Written by Steve Paxton
Importing Images Into Lightroom
In the last column we looked Lightroom's preference and catalog settings (you can find it here if you missed it). Now that we have gone over how preference and catalog settings work, let's take a look at how images are imported and introduced into Lightroom. Lightroom works differently than a traditional file finder such as Adobe Bridge. You can't simply navigate to the images you are interested in working on. This can be extremely confusing for new users. Instead of navigating through folders, you must deliberately add images to Lightroom's database before they become available. The process of introducing images into Lightroom is called importing. Any images that are not imported will not show up in Lightroom.
Choosing the Source
You have quite a few choices to make before you begin importing. To get started head over to the Library module (Control+Alt+1 on the PC or Command+Alt+1 on the Mac) and click on the Import button located in the lower left corner of the screen (you can also select File > Import from the menu bar). Next select the source for the images you wish to import. You will notice that you can import images directly from a hard drive or a portable media device (assuming you have one attached). Select "Choose Files" if you are a first time Lightroom user and wish to add existing images. Next navigate to the master folder where the images are located on your hard drive and select "Import All Photos in Selected Folder." This will import all the images located in that folder along with any sub-folders. If your images are stored on portable media (such as a flash memory card), simply locate and select the device.
The Import dialog window offers you a great deal of flexibility and control over how your images are introduced into Lightroom. When the Import Photos dialog box opens, look for "Show Preview" located in the lower left portion of the window. This option is typically left unchecked by default. I recommend checking the box so that you can view the images you are about to import.
If you decide to import a master folder of images you can uncheck any subfolders you do not wish to include. Additionally you can exclude individual images using the thumbnail preview window (located on the right side of the Import Photos window). For example, if you photographed two separate portrait sessions using the same flash card, you could import one session at a time by unchecking the thumbnail previews. To do this, highlight the images you don't want to import in the thumbnail preview window. You can select individual images by Control clicking (Command clicking on a Mac) the thumbnails. You can also select an entire group of images by pressing the Shift key while clicking on the first and last images in the sequence. Once the images are highlighted, uncheck any one of the boxes located in the top left corner of the selected thumbnail previews. You can use this selection process to check and uncheck whole groups of thumbnails. Single thumbnails can be checked and uncheck by double clicking on any one of the previews.
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File Handling
You have up to four choices under File Handling (depending where your images are located and how you wish to handle them):
Add photos to catalog without moving
Use this option if you are adding images that are already stored on your hard drive. Images will be imported into Lightroom without being moved.Copy photos to new location and add to catalog
Use this option if you wish to copy images to a new location while importing them into Lightroom. The original file format will not be changed using this option (e.g. native Raw images will remain Raw images). This choice is ideal for those importing images from portable media devices to their hard drive. Images will be copied to the hard drive and imported into Lightroom.Move photos to new location and add to catalog
Use this option if you wish to move images to a new location while importing them into Lightroom. The original file format will not be changed using this option (e.g. native Raw images will remain Raw images). This choice is ideal for those importing images directly from a hard drive; however they also wish to physically move the images to a new location. Images will be moved to a new location and imported into Lightroom. Since images are actually being moved, I recommend using caution with this selection.Copy photos as Digital Negative (DNG) and add to catalog
Use this option if you wish to copy images to a new location while importing them into Lightroom. The original file format will be converted to the Digital Negative (DNG) format. This choice is ideal for those importing images from a portable media device to their hard drive. Images will be copied to the hard drive, converted to Digital Negatives and imported into Lightroom.
The first three options are fairly self explanatory. If you choose either of the "Copy photos" or "Move photos" options, you will be asked where the images should be copied or moved and how they should be organized. Select the location by clicking on the "Choose" button directly below the File Handling drop down menu. Next you need to decide how you want the images to be organized.
Note: The "Copy to," "Move to," and "Organize" options are not available if you simply choose to add photos to the catalog without moving.
Converting to the Digital Negative (DNG) File Format
You may be wondering why you should bother converting your Raw images into Digital Negatives (DNG). One of the downsides to shooting in Raw format is that it is proprietary. If your camera manufacturer goes out of business or simply decides to stop supporting a particular Raw file format; you will may have difficulty finding software to open and view your images in the future. This is particularly more likely to occur as older cameras are replaced by newer ones. There is also the issue of sharing Raw files with others who may not have the appropriate viewer to open the images. This is where the Digital Negative file format comes to the rescue!
The Digital Negative (DNG) specification was created by Adobe Systems as a way to bring hundreds of Raw file formats under one umbrella. A Digital Negative is simply a non-destructive, uncompressed wrapper. Digital Negatives are convenient to share with others because the format is royalty free and is considered non-proprietary. Unlike Raw files that are manufacturer specific, DNGs do not require side car files to keep track of changes and should be around (and supported) for a long time. Converting your Raw images to DNGs allows you to easily share your work with other photographers and clients, since they will not need proprietary software to open them, and insures that you will be able to read your files (without manufacturer specific software) for years to come.
Fortunately, Lightroom provides a way to automatically convert your Raw image files into Digital Negatives seamlessly while they are being imported into the library for the first time (mentioned earlier). Adobe also offers a free Digital Negative Converter for photographers who do not have Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) or Lightroom. Head over to Adobe's website and read their white paper for more details on the Digital Negative specification.
Organizing Your Library
Under the Organize drop down menu you must decide where Lightroom should import your images to at a system level (i.e. where your images should be saved). Each photographer has a unique image management system and workflow. I organize my images by date starting with the year. I recommend organizing your images in a way that is convenient for you. Maintaining a sloppy and inconsistent image management system only makes it difficult to locate images later on as your library grows in size. It also makes it unnecessarily complex to make backup copies of your digital image files.
"Don't re-import suspect duplicates" is checked by default. This option instructs Lightroom to display a warning if you attempt to import images already present in the catalog.
Using the "Backup to" option makes it extremely easy to save a second copy of your images as they are initially imported into Lightroom. Saving a backup to a secondary hard drive can be a valuable insurance policy that doesn't add extra time to the workflow (since it's performed in the background as your images are imported). Click "Choose" and navigate to the location you wish to save the backup images. Once it is setup, Lightroom saves your images to a primary and secondary location as they are imported. If you choose to use this option, consider selecting a different physical hard drive to store the backup images (to protect you if your main hard drive fails).
Note: When I first began using Lightroom, I regularly used the "Backup to" feature to create a secondary copy of my digital image files. There is no doubt; this option makes it very easy to save a backup of everything that gets imported. It's fast and convenient to use. As my workflow evolved, I realized that I was backing up a lot of images that I later ended up flagging as rejects and deleting. For example, during an average wedding I may take 2000-4000 images. After sorting and rating the photographs, I usually end up rejecting at least 300-500 shots for various reasons. Unfortunately, the rejected images are only deleted from the primary storage location. The backup rejects remain stored in the secondary location taking up unnecessary space. For this reason, I now perform a backup immediately after sorting and deleting rejects. As insurance from data loss and hard drive failure, I never format my flash cards until I have had a chance to save a backup of the images on to a secondary hard drive. This insures that I always have two copies of my digital image files (at least until I can formally back them up).
File Naming
File naming strategies vary. Some photographers prefer to combine keywords with sequential numbers while others choose to use date/time formats. Still others prefer to use the default camera generated name. There isn't necessarily a right or wrong way to name images. The idea is to develop a strategy that works for you. I am very time oriented so I name my raw images after the date, hour, minute and second they were captured. You have complete control over how your digital image files are named as they are imported. Click the "Template" drop down menu under File Naming to select a default template or create a customized naming scheme by clicking "Edit." Lightroom uses tokens for creating custom naming templates. Simply combine tokens in the Filename Template Editor to generate a custom naming convention. You can separate tokens by words and symbols such as an underscore (_) or hyphen (-).
I use a custom naming convention to rename my images in a format that looks like this: December_05_2008_1457-Hrs_01-Sec.dng. Taken together in the Filename Template Editor, the tokens look something like this: {Date (Month)>>}_{Date (DD)>>}_{Date (YYYY)>>}_{Hour>>}-{Minutes>>}-Hrs_{Seconds>>}-Sec. It looks more complicated than it really is. You simply need to combine the appropriate tokens to match your naming convention. Keep in mind that you can always rename groups of images after they have been imported.
Develop Settings
"Develop Settings" or presets can be applied to groups of images as they are imported for the first time. Lightroom comes with several default presets; however the power of this option really becomes apparent when you combine it with custom presets. For example, if you were importing a group of images taken from a portrait session you may want to select a preset that increases the Vibrancy while reducing the Clarity of each image. The preset would be applied to all the images as they are imported into Lightroom. Selecting a Develop Setting as you import images for the first time can save you a fair amount of time. Develop Presets can be created and customized in the Develop Module. I will go over presets in more detail in a future column.
Metadata
Under "Metadata" you can create International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC) templates that can then be added as metadata to whole groups of images as they are imported. Metadata is simply data-describing-data or data-about-data. The IPTC information is attached to the digital image files and transferred to any derivative copies that are generated down the line. For example, if you open a Raw file in Photoshop and save a second version of the image in PSD format, the IPTC information will follow. This includes the name of the photographer, copyright restrictions, web addresses, email addresses, physical addresses, telephone numbers, keywords and any other information you wish to add. Select "New" to create a template. In the New Metadata Preset dialog window, choose a name for your preset and complete any of the IPTC information you wish to include. I recommend creating and using at least one metadata template that includes basic contact and copyright information.
Keywords
The power of a database driven program is the ability to quickly find similar images using embedded metadata. Rather than being stuck looking through individual folders, Lightroom leverages metadata to display a broad group of images stored in different locations. Developing an effective keywording strategy helps make this possible. Enter descriptive keywords in the "Keywords" box separated by commas. You can enter as many keywords as you wish. For example, if you were importing landscape images taken during a family vacation to Italy, you might enter the following keywords: "landscape, mountains, italy, vacation, family". To find the images later on using a keyword, navigate to the Grid view (by pressing G) in the Library module and look for the Library Filter located at the top of the screen. Click "Text" and enter one of the descriptive keywords you used in the search box. All the images tagged with that keyword will be displayed even if they are saved across multiple folders and hard drives. I will talk more about using keywords further along. For now, I highly recommend developing a habit of applying descriptive keywords to your images as they are imported Lightroom.
Initial Previews
At the very bottom of the Import Photos window you can determine how image previews should be handled. Let's take a look:
Minimal Preview
Lightroom imports your digital image files as quickly as possible without worrying about rendering previews. In most cases, Lightroom will display low resolution thumbnails of the images as they are imported. This is the fastest option for importing your images into the catalog; however Lightroom must build higher level previews if you want to examine the images more closely causing an impact on performance.Embedded and Sidecar Preview
Lightroom renders previews already present in the image or sidecar file (depending on the image format). Oftentimes embedded and sidecar previews are inaccurate so it’s wise to consider them a general starting point for rating and processing. This option should provide you with a slightly better preview than Minimal; however Lightroom may need to rebuild the preview causing an impact on performance.Standard Preview
Lightroom renders new previews large enough to fully view the images in Loupe View (E). This should enable you to rate, sort and cycle through your shots more fluidly. Lightroom must still build 1:1 previews each time you zoom in and view an image at 100% or higher. Selecting Standard size preview strikes a good balance between importing images in a reasonable amount of time while still generating large enough previews so that you can begin processing the session.1:1 Preview
1:1 is the mother of all previews! Importing images using 1:1 Preview usually takes significantly longer and increases the size of your catalog; however you will be able to zoom in and view your images at 100% almost immmediatly. If you elect to render your images 1:1, Lightroom will focus on creating Standard size previews first and then come back to build the full size previews. This convieniently allows you to start examining and rating your images while Lightroom works in the background building the larger previews. Directing Lightroom to render 1:1 previews should give you the most responsiveness while cycling through and viewing your images, especially if you routinely view your images close up.
Note: Choosing to render Standard Previews forces Lightroom to rebuild the image preview. It is also worth pointing out that noise and sharpness are not accurately represented in Standard Previews. You must render 1:1 Previews to view actual noise and sharpness detail.
Which Preview Should I Select?
The answer to this question really boils down to preference. Unless you are simply trying to import your images into Lightroom as quickly as possible (e.g. traveling with a laptop), I recommend choosing Standard or 1:1 Preview. Both of these options force Lightroom to generate new previews (which may be more accurate than the preview that is embedded in the digital image files). Next you must decide which of the two previews are best suited for the type of work you do. If you rarely work on every image you import, then electing to render Standard size previews is probably appropriate. For example, I usually import landscape images as Standard previews since I usually don't work on every shot in the series. Each time you zoom in to examine an image; Lightroom will build a 1:1 preview on the fly. You may have to wait a few moments while each 1:1 preview is built, but you are not unnecessarily creating high resolution previews for every image (which increases the size of your catalog).
If you carefully examine and process every image, then you will probably save time (and frustration) if you direct Lightroom to render 1:1 previews. In most cases, rendering 1:1 previews will help reduce much of the lag associated with zooming and represents the most accurate preview of your images. I usually import all the images I take from portrait sessions and weddings using 1:1 preview.
Rendering higher quality previews should help you to scroll through the Filmstrip more quickly; however remember that your system's processor speed and memory also have a direct impact on performance.
Additional Considerations
There are several other important factors to keep in mind about previews. First, you can always generate previews after your images have been imported. In the Library Module go to Library > Previews and select "Render Standard-sized or 1:1 previews." This is handy if you just need to quickly import your images into Lightroom and plan to work on them later.
You can also adjust the Standard Preview size and quality. Go to Edit > Catalog Settings (Lightroom > Catalog Settings on a Mac) and select the File Handling tab. A good rule of thumb is to consider the resolution of your screen to determine the Standard Preview Size. For example, if your screen resolution is 1600x1200, it's not necessary to set the preview size to 2048 pixels. My experience has also been that changing the Preview Quality from Medium (the default) to High doesn't seem change the overall quality in a noticeable way. I recommend trying both quality settings to determine which one works best for you.
If you choose to render high resolution previews, consider directing Lightroom to discard 1:1 previews after 30 days. In most cases, it's unlikely that you need them after that much time has passed and it insures that your catalog doesn't get unnecessarily bloated over time. Look for "Automatically Discard 1:1 Previews" and select "After 30 Days" from the drop down menu. If you prefer to manually discard 1:1 previews, go to the Library Module and then select Library > Previews and "Discard 1:1 Previews."
If you are importing thousands of images from a wedding, it might make sense to render 1:1 previews on the front end when you first import your images so that you can quickly zip through them during processing. Conversely, you probably don't need 1:1 previews of vacation photos and family snapshots. Choosing the most appropriate initial preview setting really depends on the type of work you are doing - it's youir choice!
You Made It!
Whew! We're finally ready to begin importing images! Click the Import button and take a moment to relax while Lightroom begins populating the catalog with new images. The import process can take anywhere from a few seconds to hours depending on the number of images and the preview option you selected. You can jump right in and begin working on the images once they show up in the main workspace; however Lightroom's performance will be reduced until the import process is complete. In the next column we will take a closer look at the Library Module and go over sorting, rating and flagging images for processing.
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About the Author
Steve Paxton lives with his wife and two children in the Seattle area. Steve has been a photographer for over fifteen years. His experience ranges from wedding and portrait work to landscapes and crime scene photography. You can find more of Steve's work at www.PaxtonPrints.com and www.PaxtonPortraits.com.
