Lightroom 3 Catalog Question

[Peacock]

Hey all I have a question for all you LightRoom users!

Do you create a catalog for all of your RAW files, and then a separate Catalog for all of your exported JPG files or do you keep them all in the same catalog?

Just wondering how you do your workflow after exporting your files...

Thanks!

P.S. I am reading Scott Kelby's book as I type, I am on page 54...LOL.

[JohnT]

I allow only my raw files into the catalog. I don't need all of my jpeg, psd, tiff, and other files crowding me. :)

[Peacock]

Originally Posted by JohnT

I allow only my raw files into the catalog. I don't need all of my jpeg, psd, tiff, and other files crowding me. :)

So how do you keep track of your jpgs?

[Bob_S]

I usually trash my JPEGs after the go to their destinations. So if I am exporting from my catalog to Smugmug or Flickr or Facebook or blog or whatever, once the JPEGs are there, I don't need them anymore. If I do, I just needs to EXPORT them again.

I create an export profile for each type of JPEG I want though so it is just a 2-click operation to make new JPEGs.

Keep things you have time in, not things you can regenerate.

The only time I would have an image in there twice is if I made a virtual copy or if I exported it to PS. Then I add the PSD file to the cataglog from a PSD subdirectory.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by Peacock

So how do you keep track of your jpgs?

Bridge.

[DoublyDan]

Originally Posted by Bob_S

I usually trash my JPEGs after the go to their destinations. So if I am exporting from my catalog to Smugmug or Flickr or Facebook or blog or whatever, once the JPEGs are there, I don't need them anymore. If I do, I just needs to EXPORT them again.

I create an export profile for each type of JPEG I want though so it is just a 2-click operation to make new JPEGs.

Keep things you have time in, not things you can regenerate.

The only time I would have an image in there twice is if I made a virtual copy or if I exported it to PS. Then I add the PSD file to the cataglog from a PSD subdirectory.

+1, and I keep a lot of PSD files in my library...I can keep tabs on different file types (other than raw files) by creating smart collections...one for psd, one for tiff and one for videos etc..

[Peacock]

So if any of you had jpgs before shooting RAW you do not import / add them to any of your catalogs? JohnT you use Bridge so alright that is an acceptable answer, and other delete since you have your developed raws you can export, but what about those jpgs that you have before raw? A separate catalog or other method?

[DoublyDan]

I keep my Jpgs in the same catalog and create a smart filter for jpgs only so i can search through them easier. I do the same for psd, tiff, and raw (CR2 files in my case). I do the smart collection for the raw so that I don't have to convert to dng on import and then when Im not using the computer I will go to that smart collection, press G for grid mode, select all, and convert to DNG.. If you convert to DNG on import then it will take A LOT longer...sometimes 3-4 times longer.