iPhoto for organization, Lightroom for editing - will they work together?

[trs0722]

I've read that you should format the card in camera but I knew that would mean the pics would start back over at 001. I was originally concerned about duplicates but come to think of it, I have LR set up to name the files by the date first then image # so I guess it's ok to go back to 001 each time. Also, at one point I recall deselecting import in iPhoto and yet it still opened asking if I wanted to import. So I guess I just got used to it and developed a workaround. I will give those hints a try. Thanks.

[snberk103]

Originally Posted by trs0722

I've read that you should format the card in camera but I knew that would mean the pics would start back over at 001....

I can't speak for every camera, but in my experience with 3 cameras directly and numerous cameras indirectly, formatting the card does not reset the counter... the camera just picks up from where it left off. There is a possibility your camera is bit, um, 'eccentric' of course.... but I would double-check your assumption by experimentation and observation.

Good Luck....

[LrUser]

@snberk103 Thanks for your knowledge in this thread.

I found out the hard way that Lr and iPhoto don't play nice together. (Images i've 'externally edited' in Lr no longer export from iPhoto, and are 'missing or offline' in Lightroom)... Completely destroyed as far as I can tell.

So... snberk, ya got any wisdom on undoing the damage I've done?


@ confused others who might glance this, who were trying to export their whole library, but were interupted by an error message saying "unable to create user/volumes/blahblah".. well that's why. Those images were corrupted by the external editing thanggg. Peace.

[flynz4]

Originally Posted by snberk103

Glad it worked out for you, in the end. I have a specific spot I put my cards when I take them out of the camera. Cards in that spot do not go anywhere, except into the card reader. When they come out, they go into another specific spot for at least a day (one backup cycle) before I put them back into rotation. It a rigid workflow, and so far (knock wood) I haven't lost any images through accidental deletion. At least not that I know of.

The one part of the workflow I sometimes forget is to format the card at all. I don't tend to fill my cards up... I download the images at the end of the session or day. So what happens is that when I go to import the next session's images I have to make sure the "Don't import suspected duplicates" is checked.

I've never seen a camera that resets the picture name counter when the SD card is reformated. How would that work with multiple SD cards? The counter is generally a function of the camera, not the SD card.

Many cameras (ex: Nikon DSLRs) have "format shortcuts" because most photographers format cards after downloading. On Nikon... two of the buttons have "red colored" markings. You hold down both (twice) to format.

/Jim

[snberk103]

Originally Posted by LrUser

@snberk103 Thanks for your knowledge in this thread.

I found out the hard way that Lr and iPhoto don't play nice together. (Images i've 'externally edited' in Lr no longer export from iPhoto, and are 'missing or offline' in Lightroom)... Completely destroyed as far as I can tell.

So... snberk, ya got any wisdom on undoing the damage I've done?

....

How many pictures are we talking about? In theory, the original (unedited) photos are likely still there - in iPhoto. But I have no experience with untangling that kind of corruption. But the originals may still be in place in the iPhoto Library package.

[snberk103]

Originally Posted by flynz4

I've never seen a camera that resets the picture name counter when the SD card is reformated. How would that work with multiple SD cards? The counter is generally a function of the camera, not the SD card.

Many cameras (ex: Nikon DSLRs) have "format shortcuts" because most photographers format cards after downloading. On Nikon... two of the buttons have "red colored" markings. You hold down both (twice) to format.

/Jim

Not sure I understand the question... actually, I think I understand the question - but I'm being dense about why I'm being asked about the file name set by the camera?

My system is about making sure I don't prematurely put a card back into the camera and format the card with photos I've not yet imported. And then once they are imported - making sure that the imported images have been backed up before the card is formatted in the camera.

Since the camera creates the file name, multiple cards work well since the software detects duplicate images based on the file name (and probably date too). I use the "detect duplicates - and don't download them" setting so that if I forget to format the card in the camera I am not downloading the same photo a 2nd time.

[flynz4]

Originally Posted by snberk103

Not sure I understand the question... actually, I think I understand the question - but I'm being dense about why I'm being asked about the file name set by the camera?

My system is about making sure I don't prematurely put a card back into the camera and format the card with photos I've not yet imported. And then once they are imported - making sure that the imported images have been backed up before the card is formatted in the camera.

Since the camera creates the file name, multiple cards work well since the software detects duplicate images based on the file name (and probably date too). I use the "detect duplicates - and don't download them" setting so that if I forget to format the card in the camera I am not downloading the same photo a 2nd time.

Even though I quoted your post... I was really replying to the guy you answered. I was trying to dispel his notion that reformating the SD card would reset the photo naming counter. I believe that you and I are in sync.

Like you... I permanently keep the "Do not import duplicates" feature turned on. I use Aperture, and if on a trip... I keep importing my day's pictures into my MBA and letting Crashplan back up my MBA to the cloud. I also keep my photos on the SD cards until after I get home. That way all my trip pictures are on both my MBA and the SD card(s). Additionally, they may be backed up to Crashplan+ depending upon the speed of my internet connection.

Once home... I will transfer the Aperture project(s) from my MBA over to my iMac which is my master library.

I also share your concern about reformatting SD cards after import, but prior to the iMac being backed up. I usually keep the SD card on the "foot" of the iMac until after I know that it has been backed up to both TM and Crashplan+. Then I reformat it in the camera.

/Jim

[snberk103]

Originally Posted by flynz4

... I believe that you and I are in sync.

Like you... I permanently keep the "Do not import duplicates" feature turned on. ... I usually keep the SD card on the "foot" of the iMac until after I know that it has been backed up to both TM and Crashplan+. Then I reformat it in the camera.

/Jim

Yep... totally in synch.... except I am fortunate enough to have a Mac Pro so the cards sit on the top handle instead of the foot.

[flynz4]

Originally Posted by snberk103

Yep... totally in synch.... except I am fortunate enough to have a Mac Pro so the cards sit on the top handle instead of the foot.

You are definitately "upper crust".

/Jim