Workflow

[Rahul Khosla]

I have subscribed to Adobe’s plans and have Lightroom (LR) and Lightroom Classic ( LRC). I currently import new photos to Lightroom and post process there. Lightroom Classic is unused at the moment because I find Lightroom convenient and it syncs across devices. I also have a SmugMug subscription. A few questions :

1. Is there any advantage to keeping both LR and LRC? I find LR very flexible, easy to use and the ability to sync across devices is awesome. Are there some capabilities in LRC that are ‘better’? Should I be keeping both programs ?

2. I am seeking recommendations on implementing an optimal workflow that allows me to
- import photos and post process them
- have them accessible across my devices
- have the ability to select some photos and post them on SmugMug to share with friends and family.

At the moment. - I’m unsure what role LRC should / could play. Nor am I sure how to keep LR and LRC in sync. Lastly, I’m also not sure what’s the easiest way to post into Smug Mug from LR or LRC.

Grateful for suggestions.

 

[DRwyoming]

1. Is there any advantage to keeping both LR and LRC? I find LR very flexible, easy to use and the ability to sync across devices is awesome. Are there some capabilities in LRC that are ‘better’? Should I be keeping both programs ?

I can't think of situations where you'd want to run LR and LRC at the same time. They're basically two different user interfaces into the same organizing and editing package. I prefer Light Room Classic but others prefer the newer version. Different strokes for different folks but I don't know anyone running both at the same time beyond perhaps a try out phase to select one over the other.

astly, I’m also not sure what’s the easiest way to post into Smug Mug from LR or LRC.

One way or another you have to Export photos to send copies out to print or for email/web posting use. There's more than one way to do that in these programs but FWIW I just maintain a folder under my Photos/Pictures folder (Mac vs PC) that I call Web Posts and have a few other folders for other uses and can create folders on the fly for specific needs. Then from LR's Library module I just hit the big Export button down towards the lower left of the screen. From the dialog box I do any resizing, make sure sRGB is selected, add a watermark if desired, make sure the correct export folder (e.g. Web Posts or BCG Posts) is selected and send a copy of the processed image to the desired folder.

Like many things in LR (or LRC) you can set up presets to quickly repeat settings for different uses (e.g. image sizing and watermark or lack of watermark for different uses).

Once the images are in the appropriate export folder you just post to the website or send off in an email using tools using your browser or email app.

If you haven't done so already, you might want to take a good look at @Steve's LR Library Module videos that show a lot of the power of LR for image library organization. https://backcountrygallery.com/new-lightroom-course-the-library-module-plus-file-handling-importing/

FWIW, there are a lot of good books and some decent videos on how to use these tools but it's great having one by a nature and wildlife photographer as Library organization and tool usage does vary with application. When I first converted to LR I read some great books but they were oriented to commercial portrait shoots or things like wedding photography and image storage and organization for those applications is quite different from what I need as a nature and wildlife photographer. I don't have a single shoot for a given bird or animal and may capture images of the same species many times over many years so it's really different than a particular wedding on a particular day when that's all I was shooting that day and Library organization ideally should be handled differently. That's one of the great things about Steve adding a nature wildlife perspective to this topic.

 

[Rahul Khosla]

Thank you that was very useful.

 

[DRwyoming]

Thank you that was very useful.

No worries, they're good questions.