with just the in camera processing, I mark with a Pick flag (P). Once I have rejected the JPEGS, I go to Grid and pair the rejected JPEGS with their DNG equivalent. I then separate the Picked Jpegs from the Good images that need working from RAW. I then reject the JPEGs that do not have a Pick flag. Then I filter to view only rejects. These now include DNGs and JPEGs. These I delete from LR and from the disk. The process can't take as long as doing it using your method.

 

[Victoria Bampton]

[quote author=jljonathan link=topic=9''8.msg6'745#msg6'745 date=12643997'7]Hope they include it in an update to the beta so that it would work off of the card.
[/quote]

I wouldn't hold your breath on that one - there are probably performance reasons why that hasn't been enabled.