In my Lightroom Classic Workflow post I describe in greater detail my current Lightroom workflow. In this post I describe Lightroom Collection sets that I use to support that workflow. I most often use this Collection Set to prepare a batch of new photos for my overall system of managing my images.
Old School Warning
I only Lightroom Classic and so when I refer to Lightroom, I mean Lightroom Classic. Be forewarned in this post, think Classic, as it is the only version with features to support the Collection sets.
Setting Up the Collection Sets
Download and unzip AF.zip into its own directory (folder) containing a Lightroom catalog AF.lrcat and associated support files.
You can open up the AF.lrcat file and use it as a new catalog or just to examine its contents. Most likely you just want to get the collection sets into your existing catalog. In that case use the menu Edit/Import from Another Catalog … and navigate to the folder for AF.
This will add the two collection sets, _00 WORKFLOW and _01 WORKFLOW Checks. Each containing a number of smart collections. Your Collections will look something like this.
Workflow Overview
I use a system for managing my photos that reflects the status of a photo in the overall process. The smart collections support preparing photos for that system. I place a group of (new) photos I want to work on into the 0-WorkSet collection. My goal is to end up with a collection of photos that are Done. Files that have completed image processing and have appropriate keywords, titles and captions and are ready for “publication” (i.e. sharing with others).
At a high level the steps to prepare photos for sharing with others:
- Cull
- Rate
- Lightroom Processing (Develop module)
- Add Keywords and Titles
In my Lightroom Classic Workflow post I explain the process in detail, here is just an explanation for the most direct use of the Collection sets. These tables help understand the smart collection definitions.
In order to not spend too much time on any set of images I use the following guidelines:
- Only Develop photos that are 3-stars or higher and give them a yellow label when finished processing
- Only spend the effort applying keywords and captions to photos that are finished processing (yellow label). Once completed apply a green label
At any time in the future, from the Library view using the filter bar or custom collections I can identify images that might need processing and images that are ready to share.
Using the Collection Sets
__00WORKFLOW
In the Library module of Lightroom select a number of photos an add them to the 0-WorkSet collection. If you make 0-WorkSet the target collection, typing the B key will add a photo to the collection. All of the other collections in _00WORKFLOW are smart collections using 0-WorkSet as their source.
If you do some processing in Lightroom that generates another file, then be sure to add that file to 0-WorkSet. Again if it is the target collection simply type the B key.
Culling
In the 10-Cull collection flag any photo you wish to continue working on with a P (for pick) and anything to delete with an X. Once flagged a photo will disappear from the 10-Cull collection; the picked files survive to the next round. It is fine to leave some photo unflagged either way.
Rating
The next step is to rate your picked photos, 20-Rate contains only the picked photos from the 0-WorkSet Only photos that are rated 3 or more stars will advance to be processed in the Develop module of Lightroom. At this point you might prioritize which photos are processed first by using the higher star ratings. Note at the end of the process in 50-Done you can re-evaluate and assign your final ratings. Once rated the file disappears from 20-Rate collection.
Lightroom Processing
The 30-Lightroom Processing collection is limited to only the photos you wish to Develop. For any one image you may go in and out of the Develop module multiple times, once you feel the editing is complete give the photo a yellow label (type the 7 key). For photos you want to work on in Photoshop after minimal Lightroom edits, add a keyword “photoshop” and then the yellow label. Similarly for other third-party editing application add an appropriate keyword and then the yellow label. Applying the yellow label will make it disappear from the 30-Lightroom Processing collection, so this should be done last.
You may wish to edit in Photoshop at this point. Be sure to add the resulting Photoshop file to the 0-WorkSet collection so that file continues through the workflow. The Photoshop file and RAW original are stacked together. At this point I give the original a 2-star rating (it is a “constituent part”) and the Photoshop file a 3-star or higher rating, and once finished editing it gets a yellow label.
Adding Keywords and Titles
Use 40-Keyword & Title collection to do the final preparation for sharing a photo. That is make sure photos that have completed processing (yellow label) get a Title, Caption and searchable keywords. Review and update this metadata for each photo, and once satisfied mark the photo with a green label (type the 8 key).
Reviewing Your Work
The 50-Done collection offers a chance to review your work and make any adjustments. For example a photo might have been given a 5-star rating as the highest priority for editing, but you may not think it is of portfolio quality, so adjust the rating. Some in this collection may need editing in Photoshop or with another application, this is the place to make sure you either complete that work or mark it up to later find and complete it.
_01WORKFLOW Checks
This is a collection of smart collections using 0-WorkSet as their source. These are meant to supplement the workflow and have specific uses. [Note I have similar Library module filters that can be applied to any source, that is any left-hand column of the Library modules.]
For example 41-Missing Locations checks if location data has been added. After writing Captions and Titles for my best images in the set (and giving them a green label), I often use AI generated Titles and Keywords on any remaining photos, see Lightroom Metadata and AI. Since my prompts use location data for the generated text, I check photos still in 40-Keyword & Title before using the plugin. _1WORKFLOW Checks is a good place to add smart collections to support your own enhancements to the basic workflow.
In order to save storage space, I use 61-Compress or Delete to identify photos with no stars or ratings. At this point the likelihood of ever doing anything with these photos is very very low; they should be marked for deletion with an X. However, if you are either emotionally attached to them or suffer pack rat syndrome, you can use the menu Library/Covert Photo to DNG … and set the smallest size output for these photos, being sure to set “Delete originals after successful conversion”. With the appropriate settings you can get save a good deal of space, but really consider making them for removal.
Epilog
The purpose of the workflow collections is to prepare or initialize a group of photo to fit into your overall image management system. It is not meant to control that entire system. So once you have taken a set of photos through the workflow, you can go to the 0-WorkSet collection and delete all of the photos. Note this deletes them from the collection and does not remove them from the catalog. You are now ready to take another batch of photos through the process.
History
Many years ago, I took Gavin Gough’s The Photographer’s Workflow system and modified his collections to handle things like sequences of individual photos. I realized it all became a little unwieldy, and eventually slimmed the whole thing down to this. To initially get the feel for using my workflow collection set, ignore dealing with panoramas and exposure blending. For now, just put a group of single photos into the 0-WorkSet collection, and work through the process.
In my Lightroom Classic Workflow post I describe the various stages of my workflow, including how I handle sequences of photos. As I move through the stages I jump between these _00WORKFLOW collections and the folder in the Library for the photos. Most often to generate a new file to add to the 0-WorkSet collection. That’s why I recommend initially starting with photos that only need the Develop module. After you get a feel for the EZ-Path, introduce panos or exposure blends.
Using Lightroom Classic as an image management system requires other repeatable diciplined steps, such as files system organization and file naming. In my training presentation slides from 2014 I made some suggestions that are still useful. In my Lightroom Classic Workflow post, I hint at my personal system.