by
genevh » Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:35 pm
Don't know if this is exactly what you're asking but this is how I import my images into LR.
I use a folder hierarchy for organizing my pictures, something like this:
My Pictures
-> 2009 Pictures
--> 01 January
---> <Date> <Event>
----> Folders for DNG, TIFF, and JPG
(I know, it will sound like overkill to some, but it works for me. I tend to be detail oriented in most everything I do. Drives my DW absolutely nuts some days, but she still loves me!)
In the Library module you can create folders by right clicking the folder you want to create a new folder in, pick "Create Folder Inside xxx", name your new folder, then hit create. This not only creates a new folder in the LR view, but also on the hard drive. To me, this beats creating the folders using Windows Explorer, importing or copying pictures into them, then doing an import from LR. LR also "sees" the empty folders when created this way. If you create them in Windows Explorer, LR won't see them until you do an import.
Once I have created a destination folder, I connect my card reader and card, then click Import in LR2.
1. Once you've picked where your importing from, the next window has all your options. Working from the top to the bottom, your first choice is File Handling. Here you tell LR to either just "Copy photos to new location and add to catalog" or "Copy photos as DNG to new location and add to catalog". LR does not have a move option, which would erase the files from your memory card. It leaves this up to you once you have copied and hopefully backed up your files.
2. Next is Copy To: with a CHOOSE button off to the right. (The stuff in the middle is the last folder string of your last import and changes every time you make a new choice.) When I do this, I navigate to the new folder I created in LR before I started the import process.
3. Next is Organize, with a drop down. You can either Organize "into one folder", or there are several date options in this drop down. If you use one of the date choices, this will create a dated folder inside the folder you chose in step 2! f you choose the "into one folder" option, LR just copies the files into the folder you picked from step 2 above. No new folders are created here.
4. Next is "Put in Subfolder". I generally leave this blank because I have already created and chosen the folder I want my pics to go into. However, if your Step 2 folder will always be the same and you want to create a subfolder within that folder, check this button and put a name in the box. LR will then create your subfolder and import the pictures based on your choice in step 3.
The next three boxes should be self-explanatory.
5. File Naming: to the right is the last file name you used on your last import. Click the Template drop down, and here you are given a bunch of options. I generally only use 2: Filename which keeps the original name as generated by your camera, or Edit, which allows you to name them anything you want, with options for automatic dates, file numbering, etc. This is the one I generally use.
Caution here: if your last import you used a custom file name and you forget to change it here on the current import, your new files will be named the same as your last imported files were. I have forgotten to do this before!!!
6. Information to apply. Here you can have LR apply import presets (including processing) along with metadata presets, keywords, and Preview settings.
I think that pretty much covers it. Seems like a lot, but once you get the hang of it you'll find it's not difficult at all.