Lightroom CC has photos online that are no longer my harddrive

[skippen]

So I finally installed the new Lightroom.  I launched the old one, and I noticed folders missing (and a particular photo I manipulated).  So I launched the new Lightroom, nad I found the folder and photos.  However, I cannot find the photo locally at all any longer.  I downloaded the download tool, and it too did not download it.  However, if I right-click on the photo in the new Lightroom, and open it in Photoshop, the raw, larger photo is downloaded to me, and I can work with it.  I think I prefer the old Lightroom (not sure yet), but regardless, this folder should be in both I would hope.  And it should never have been lifted from my hard drive.

Anyone know what is up?  What I am missing here?  The new Lighroom and confusing me.

[99jon]

LrCC is different to Lr Classic. The idea is that all originals are stored in the cloud although there is also an option in preferences to store a copy locally.

If your missing photo was originally in Lr Classic (previously CC 2015) then it should still be in the folder on your hard drive.

[skippen]

Thanks.  I have looked where I expect the photos to be, but I cannot find them.   Location you think they should be?  Any reason the downloader only brings down the smart previews?

[99jon]

The downloader can only provide what is stored in the cloud.

-smart previews from a syncd collection in Lr Classic

-originals first imported into LrCC on desktop, web or mobile devices

[skippen]

Great.    I have looked, searched, and I cannot find the photos on my harddrive.  Is there a default locaton that original lightroom stored these?  I have looked where I expect them to be, but I am not finding them.  They are uploaded to the cloud via LR CC, so I "have" them but locally they seem to have gone on a walkabout.

[selondon · Accepted solution]

In Lr Classic you can find the download folder from the Cloud Ecosystem in Preferences (Lightroom CC Tab)/Location..... the folder’s location can be user determined.

If Sync is enabled, then any originals imported into LrCC should download to there.

Additionally, depending on what preferences you set in LrCC Desktop, originals may also be stored permanently or temporarily in it‘s ‘Lightroom Library.lrlibrary’ package, but you’d have to right click that package to see them. These options can be found under Preferences/Local Storage (again, the folder’s location for originals can be user determined).