How to Run Lightroom on a Network

Posted by Eric Leszkowicz on May 6, 2010 in Blog, Featured Articles, Lightroom | 0 comments

Lightroom ships with a great limitation: the database cannot be accessed by more than one computer. The computer that you install Lightroom on is the computer that has to have the database on it.  Not a big issue if you have only one computer….but who does that anymore?  There is a way to make the changes that you make to a RAW file be shared between many computers.

Is there a workaround?

You can work around this limitation with a feature that is built in called synchronize folders.

First steps for success

You need to go through the steps I recommend for setting up the program.

Lightroom Preferences Settings

Lightroom Catalog Settings

The main thing is that you have the write changes into xmp checked.  Using the DNG format also improves your success.  Adobe has some information on their site if you need more information.

Making it Work

Although the database cannot be shared in Lightroom, you can have pictures placed anywhere on the network.  So imagine that there is a folder that has all the images from 2010.  Also imagine that there are Lightroom catalogs on two different computers called Catalog 1 and Catalog 2.

Scenario:

1. Computer 1 imports the images in the 2010 folder calling its Lightroom catalog “Catalog 1.”
2. Computer 2 imports the images in the 2010 folder calling its Lightroom catalog “Catalog 2.”
3. Computer 1 makes some changes to the RAW files that are (preferably) stored as DNG.
4. Computer 2 will see the updates when the preview is refreshed or rebuilt.

As long as no files are added to the folder, both catalogs will see the update.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When importing files, do not move them to a new location or rename them.  If you do, the other catalog will lose touch with them.

But I WANT to add files to the folders. Who doesn’t?  So now what.

The magic synchronize folder trick.

I suggest right clicking on a parent folder for this step.  When you click on this, you get an option box.

I highly suggest you check the “show import dialog before importing” box.  Otherwise, it will automatically import the photos. You also have the option of apply presets and applying keywords as well.

Feel free to offer comments and criticisms in the comments section. Thanks for reading.

What is upcoming in Lightroom 3?

Posted by Eric Leszkowicz on Apr 19, 2010 in Blog, Lightroom | 1 comment

The beta version of Lightroom 3 is out (called LR beta 2) and I must say that I was a bit blind sided with the tethering option that was added.  For me it came out of the blue, but it was a very welcome addition.  Sure there are programs that will allow you tether and you could just use Lightroom to monitor a folder and import as you shoot, but what about presets?  The tethering option permits you to quickly select a preset to apply after you push the button.

One word on tethering.  You do not get to see a preview on the back of the camera because it is not writing to the card.  If you thought you didn’t look at the back of the camera all that much – wait until you use this and you will miss it.

Speed improvements and the addition of a stable video option is going to really affect how I use the program day to day.  Though I don’t do a ton of video, it will really add that convenience of keeping track of client video files when I do take them.

Slideshow preview rendering is a another nice little bonus.  I have to be honest. I don’t sell with Lightroom nor do I think that it is really strong in this area.  But there are times where showing a slideshow in necessary.  In LR1 and LR2 you had to remember to render the previews of the images before you hit play or it would hang up or stall.  Now LR3 will not even start the show until it has the necessary previews rendered.

The goal here at JustAskLester is to get beyond the press release and the incredible detail to get to what matters to me as a portrait photographer.

For those who just need to have detail information on this release, you can visit on of the following links:

• Lightroom Queen: http://www.lightroomqueen.com/blog/2010/03/23/whats-new-in-lightroom-30-beta2/
• Adobe Blogs: http://lightroom-blog.com/2010/03/lightroom-3-beta-2.html

Preferences Settings for Photographers Using Lightroom

Posted by Eric Leszkowicz on Feb 15, 2010 in Blog, Featured Articles, Lightroom, Setup | 4 comments

The following are what I think are the best Preferences Settings for Lightroom.

This will help Lightroom run well and play nice with other RAW readers (Bridge, PS, etc.)

Basic Catalog Settings for Photographers

Posted by Eric Leszkowicz on Feb 13, 2010 in Blog, Featured Articles, Lightroom | 0 comments

Lightroom is ready to go right out of the box (or right out of the download), but I think there are some settings that should be tweaked for optimum performance.

NOTE: This applies to Lightroom 2.6 and it is designed by a portrait photographer for portrait photographers.

Keywording at Light Speed – Part V

Posted by Eric Leszkowicz on Feb 18, 2009 in Blog, Keywords | 0 comments

We reach the end of our keywording journey today.  Hard to believe that it has taken 5 posts to cover everything.  Today we will cover two simple methods.

The first method is to first select the images which you are going to apply the keyword.  Click on the image of one of the selected images and drag it to a keyword.  This is a rather redundant way to apply keywords to an image since you could just check the box.  In Lightroom 1.0, there was no little box next to the keyword to check and this was an efficient method.  However, with the addition of the checkbox, Adobe has left this feature in for the two people out there who will still use it over the better designed checkbox.