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Lightroom workflow and backing up

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  • 01-10-2013 5:55pm
    #1
    jozi
    Registered Users Posts: 5,391 ✭✭✭


    I've just managed to lose my LR catalogue while doing a windows reinstall, I acidentally deleted the catalogue I had backed up :o I have been able to recover a 3 month old backup meaning I only lost some recent work.

    I've for a long time intended on figuring out a better workflow for Lightroom and something a bit more secure in case of loss of data.

    I'm wondering what other people do with regards to their workflow and backup solution, especially since I just lost some work.

    I have the following setup on the pc and this is my intention:
    60gig ssd - windows and programs only
    2tb (6400rpm - I think) sata - storage incl all my RAW files and catalogue etc
    500gb sata - back up of above images and lr catalogue
    1tb usb external drive - back up of above images and lr catalogue

    I've noticed LR can labour a lot when I do a good bit with the adjustment brush, would moving my catalogue to the other drive and separating it from the raw drive speed things up here?

    Also, other than having backups, is there away to minimise losing work if I lose my catalogue again? I can convert to DNG files, does this put the raw file along with the setting into on container dng file? I don't lose any data from the raw file this way?


    Currently this is roughly what I do:

    Import to a folder (eg. "2013 - 09 - 30 - descrition") with in it a folder for RAW files (EditS, JPG's, Resized JPG's etc).
    Pic a handfull of good images
    Process them and sometimes photoshop
    Export the selected images to PS to add a watermark and save the edited images into a EDITED folder (separate from the RAW files)
    Export to jpg at lower res for flickr/photobucket etc


    And I basically have one mega large catalogue with all my image sets in it, which I know slows LR down. I have to make it smaller but not sure how best to go about it.

    I have a good online tutorial by Jared Platt about Efficient use of LR which I must go through again to see how he does it because it seemed very good.

    Finally, are there any other forums where I can browse for peoples setup etc and how they work?


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    #2
    Paulw
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 13,381 Mod ✭✭✭✭Paulw


    I also have multiple disks in my PC.

    SSD for apps and Windows
    Hybrid drive for data (including Lightroom catalogue)
    1.5TB drive for photos
    1.5TB drive for other data and stuff.


    I also have a NAS for image backups, plus a backup of my Lightroom catalogue. As well as that, I use pairs of individual external disks, to backup images on to. Once these fill (in pairs), I get new externals.

    So, I backup my lightroom catalogue weekly from my PC to my NAS.


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    #3
    ditpaintball
    Registered Users Posts: 993 ✭✭✭ditpaintball


    My Setup is similar to Pauls in a way.

    Mac Book pro with 480GBSSD & 500GB HDD

    SSD has the OS and current projects
    HDD has completed projects..

    Both drives are backed up with a Apple Time machine with a LaCie NAS Raid-1 being used for archiving. There is a monthly hot swap of a disk with this drive so the most that will ever be lost of the archive is one month.

    I have a blog post half way done about my workflow and back up procedure that I should published next week some time on www.richie.ie, if it helps.


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