I have finally capitulated to the Adobe Photography CC Extortion Plan and will be moving from Photoshop CS6. Considering the plan includes Photoshop and Bridge I could maintain my workflow as is using ACR for NEF conversion. But, if I was to try Lightroom, I am trying to figure out how to work LR's catalogue into my workflow. I've read the PDF LR manual/help files on import.
My Workflow
1. Download Files from Card to Directory structucture on my computer
2. Review and select files
3. Delete files I know I will never use (I'm an apostate)
4. Use ACR to "develop" the raw file storing setting in XMP files
5. Move the files to my Server and backup to BD-M Disk
6. Delete from Main computer where originally downloaded.
Since to use the files in LR they must be imported into the catalog, I would have to use LR to move them to server or Delete them from LR and re import them from the server.
1. Is this correct?
2. Is there a mechanism in LR catalog for it to know where on the server while silmultaneously knowing the BD-M disk where the image is stored? That is, can LR understand that the same photograph is in 2 different locations or must I create 2 different instances of the same photograph?
Thanks,
Dave
Rather than answering your questions directly it might be better to just answer by showing my workflow using Lightroom.
I have a single machine (MacBook Pro 15" with an external monitor in my office). My images are spread across the internal drive on the MBP for the newest images and an external LaCie drive for the rest.
Backup is done via TimeMachine (TM) for the MBP itself and for the LaCie drive it is synchronized with two other drives in my office. The MBP and the external drive is also backed up in the cloud using Backblaze.
On my travels I have a copy of the LaCie drive on a portable 3TB drive and I have two portable drives for TM backup. Before any trip the two IM backups are run so that I always have a backup at home if I get all stolen on a trip.
For each trip I create a new folder on the internal drive on the MBP with the standard <year>.<month> <trip name>
After the first shoot on a new trip I will during import create and select the new folder name and import the images directly from the SD card reader in the MBP to that folder. On import I have a preset that I apply that sets my default sharpening for landscapes (fine detail), lens correction and the camera profile I want. I also generate 1:1 previews so that I quickly can check images for sharpness, focus etc. I also have a day folder selected below the main folder.
For subsequent imports they images are imported into the same folder and the day folders below are automatically created by Lightroom for each new day.
After import I will run the TimeMachine backups. On my trip the cloud backup is disabled as rarely is there a WiFi that can handle this bandwidth. I keep the two TM backups in different places.
On a trip I rarely delete any files, but I will do some rating and processes some of the pictures. I also apply keywords and I also geotag all my files.
Back home in my office I will typically not delete any files until several months has passed and I have looked at the images with fresh eyes. Then I will do the rating process and delete anything that has not reached a certain level of star rating. In this way I can keep the volume of files down rather than keeping everything.
To protect my catalog I will regularly make a Lightroom catalog backup which also gets backed up by the TM backups. I have never lost a Lightroom catalog.
I do not create any pixel level files unless I need to edit in Photoshop or any other external application that does the edits on pixels. More than 95% of my entire collection of images only lives as a RAW file with edits in Lightroom. I do printing directly from Lightroom with shot proofing as needed in Lightroom. I upload images to my websites hosted by Smugmug and Zenfolio using the publish feature in Lightroom. For posting of images elsewhere I export small JPG files which I upload manually (Facebook page, G+, 500px, etc.)
Notice I have a copy of all my images with me on a trip, so if I need to send a file to somebody I can change the folder settings in Lightroom to point to the portable drive folders instead of the LaCie drive in my office. When back in office I switch the folder locations back to the Lacie drive. This is done by having all my trip folders under one or two folders which makes switching easy as I only have to tell Lightroom the location of the "superfolder(s)" and not all the trip folders (as they are below the superfolder).
I hope this is usefull