Digital Asset Management (warning: a bit long...)

[Richard G.]

Thanks for the confirmation Dave! So it's all in the lrcat file and the lrdata folder is just preview data then?

I'm so used to launching images into ACR/PS either from Bridge or Explorer, I think it's the mindset change I'm struggling with, I don't automatically go to LR to find an image, but I guess that would happen over time. Trouble is, if you don't use LR as the central point every time, it screws everything up, you forget where you are and what you've done with an image and you can't just open the disk file because it won't include any LR editing

I think I need to write down my step by step workflow using LR and try to stick to it religiously for a bunch of images to work out if it's just my lack of familiarity or if the process is just too cumbersome.

I can't help thinking that my ideal workflow is something like this though:
Triplicate all RAW's from memory card -> from working RAW folder delete all obvious duffers using Bridge -> launch potential keepers into ACR/PS -> edit, delete further duffers and save keepers as TIFF -> load final keepers into DAM app and keyword.

Does that sound anything like what others are doing?
Presumably, with LR, you just move the DAM piece to the start and any deletions or edits are done/launched from within LR?

One final question, using LR seems to remove the option to use ACR. Is LR considered to be equal to or better than Adobe Camera Raw?

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by Richard G.

Thanks for the confirmation Dave! So it's all in the lrcat file and the lrdata folder is just preview data then?

Yep, you can delete the lrdata folders and Lightroom will just recreate the previews. The lrcat file is where everything important is kept.

I'm afraid I can't answer your other questions as I don't have either Camera Raw or Photoshop. My workflow is:

• Import into LR, making backup copies on my external disc and generating 1:1 previews
• First quick edit using the loupe to delete any obvious duffers - missed focus, camera shake, bird flew away etc.
• Second (and occasionally third or even fourth) edit, much slower, looking at full size images and using the compare facility to identify the best from a series of similar shots
• Keyword them and rename them to my standard naming format (LR has a shortcut to do this - F2)
• Make adjustments to the ones I want to do something with (e.g. upload to WAB) and export them

Just occasionally there will be one that requires work that is either not possible in LR or is easier to do in Paintshop Pro but normally that's it.

Dave P.

[Richard G.]

Interesting Dave, thanks!

LR is slowly starting to grow on me and I can see a lot of good in it, especially the DAM parts. But I just can't see it replacing PS completely, which is a shame and an expensive annoyance.

As an aside though, I've now tried a couple of cheap dedicated DAM apps (Pixfiler and Digital Photo Cataloger) and have to say both have been poor in comparison to LR, so maybe there is no such thing as a good, cheap dedicated DAM app anyway.