Currently, I’m working on writing a new book. It’s about how to manage your photo library in Lightroom. Included in the book is a chapter about reorganising a Lightroom Library that’s grown out of control. To illustrate the book, I’m using examples of my own image library that’s seen many changes over the past 20 years.
The actual process is turning out to be remarkably quick to do but it’s also having some unexpected benefits.
- First, and probably most expected is that my photo library is becoming easier to manage and browse through.
- The second is that I’m finding the process is clearing my head. I’ve been meaning to do this for several years but kept putting it off so I could use it for the book. The book then went on hold several times so now it feels like I can finally get on with the process.
- Thirdly, I’m finding new images that I haven’t processed and that I’d forgotten about. Here’s an example from earlier which I shared on my Instagram account.
This is an area of limestone pavement called Twistleton Scar in the Yorkshire Dales near Ingleton. I’ve visited many times and have posted images of the area before. But here was a new folder of over 500 images that hasn’t been reviewed. I’m also finding lots of others with some great images that are just sitting there, unseen.
I hope you like this shot and have a great weekend. If you can’t get out to do some photography, why not try sorting through your old images.
The Lightweight Photographer 
This is a chore that I also have to do from time to time. Lightroom does have its stubborn way of doing things. I like to store my keepers in a cloud-synched directory, but I don’t want to dump everything in there at first when I read my camera as that is a lot of data. Also, editing from the cloud synchronized drive is kind of laggy as I am waiting on the network to do its thing. So I have a process of working on a USB3 hard drive and then migrating to the cloud sync directory when I am through with editing. Sometimes moving directories in Lightroom goes smoothly, sometimes not so much.
It can sometimes be a time consuming and complex process but it is essential.
Superb image Robin. A good example of looking into the archives for unedited or re-edits, especially with the latest editing software. I think your book will be welcome, there is a lot to know and benefit to be gained from a well organised library – I have had to write myself workflows / checklists so that a) I am consistent in my approach, filing and terminology b) I know where I’m up to when I resume weeks later c) because I forget!
Thank you. It is very easy to forget/miss steps when organising your library. It’s also very easy to fall into bad habits as I frequently find out.
Superb image, as have been others from your recent emails. I too look forward to obtaining a copy of this book when it is finished, as I expect it will be very clearly written in language i can understand – one of the many key benefits of all the books you author.
Thank you and thank you also for the encouragement with my book. It’s always nice to hear when someone thinks that it will help them.