Question about Lightroom CC workflow/files

[flyersgl]

As I hopefully get ready to to more photography in the year ahead, I am trying to figure out how to implement my desired workflow with Lightroom CC. I want to do my initial import, selection of photos and quick edits on my iPad Pro. I then want to continue edits on my iMac to finish out whatever project I am working on. This flow works but I want to preserve the RAW files on my iMac (a spare drive) and I can’t figure out where they are! Previously, when I used LR Classic I saved them to my drive, imported them and I had it set up to delete originals when I deleted them in LR.

I can continue to directly back up ALL of my RAW files on my drive, but that means I will have a ton of crap files taking up space. The whole idea of using iPad was to quickly identify the winners and get rid of the rest.

Is there a flaw to this thinking? I’ve search my iMac to find a LR folder but all I can find is the folder from when I was using Classic.

 

[mollyc]

You can sync collections from LR Classic to LR CC and see the edits, but there's no history involved. You will need to use the LR CC app on your computer as well for full syncing. If you are importing them into your iPad, I suspect you might be using Adobe cloud storage for your actual files. I don't have an iPad and use only LR Classic on my computer, so I cannot confirm this for you. But I would definitely check the Adobe site to see if your full files are there as well.

 

[mollyc]

I use LR Classic on my iMac for my catalogue. I also have a MBA that I use as sort of an iPad and for images that I help others with (in a different forum). If I open up LR (LR CC) on my MBA, I can see images I have taken on my phone (via the LR app on my phone) populate to LRCC. But they are actually stored on my phone. Adobe is just syncing the edits, not the actual physical files. So most likely your physical files are being stored your iPad.

Are you trying to figure out how to move your files from your iPad to your iMac and into LR Classic?

 

[flyersgl]

Are you trying to figure out how to move your files from your iPad to your iMac and into LR Classic?

Yes, I guess this is what I am asking. I was trying to use CC exclusively for what I hoped was simplicity. But I ultimately want the files themselves stored locally - I don't want to pay for tons of cloud storage. They do seem to be on my cloud storage with Adobe and can be downloaded so I guess that will be my answer.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[mollyc]

honestly i would reverse your workflow and import your images to LR classic on your imac then sync those to LR on your ipad. then you can cull from your ipad. even if you can’t delete immediately from your ipad you can mark them as rejected on your ipad then fully delete them from your imac when you get back to it.

 

[mollyc]

you can sync specific folders and collections from LR classic to a mobile device.

 

[flyersgl]

you can sync specific folders and collections from LR classic to a mobile device.

Thanks. What you suggest makes sense, so I will have to re-think. I am on the road a lot, and then I get behind on stuff, which is why I was trying to stay on top of stuff via the iPad.

 

[Ray2]

You can use either Classic or CC to accomplish what you want. Which is dependent on where you want to edit and how strong a DAM you want. In Classic they download to your location of choice (check your prefs). In CC the masters (jpeg or raw) are cloud resident and an export is needed.

I use Classic as that’s my interface for all images. I have used CC but since I'm on a 20gb plan, I can't use it for much permanent cataloging. For editing though I find it a joy to use. Mobile I put up with. Keywords are important to me and with Mobile being incompatible with Classic, it’s tough for me to embrace it.

Frankly I still don't get Adobe's end game with these 2 apps. They keep improving Classic. Mobile CC is old and in some respects incompatible with Classic, yet they let it languish while many iPad users are moving their photography to the iPad.

 

[flyersgl]

Frankly I still don't get Adobe's end game with these 2 apps. They keep improving Classic. Mobile CC is old and in some respects incompatible with Classic, yet they let it languish while many iPad users are moving their photography to the iPad.

I am with you on this, I decided to embrace CC figuring it was the future, but that's not so clear now. I played around yesterday and figured out how to make it work both ways, not sure what I am going to do for ongoing workflow. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Ray2]

Frankly I still don't get Adobe's end game with these 2 apps. They keep improving Classic. Mobile CC is old and in some respects incompatible with Classic, yet they let it languish while many iPad users are moving their photography to the iPad.

I am with you on this, I decided to embrace CC figuring it was the future, but that's not so clear now. I played around yesterday and figured out how to make it work both ways, not sure what I am going to do for ongoing workflow. Thanks for the feedback.

If it’s of any use. I've been using iPads for travel photography since the iPad 1. Pre Covid spent 4 to 6 months traveling, never less, sometimes more. So the bulk of my photography is iPad centric.

My workflow is 11” iPP, injest to the CC folder located in iCloud Drive (backup #1), open LR Mobile and populate (backup #2), keep files on SD cards till I return home, cull aggressively in LRM, trash culled to free up CC space (20gb plan), edit in LRM, create shared albums in LR (at first resistance and now thoroughly embraced by those I share with. It actually works.) When home, open LR Classic, create local folders for the trip, move files that are synced via CC to the local folders, open LRCC and trash all files bringing my space back to 20gb available. That’s the only time I use LRCC. Not knocking it, I sorta like it but it can't handle my DAM requirements. Back to LRC, keyword, local editing on some, build an ordered album, export to a folder that will feed My Pics on all my iOS devices. I don't use Photos as I prefer albums that are sorted, an unknown concept in iOS.

If good wifi is not available, I turn off wifi, still load into iCloud, still populate LRM, work locally. When good wifi is eventually available I turn wifi on and go to dinner.

 

[flyersgl]

If it’s of any use. I've been using iPads for travel photography since the iPad 1. Pre Covid spent 4 to 6 months traveling, never less, sometimes more. So the bulk of my photography is iPad centric.

My workflow is 11” iPP, injest to the CC folder located in iCloud Drive (backup #1), open LR Mobile and populate (backup #2), keep files on SD cards till I return home, cull aggressively in LRM, trash culled to free up CC space (20gb plan), edit in LRM, create shared albums in LR (at first resistance and now thoroughly embraced by those I share with. It actually works.) When home, open LR Classic, create local folders for the trip, move files that are synced via CC to the local folders, open LRCC and trash all files bringing my space back to 20gb available. That’s the only time I use LRCC. Not knocking it, I sorta like it but it can't handle my DAM requirements. Back to LRC, keyword, local editing on some, build an ordered album, export to a folder that will feed My Pics on all my iOS devices. I don't use Photos as I prefer albums that are sorted, an unknown concept in iOS.

If good wifi is not available, I turn off wifi, still load into iCloud, still populate LRM, work locally. When good wifi is eventually available I turn wifi on and go to dinner.

Thanks, that's a good flow that I think will work for me!