Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Adobe Lightroom Q&A => Topic started by: Slobodan Blagojevic on October 28, 2025, 10:01:41 am
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Here is my procedure so far:
When traveling, I have my laptop with me (Macbook Air 13). I process images each day after shooting. Upon return from the trip, typically 2-3 weeks later, I transfer images from memory cards to my desktop (iMac 27) and process them again from scratch.
Part of the reason for that (reprocessing from scratch) is that I feel more comfortable doing it slowly and on the 27" screen, but the second part is that I have not come up yet with a method to synchronize already processed files on laptop with the desktop.
So, the question is: what are the best practices of doing it?
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You can import from the travel catalog into your main cat and it keeps the edits you started on your laptop. These are the steps I use.
Create travel cat and store all raws on an external drive
When I get home connect the travel drive to my desktop and copy all the raws to the place on my desktop I plan to keep them
Rename the folder that is on my travel drive that contains my Raw files
Open my travel .cat (from the travel drive) on my desk machine (ie leave the drive connected to the desktop). It can no longer find the raw files as I renamed the folder on the travel drive/
Show the travel catalog where the raw files are on my desktop machine.
Close the travel .cat
Open my main LR catalog on my desktop.
In the Library module chose File -> Import from another Catalog
Your Finder/File Explorer window will open,. Navigate to the .Cat folder on your travel drive
A window opens that allows you to import. Choose Add (I think or Do not move) as the Raw files are already where you want them.
On a healthy sized travel cat (ie many thousands) it takes an age to work. I just leave my machine alone to let it do it's thing.
PS. It might seem complicated, but if you are familiar with LRC the steps are pretty logical.
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I start a trip with a virgin, empty LR catalog on the laptop. Then I enable the LR option to write xmp files. When home I manually transfer the raw+xmp to wherever I want on the desktop, then import to LR. Desktop LR sucks in all the edits from the xmp.
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Part of the reason for that (reprocessing from scratch) is that I feel more comfortable doing it slowly and on the 27" screen, but the second part is that I have not come up yet with a method to synchronize already processed files on laptop with the desktop.
I also want to revisit my laptop edits when I have more time and access to a large display, but I don't necessarily want to start over again from scratch.
My procedure is: (1) maintain identical intake directory hierarchies on the laptop and home desktop computers; (2) export all the image files and travel edits as a single directory ("folder") hierarchy using Lightroom's Export as Catalog facility after I return home; (3) transfer the exported catalog hierarchy (i.e., files and data) from the laptop to the desktop machine; (4) import the files and data into my desktop filesystem using Lightroom's Import from Another Catalog facility.
How you perform the third phase of this process is dependent on your home network environment. Various configuration choices—e.g., static addressing of computers, computer-to-computer bandwidth—as well as the particular software utilities available will determine how easy and fast this is. (My own technique is somewhat arcane so I won't bother to describe it here.)
When I reprocess an image, I typically start by making a Lightroom snapshot of the original edits before making any modifications. This allows me to restore all the edits I made while traveling if I decide they were superior to my subsequent attempt. I tend to avoid virtual copies for this purpose so as not to clutter up the Library Module display with slightly different versions of the same image.
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I keep my current catalog and images on a portable SSD and then can use on both laptop and desktop.
Jonathan
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I keep my current catalog and images on a portable SSD and then can use on both laptop and desktop.
Jonathan
Precisely what I do. KISS. Additionally, creating multiple clones is extremely simple and fast.
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Precisely what I do. KISS. Additionally, creating multiple clones is extremely simple and fast.
Tried and tested.
But with the improvements in Lightroom and Photoshop, there is an alternative way which works in both LrC and LrM (both iPad and iPhone) : Lightroom Sync.
In LrC create a collection(s) and set it as a Synced folder. (right click)
It’ll automatically appear in Lr on ALL your other Lr devices).
Any photo in that folder will be synced w/ your other copies of Lightroom (laptop, desktop, iPad, iPhone) and available in Photoshop too.
Beauty of it is that it‘s a 2-way sync, any further edits or refinements are synced back to the copy/copies on your other devices.
Finished editing? Move the file(s), from the sync folder within LrC, to your main catalogue. Edits are retained and you can continue editing outside of Lr Sync.
On the Adobe Photo plan, you'll have 20gb of storage.
https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/lightroom-mobile-desktop-features.html
https://www.adobe.com/gr_en/learn/lightroom-classic/web/sync-photos-lightroom-mobile
Edit:
...but the second part is that I have not come up yet with a method to synchronize already processed files on laptop with the desktop.
This should solve your dilemma.
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Here is my procedure so far:
When traveling, I have my laptop with me (Macbook Air 13). I process images each day after shooting. Upon return from the trip, typically 2-3 weeks later, I transfer images from memory cards to my desktop (iMac 27) and process them again from scratch.
Part of the reason for that (reprocessing from scratch) is that I feel more comfortable doing it slowly and on the 27" screen, but the second part is that I have not come up yet with a method to synchronize already processed files on laptop with the desktop.
So, the question is: what are the best practices of doing it?
I wouldn't presume to decide on a "best" practice, but I do this:
- after each session when away, import into LR with backup copy to an external SSD;
- don't erase any card until home;
- edit, keyword etc as desired when away;
- when home, select all photos take on the trip (usually in one root folder) and "export as catalog", including all raw files;
- copy resulting folder to desktop;
- in desktop machine's LR, "import from catalog";
- sort out paths, which tend to get messed up (newly imported photos are buried deep in a hierarchy - I'm probably missing something).
Voila. All edits made on those photos are imported into the desktop catalog, where they can be kept, modified or discarded.
Works for me.
Jeremy
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Here is my procedure so far:
When traveling, I have my laptop with me (Macbook Air 13). I process images each day after shooting. Upon return from the trip, typically 2-3 weeks later, I transfer images from memory cards to my desktop (iMac 27) and process them again from scratch.
Part of the reason for that (reprocessing from scratch) is that I feel more comfortable doing it slowly and on the 27" screen, but the second part is that I have not come up yet with a method to synchronize already processed files on laptop with the desktop.
So, the question is: what are the best practices of doing it?
I go through a similar process.
Although I do back up and process images on the laptop during a trip the resulting files serve only to confirm that what I've captured pass muster.
The real work and fun starts when I'm sitting in front of the Eizo.
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Many thanks all for your contributions. Appreciated. I'll have to experiment with various options presented.
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I keep my current catalog and images on a portable SSD and then can use on both laptop and desktop.
Jonathan
Precisely what I do. KISS. Additionally, creating multiple clones is extremely simple and fast.
Same here.