[quote author=trubluphoto link=topic=7292.msg49651#msg49651 date=1248183917]
I have a question about effective workflow. . .
As I import images into lightroom, is it better to label each job as a catalog and have collections within each catalog or is it better to label the entire job as a collection and flag/star color code within the collection?
Also, can someone explain how folders work to me. I noticed when I try to open a new folder in Lightroom, it also creates a new folder on my hard drive. Why is this?
[/quote]I agree with Paige, one catalog is sufficient. Unless you have a business rule that requires segregation, there should be no compelling reason to keep more than one catalog.
If you take the lightroom suggested import folder structure, it will import each import into date named folders on your HD. While you do not need to follow this suggestion, it is usually sufficient to help you use your brain catalog to quickly begin to locate a set of photos. The proper use of Keywords is essential to good organization. It will pay in the long run to research some of the keyword organizations and implement this early in your LR catalog process.
Lightroom does not care where you store the physical images as long as it can build a pointer to those images. You can with keywords quickly group these images however you like today and another way tomorrow. If you import your images in date designated dolders and have a photo session that covers several days, then setting up a special collection will help you manage those photos as a set even though physically, they may span several folders in the HD directry structure.
You should also make use of the Smart Collection filter process to create living, growing collections that are dynamic and will change as you add new photos and change or remove old ones from the catalog.
