Request for 'Newbie" mistakes

[Califdan]

Lightroom Version Number

15.3

Operating System

1. Windows 7
2. Windows 8
3. Windows 10
4. Windows 11
5. macOS 12 Monterey
6. macOS 13 Ventura
7. macOS 14 Sonoma
8. macOS 15 Sequoia
9. macOS 26 Tahoe

Hi, I'm thinking of writing a blog/article called something like 'Common Lightroom Classic mistakes new users make' or perhaps "What I wish someone had told me when I first started with LrC" and I am looking for input. If you were a newbie once and made some errors or you help others who have made such errors, can you please post or send me a list of what those errors were? I'll probably write about the top 10 or so.

Here are some examples off the top of my head:

• Not understanding that LrC just points to images and doesn't keep the images inside itself.
• Not thinking about what Image Folder structure I want to use and winding up with a mish-mash
• Not knowing what a "missing" folder or image means and how to deal with it
• Understanding the Difference between Folders and Collections
• The importance of doing backups of both the catalog and images

Appreciate the input

Dan

 

[John R Ellis]

• Not realizing that filters only search the tops of collapsed stacks
  
  
• Forgetting to turn off filters
  
  
• Forgetting to turn off Autosync
  
  
• Not knowing to turn on Selected Photos in the Metadata panel to update metadata of multiple photos
  
  
• Not knowing that in Loupe view (in both Library and Develop), most commands only operate on the most-selected photo

 

[Zenon]

#1 mistake as you mentioned. Newbies can think their files are the catalogue. When importing LrC just reads the file metadata. Adobe should have called it Read or Import Metadata instead of Import. Import can make people think that LrC takes control over file management or creates a set of duplicates. Importing just adds the file metadata to the catalogue database.

- When you first install LrC you can instruct it where to install the Lightroom Catalogue folder. If you don't LrC will install in the default location and new users lose track of it. Sometimes this leads to them thinking their files are the catalogue.
- The folder structure you see in LrC was not created by it. It is were you store your files and you will see it using your OS. LrC just mirrors it.
- Users are in complete control of file management. Take the time to plan your folder structure. That is a critical step.
- LrC does not backup your files, only the catalogue database. File backup is the users responsibility.
- Back up LrC often and make sure Integrity and Optimize boxes are checked. Explain where backups go.
- This adds to the missing folder part. To prevent future issues use LrC to move folders around. Think of it as a library. You borrow a book, return it, bypass the librarian and put it on some random shelf. How will the librarian ever find it. Maybe mention to use the OS (and why) when moving tends of thousands of files and then re-establish link at the root folder.
- Use LrC to rename folders for the same reason as the previous sentence.
- You only need 1 catalogue. Having more defeats the purpose key wording and searches. There may be a specific reason to have more than one but save that for later until you completely understand how the catalogue system works. You will likely never hit the catalogue's size limit. No one has reported that yet.

I'm basing this on my first month using LR in 2011 and what I have read over the years by others struggling. Sorry for any overlaps. Feel free to word it how you like. If I think of anything else I'll add it.

 

[Zenon]

- files must be imported for LrC to know they exist. You may see folders using your OS but not LrC. That is why.

Perhaps show an example of a file structure system. Can't get simpler than this. Create sub folders in the year by taste.

 

[Zenon]

One more

- LrC is a non destructive editor. The original file is never touched. LrC works with Previews. Perhaps briefly explain the difference between Library and Develop Previews.

 

[Gnits]

I produced a list of my Lr Gottchas.. (when LrC was called Lr) which I used to share with early Lr adaptors.. I have not used it in years… I will try to dig it up .. It might be an interesting read for myself.. I will share it if I find it.

One that comes to mind now is the importance of understanding the Import options of Add/Move/Copy. Related to that is the understanding that you do not have to accept Lr folder naming defaults and the importance of knowing how to create a specific folder with the name you want on the drive you want, within the file hierarchy you want.

[I have seen cases of people writing back to their SD cards .. not sure if that is blocked or more difficult to do now.]

Another is mastery of the top 10 single key short cut codes (eg for Grid, Loupe, Develop,Crop, Zoom). The most obvious key (for all apps, not just LrC) is learn the value of using the biggest key on the keyboard, ie the space bar.

Another.. cause of major confusion..which needs to be explained and demonstrated.. Hide /Show images in Sub Folders. Such a pity LrC does not have a customisable panel, where frequently used icons can be placed and not to have to dig into sub layers in menus.

Explain the meaning of cycling thru all the different forms of full screen mode.

Not to be forgotten, many new Lr users may not understand the concept of a raw file, colour space, resolution, and different image file types.

Is video important to a new user.. can they find their video files on their cards, can they separate / isolate the few video files they might have from the 1000’s of still images.

Ps. You might notice.. these popped up into my mind as I wrote this note.. there is probably a few more lurking .. will post if they surface.

 

[jrobnz]

Several related things we see here often:

If on Windows, not putting the catalog in the default Pictures directory with general advice to always avoid One Drive and similar cloud storage for the catalog.

Confusing cloud storage (one drive, google drive, dropbox, ...) with versioned local or cloud backup tools

How to properly restore from a catalog backup (eg. unzip, copy, etc)

 

[clee01l]

Not understanding that LrC just points to images and doesn't keep the images inside itself.

Someone here has suggested the analogy to a paper catalog that shows clothing appliances, toys etc. Image files are just like items in the (paper) catalog they exist somewhere else and are referenced by the catalog not in it. I've always thought this was the clearest understanding of where the image files are stored and where they are referenced.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

I always compare the catalog to an address book. Your family and friends (images) are not physically in your address book, only their details are. They live in a house (folder) and can be members of clubs (normal collections). They will automatically turn up in lists like ‘people of over 50 years old living in this area’ (smart collections). A missing image is a friend who moved to a new house, but did not send you a change of address note, so your address book still has their old address.

 

[Gnits]

@Califdan

See private message.

 

[camner]

The increasing number of potential items for a “top 10” list of “really important things to know about LrC” speaks to the complexity involved in using LrC, which in turn explains why so many people run into issues (well, ALL of us at some point). It will be interesting to see which items make the cut and end up in the top 10. (Despite the reasonableness of considering all the items mentioned thus far to be important, I would resist turning the project into the “top 50 things to know about LrC”)

 

[Hal P Anderson]

Any of the dozens of ways that Adobe's naming of their applications have misled users.

 

[clee01l]

Any of the dozens of ways that Adobe's naming of their applications have misled users.

This is probably a high on the list item. Even today users post ambiguous posts about using a Lightroom CC app. Confusion ensues until someone sorts it out. (FWIW there is still an app called Adobe Creative Cloud. And preference files named com.adobe.LightroomClassicCC7.plist.)

 

[Califdan]

Thanks:
@John R Ellis
@zenemegaming
@Gnits
@jrobnz
@Johan Elzenga
@camner
@Hal P Anderson
@clee01l
(sorry if I missed a name)

These are all great suggestions and have been added to my list. I'm not saying I'll use them all and I may have to include more than 10 in my Article but who's conting. I'll also probably merge some. Will see how it goes. As many of you know who have read my articles, I do not cater to the "short attention span" crowd and tend to write long form articles rather than quick hit short blogs (not even sure that is the distinction) and have gotten positive feedback on providing more detail than one normally gets in blogs.

As I was reading through your suggestions an additional one popped into my mind which amused me that no one else brought up, and that is "Windows changing Drive Letters on you". If you (or anyone else reading this) thinks of more, please send them along.

As I started writing, the first one I put in as sort of a prolog was "Make sure you are in the correct Lightroom" and in there I included a reference to a differnt article of mine where I go through the litany of name and icon changes. At the end of that section I stated that this article is for Classic Only.

 

[Zenon]

It can be challenging to do this with our knowledge of the way LrC works. Trying to put that aside an approach it as if you have never used it before and what will stump people the first time they install and use it.

 

[bcarlson78248]

Maybe this is already covered - I think it’s important for new users, where their experience with file management comes from using Explorer or Finder, to first understand that the library reflects physical storage of their files. However, LrC collections are virtual and offer much more flexibility and economy of storage (store a photo once, but view in multiple contexts). They can create collections that group their photos in any possible combination, but never actually move or copy a photo to another directory. This a major change from what most new users have experienced with managing files at the Mac or Windows OS level.

 

[clee01l]

Maybe this is already covered - I think it’s important for new users, where their experience with file management comes from using Explorer or Finder, to first understand that the library reflects physical storage of their files. However, LrC collections are virtual and offer much more flexibility and economy of storage (store a photo once, but view in multiple contexts). They can create collections that group their photos in any possible combination, but never actually move or copy a photo to another directory. This a major change from what most new users have experienced with managing files at the Mac or Windows OS level.

I agree. File management and image management are two different concepts to be applied to the same image file. File managment is necassary only to decide where and how to store files. Image management gives you the opportunity to organize your inventory. I think it is important not to try to organize your images using filesystem constraints.

My philosophy has always been that if you need to resort to scanning thumbnails of images to find the right one, then you have not organized your images with the tools that Lightroom gives you. Most of my ad hoc image queries utilize Smart Collections.. I also use John Beardworth's Workflow Smart Collections to organize my images by label, flags, ratings, key words and Captions and titles.

 

[clee01l]

I was reminded of my introduction to these forums.. The people here asked me "what is your workflow?" I was stumped. I did not even know what a "Workflow" was. I think this might be true for many just starting out in Lightroom. A section dedicated to helping but not dictating a users workflow should be included.. A newbie mistake (for me at least) was not structuring my process into a repeatable organization.

 

[Zenon]

There is a fellow on another site who tried LR many years ago and didn’t like the catalogue system. He was not taking about Lr. He said he prefers to use his own file management system. If you use LR/LrC you are using your own file management system. He also states to this day he somehow bypassed the catalogue system which is impossible. Unless LrC reads a files metadata it does not know it exists. It won’t show up in the Library.

 

[camner]

Something else newbies don’t recognize (I sure didn’t) is that LrC requires maintenance (well, not necessarily the app itself but the structure & workflow process a user has created over time) and consistency of workflow. Some items in the maintenance list:

1. Have a backup system (for both files and catalog) that is robust, works by itself (at least to make the backups), and puts backup files in a location that is easy to access (and that you know where it is!)
2. Run maintenance tasks (such as looking for missing files and folders) periodically, and more importantly, FIX anything that isn’t what it should be
3. Resist the temptation to do things outside of your normal workflow (“just this once”) because it seems at the time to be easier (you’ll likely end up with a white elephant of some kind…e.g., files not where you expect them to be, either in your filesystem or in the catalog, or images labeled purple in one collection where purple means something different in your normal workflow).
4. Perhaps most important of all, if something seems to go awry, work on fixing it in the short term (with outside help, if necessary)…your LrC system won’t fix itself, and burying your head in the sand will just end up making things worse over time.

 

[clee01l]

He also states to this day he somehow bypassed the catalogue system which is impossible.

He is probably thinking that be not creating Collections and Keywords, he has "bypassed" the Catalog. And Probably this is true. Although he has missed out on the most important features of Lightrooom

 

[jrobnz]

Another frequent one if it isn't already on the list... don't reimport images if something doesn't look right in the catalog (eg. missing photos) or if you've moved them to another drive or whatever. Fix the underlying catalog problem and re-import should be only a last, or below last, resort

 

[Califdan]

Thanks all who offered suggestions. Here is a draft of the blog. Let me know if I got something wrong or missed something important. Feel free to post comments on the blog itself (these will be retained when I publish it more widely.

Use this URL as I have not yet put it on my menus

https://www.danhartfordphoto.com/blog/2026/5/lr031-15-things-new-lrc-users-should-know

 

[Zenon]

It looks good to me. Good sequence of essential things to know when first starting out..

 

[Zenon]

Let us know when you publish. I'll bookmark it.