My current workflow and which photos to sync to Lightroom Mobile?

[mattlokay]

Hello,

I am trying to improve my workflow and wrap my head around the best process for me to utilize Lightroom Mobile.   I am a hobbyist and never really share my photos. The good news is that Lightroom mobile has allowed me to finally get some of my pictures up on Instagram which has been fun. 

My plan is the Lightroom CC Classic with 20 gigs cloud storage.   At first I was pretty bummed about not being able to access all my photos due to the 20 gig limit.  Then I thought well who cares you should only have new and your best photos available on the mobile making things a lot less cluttered.

Here is my workflow in Lightroom CC Classic:

Date of Photo shoot (main folder)

1.  Capture Folder

Here is where I download every picture I take on a shoot in raw.  I know some people choose to delete bad photos here but I don't want to take the time to do this and also always like the idea of having everything I've ever shot.

2.  Selects Folder

Next I flag all my good photos that I deem keepers in Capture.  I duplicate them in the capture folder and then move the dupes to the Selects folder.  I then do edits of the .raw images in Lightroom Classic (contrast, noise, dehaze, etc.)  

3.  Master Folder

Next, I export all my editted photos from selects as .tiffs at 300 resolution to a Master folder.   Here I make final revisions by using photoshop.   It is my understanding that all my lightroom and photoshop edit history is saved using this process.

4.  Export Folder

Here is where I save photos from my Master folder as .jpgs to upload to my website.   Finally, I add these photos to a collection which is then sync'd to Lightroom Mobile for Instagram posting.  

Is this a good workflow or bloated? 

Here is the big question though... Should I be choosing photos to sync to Lightroom Mobile at step 3 where they are still .tiffs or at step 4 where they are a lower resolution .jpg knowing they are just going to be on Instagram anyway?   I don't see a scenario where I'd ever need a high resolution photo on the Mobile app as someone who is just a hobbyist.  Also I'm not sure I'd ever be doing any final editting on the mobile app unless it is a Iphone photo on the go.

Thanks for reading all that.  I'd appreciate your thoughts.

[john beardsworth]

Cut out the duplicates - you don't need to copy files into Selects folders, just leave in the day's capture folder. Use LR flags and ratings to identify the selects.

Make backups of your originals. These are copies made for backup, nothing to do with your selection process.

For any Photoshop work, don't export everything - just the photos that need PS.

When you export JPEGs for your web site, consider not keeping these photos (except obviously on your web site). Just export the JPEGs, upload them, and delete the copies on your computer. You can always recreate these by exporting again from LR>

Sync whatever you want to Mobile - it doesn't count against your 20gig. That space is only used if you put originals in the cloud(eg by importing a raw file into LRM on your phone). Mobile isn't for final editing but is best for odd tweaks when you are on the train, waiting in the cafe etc. Or you might carry around favourite pictures to show people, or whatever. it's a convenience, not a final editing app.

[dj_paige]

The whole idea of using Folders for this purpose feels inefficient and unnecessary to me.

Therefore, steps 2, 3 and 4 seem inefficient and unnecessary to me.

You can select photos, edit them and then upload them to LR mobile without using steps 2, 3, and 4, and do it all in Lightroom instead of using operating system folders.

After you import the photos into LR, you can assign a "pick flag" in Lightroom, or assign the photo 5 stars, to indicate you have designated the photos as keepers. No need to move the keepers to a new folder. Then go ahead and edit the keepers, and assign them to collections for uploading to LR Mobile. So far, there is no exporting of photos, not moving photos from one folder to another.

Lastly, full resolution images are never uploaded to LR Mobile anyway. The size of the image is reduced for Lightroom mobile, and I believe that internally LR is creating a JPG to upload anyway.

So, my advice to you is to use Lightroom as your workflow method, and Lightroom tools as your organizational tool. The only thing you use folders for is the original place where the photos come out of the camera, and for that I recommend capture date as the folder name. From then on, leave the photos in their folders, don't move them from here to there.

[mattlokay]

Thanks for the reply.  I agree with you that there may be no need for the folders and moving photos.   I guess my question for you is how do you save your photos editted in Photoshop then?   You have the raw file and the PS tiff in the same place?   Also I'm assuming where ever you save your exported photos isn't tied into lightroom?

[JP Hess]

If you just choose the Save option in Photoshop, the resulting file should go in the same folder with the original image. That's the way it works for me.

[john beardsworth]

mattlokay  wrote

Thanks for the reply.  I agree with you that there may be no need for the folders and moving photos.   I guess my question for you is how do you save your photos editted in Photoshop then?   You have the raw file and the PS tiff in the same place?   Also I'm assuming where ever you save your exported photos isn't tied into lightroom?

I save my PS tiff separately from the raw file, but I think that's just choice. However, the tiff will often be the same collection as the raw files. They will almost certainly have the same Job reference (I use Job for anything for anything from a job to a vacation or event) and have other metadata that makes it easy to find the related files.

Exported files are usually to a folder on Desktop, for convenience.

[JP Hess]

All that is necessary is to create a collection that contains the images that you want to share. If you are working with raw images, just create a collection of the raw images. No need to convert them to JPEG. Then share the collection. Lightroom will share the collection and that collection can be shared with anyone. It doesn't count against your 20 GB of cloud storage. Very simple and very straightforward.

[Jao vdL]

Agree with the others. This workflow is way to convoluted. You shouldn't use folders but collections and you really shouldn't be exporting to tiffs. Simply select "edit in Photoshop" from Lightroom if an image really needs it and upon saving from Photoshop, it gets automatically added next to the original - easy.

The last remark also made me realize there is way to simplify your workflow even further:

Here is where I save photos from my Master folder as .jpgs to upload to my website.   Finally, I add these photos to a collection which is then sync'd to Lightroom Mobile for Instagram posting. 

Let me introduce you to the LR/instagram plugin (LR/Instagram - Lightroom Publish Plugin for Instagram)  which allows you to directly publish from Lightroom Classic to instagram at optimal quality and even add watermarks, hashtags, and such. No need to go to mobile Lightroom.