Workflow assistance...

[VictoriaJZ]

Lightroom Version

12.3

Operating System

1. macOS 12 Monterey

I have a Mini and a MBP running Monterey = my main LRC is [now] on an External HD and all the pics from the MBP have been moved there == so I created a new LRC for the MBP since I do tend to use it for some importing - I am now importing pics that Avalanche has converted from Aplibraries into the new MBP LRC - but I don't understand whether I should just do a simple import or "build smart previews" [not even sure what they are] -- I thought I'd review the pics and cull what I can and then when convenient re-attach the Master EHD and get the new batch from the MBP and then delete them on the MBP and move on to the next importing. But not sure that's right - basically my goal is to have all my LRC pics in the EHD and use the MBP mainly as an adjunct machine to import new pictures [originals or Avalanche ones] and work with them on the MBP then transfer them to the drive and clean off the MBP for the next batch,.

Why do I want to select Build Smart Previews?? Do I want to Add to Collection = or do that after I've assigned keywords - thanks

 

[Paul McFarlane]

Smart Previews are irrelevant in this instance. Read page 529 in your Classic FAQ to understand what they are and what they are used for.

 

[Califdan]

If you have your master image files accessible to your LrC computer, you don't need smart previews. Which of the other preview sizes to select depends on personal preference. The smaller the preview size, the less space they take on disk and the faster the imports go but when LrC needs a bigger preview it takes a second or two to build it. On the other hand some people start a big import and then go out to dinner while it runs. For them time for import (or disk space) doesn't matter and they'd prefer not to incur those few extra seconds each time Lrc needs a bigger preview.

The other factor is a rare case where you lose your master image files (the RAW's and JPG's) and for whatever reason you don't have ANY backups of those master images on any device or even the cloud. In this case you may be forced to create JPG's of your master images from whatever size previews LrC has. If you have minimal previews they are pretty useless (barely large enought for a 3x4 print), but if you have standar or even 1:1 previews your rebuilt image files may have all your pixels even though the file will be an 8 b it JPG and not a RAW with higher bit depth.