More on file organization

[JessicaLuchesi]

Hi,

I'm not really new to lightroom, but this time I'm willing to give it a go. My past workflow (Bridge) worked like this:

1 - Dump all raw photo files in a folder in my disk, organized by area ( ie: fashion, portraits, food ) and then, per photoshoot (ie: RestaurantA, RestaurantB, etc ), and then, the raw files go into a folder of their own ( usually named raw ).

2 - Open all photos in bridge. Select the best ones, and copy them using ACR into another folder in the same photoshoot, named "selected", saving them as DNG, now applying the adjustments in ACR.

3 - Process the photos in CS3, and then, when finished, save the PSD files in a folder named "finished". From the PSDs, TIFF or JPEG are exported as needed. When no CS3 processing is needed, I just export from the adjusted DNGs into TIFF or JPEG, and save those in the "finished" folder.

4 - Save the photoshoot folder into a portable HD, and burn the DVDs for permanent storage.

Now, on Lightroom, how do you suggest importing? Do I import each of these folders? Do I import the entire photoshoot one and hope Lightroom will hold? Do I import my root photos folder? When I create new folders, will lightroom keep sync, or do I have to re-import the photos I just exported from one folder to another? I'm open for suggestions on how to proceed and improve my workflow, and how to move this into Lightroom.

I honestly love the idea of Collections, but they still don't allow for stacking. And editing directly in an external software (CS3) renders those "filename-EDIT" photos in the Lightroom folder that I honestly dislike.

So, I'm open for suggestions and ideas.

[JessicaLuchesi]

Thanks everyone, I guess I'm finding my way around LR on that regard. It's pretty simple, even if not as intuitive as Bridge, to organize stuff.

[KeithR]

Jessica,
There are many different ways that we use to bring images into PS/LR that there is no one right way. As Jeff Schewe mentions in the LR2 tutorial that you need to find a way that you're comfortable doing. I'm at the point that I'm going to invest in the "The DAM Book". I believe Michael pointed out that it would take another hour tutorial on just the LR library module alone with respect to image ingesting, file management, etc. Since that is one of LR's strengths, I for one wish he would/could do this as a supplement to the LR2 tutorial, unless he wanted to do a seperate DAM tutorial