Lightroom Classic - Exporting Final Archive created in LR to client

[athanasiak8121221]

I have been hired to re-organize and re-structure a photographer's archive using Lightroom Classic. I want to create and export a restructured archival system (folder structures, file names, etc...) so he has a consolidated new archive (of final renamed files with all the info I embed through LR) he can easily search through on his own hard drive AND through Lightroom (using keywords, meta-data, etc..)

I am working on my Lightroom from home. I assume the existing archive files and the newly exported finals should all be saved on a HD (as should my lightroom catalogues, collections, etc..?) Can he copy all to his computer and upon opening his own Lightroom, "see" what I have worked on, as it appears on mine?

And finally, can I export the renamed/tweaked final files in full resolution on the HD (versus sharing my collections as lower resolution resized previews, or the like?) Essentially I want my final product to be all his, available on his HD, viewable in his LR.

I ultimately want him to have a "final" archive that he can use LR to search through, just unsure how it works when working off two computers, individual membership and not going "cloud" on this. I don't want to "share" as much as deliver, if that makes sense?

ANY and all insight would be golden. First time using Lightroom properly, so much to learn and don't want to get too far without knowing what's up ahead.

[Lumigraphics]

Wait, you have been hired to organize a guy's files using Lightroom and its your first time using the program? Ay Caramba.

Before you do ANYTHING:

1. Make a backup of his entire library onto a second hard drive that you put away for safekeeping.

2. Spend some time taking classes or going through tutorials on how to use Lightroom.

3. Sit down with this guy and find out what he wants and what will work for him.

[dj_paige]

Lumigraphics  wrote

Wait, you have been hired to organize a guy's files using Lightroom and its your first time using the program? Ay Caramba.

Double ay caramba! I agree with point #2 and point #3 made by Lumigraphics. Furthermore, Lightroom is a program that can mystify beginners who don't grasp the concept of how LR works, and don't take the time to learn. Countless hours of frustration result in these cases. Do not try to figure it out yourself, no matter how good you think you are at using computer software. Lightroom is not like other programs. Read and view tutorials on Lightroom.

Before you do ANYTHING:

1. Make a backup of his entire library onto a second hard drive that you put away for safekeeping.

2. Spend some time taking classes or going through tutorials on how to use Lightroom.

3. Sit down with this guy and find out what he wants and what will work for him.

4. Make a backup of the Lightroom catalog file! Do not skip this step.

5. Know that LR is a database, that the photos are not stored in Lightroom, that Lightroom knows the photo by its file name and file location and if those are changed outside of LR, then you must tell LR the new location and name of the photo.

6. Before you make any changes to the real photos and catalog, create an experimental catalog with experimental photos, and try making the changes there, if you make mistakes, no harm done.

[athanasiak8121221]

Thank you very much, to you all. I am knee deep in online tutorials as I have never thought myself program savvy.

The major question I have is that I want to be able to hand over the work I do both in LR and on a HD (after I use LR to reorganize and rename the photographers’ archive) so he can continue on having his organized archive and viewing it in LR in the same way I organized it and set it up (with tags, keywords, etc..)

Is that possible? To basically export out my “work”? In proper files (not lower res or non destructive, etc..)

Thank you, thank you, thank you...

[dj_paige]

athanasiak8121221  wrote

Thank you very much, to you all. I am knee deep in online tutorials as I have never thought myself program savvy.

The major question I have is that I want to be able to hand over the work I do both in LR and on a HD (after I use LR to reorganize and rename the photographers’ archive) so he can continue on having his organized archive and viewing it in LR in the same way I organized it and set it up (with tags, keywords, etc..)

Is that possible? To basically export out my “work”? In proper files (not lower res or non destructive, etc..)

Thank you, thank you, thank you...

Exporting is not a solution. DO NOT EXPORT.

If you are going to give the client a hard disk containing the re-arranged folders and a Lightroom catalog that works with the re-arranged folders, these re-arranged folders must contain the ORIGINAL images. Exported images will not work.

[Todd Shaner]

athanasiak8121221  wrote

Is that possible? To basically export out my “work”? In proper files (not lower res or non destructive, etc..)

dj_paige is correct in that you shouldn't "export" per se. What you want to use is LR's 'Export as Catalog' File menu item. Then select the below options making sure you've selected ALL of the folders containing the customers pictures. The 'Include available previews' check box is optional and will increase the size of the exported catalog, but it will make it easier for your customer to get started.

[dj_paige]

Agreeing with Todd Shaner​. Also agreeing with Lumigraphics​. Either way should work. Just do not export photos.

Also from Lumigraphics:

I fear that you don't even have a fundamental understanding of how Lightroom works, let alone how to accomplish what you have been hired for.

I get the same impression.

[Lumigraphics]

You don't want to export anything. Create the folder structure on the hard drive, create a catalog that adds those images in place, then hand that all over. HOWEVER this can be a problem, for example on Windows, drives are referred to by drive letter. If those are different, then Lightroom won't be able to find anything.

I fear that you don't even have a fundamental understanding of how Lightroom works, let alone how to accomplish what you have been hired for.

[Todd Shaner]

Lumigraphics  wrote

I fear that you don't even have a fundamental understanding of how Lightroom works, let alone how to accomplish what you have been hired for.

The same issue and learning curve applies to his customer. So they both will need to "get up to speed" with LR Classic in order to make this archive project work.

"I ultimately want him to have a "final" archive that he can use LR to search through, just unsure how it works when working off two computers, individual membership and not going "cloud" on this. I don't want to "share" as much as deliver, if that makes sense?"

athanasiak8121221 does the customer intend on using LR Classic going forward or just wants "manual" reorganization and keywording of the files. If the later LR CC Desktop and Mobile applications are a better choice.

Buy Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC | Photo editing and organizing software

[Lumigraphics]

If I was starting this project from scratch, I would use Bridge for the initial organizing and keywording. Once everything was setup on the hard drive, I would import the entire structure into Lightroom.

This client will need to learn things like importing, keywording, rating, searches and filtering, and so on. If its just tidied up and handed over there will be a disaster sooner or later.

FWIW, Bridge is a better fit if the end result includes manual file management in Finder/Explorer. You CAN use Lightroom if you understand the limitations.

One thing we never heard, how many images are we talking about here? And how many will the client be adding per month? How much moving images around is part of the workflow?

[Todd Shaner]

athanasiak8121221  wrote

First time using Lightroom properly, so much to learn and don't want to get too far without knowing what's up ahead.

Here a couple of books that pretty much cover it all:

Organizational Tutorial (Says LR5, but applies to all versions except the new LR CC.)

Organizing Your Photos: the Resources Page - The DAM Book

How To Use LR

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/shop/adobe-lightroom-classic-missing-faq/

OR (if you prefer learning videos)

https://laurashoe.com/learn-lightroom-5-6-classic-7-video-training/

[athanasiak8121221]

Thank you Todd! On it.

[elie_dinur]

One other point that I don't think was mentioned above; if you create the catalog using an older major version of LR than the client's, he will be able to update the catalog when he first opens it, BUT if the opposite is true and you have a later version while he is using an older major version, it will be useless to him. LR catalogs are not back-compatible.