17 Mistakes to Avoid in Lightroom

Computer programs are only as good as the information they have to work with and the commands they are given. Avoid these mistakes in Lightroom so you can minimize any major headaches further down the line.

Photographer Tim Grey is back at B&H Photo Event Space to share his thoughts on how to get the very best out of Lightroom as well as showing some of the many pitfalls that are best to be avoided. Even for those who don't use the image organization software, the video is well worth a watch as Grey goes into detail on many of the good habits that all photographers should really be implementing into their digital workflows. Subjects like folder strategies, backups, using keywords, and automatic presets may not be the sexiest of topics, but they really do make looking after your precious images so much easier.

The video is a long one at over 1 hour and 30 minutes, so you might want to watch this in a few sittings. For your convenience, here is a running order of what is discussed in the video:

  • 3:57: Not Understanding Lightroom
  • 9:08: Choosing the Wrong Lightroom
  • 14:31: Using Multiple Catalogs
  • 16:28: Not Making the Most of Import
  • 28:08: Having a Confused Folder Strategy
  • 32:24: Being Careless With Date-Based Folders
  • 34:13: Starting Anything Outside of Lightroom
  • 37:57: Ignoring Keywords
  • 41:12: Forgetting "Fake" Keywords
  • 42:38: Not Preserving Metadata
  • 46:33: Neglecting Backups
  • 54:02: Getting Lost on the Map
  • 58:25: Ignoring Presets
  • 1:03:11: Forgetting About Search Options
  • 1:14:07: Leveraging Photoshop Improperly
  • 1:19:30: Inconsistency
  • 1:25:25: Not Planning Beyond Lightroom

Are there any mistakes or tips in regards to Lightroom that you think should have been mentioned that weren't? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Lead image by Nao Triponez on Pexels, used under Creative Commons.

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Paul Parker is a commercial and fine art photographer. On the rare occasion he's not doing photography he loves being outdoors, people watching, and writing awkward "About Me" statements on websites...

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8 Comments

mistake #18: using Lightroom

I just call LightRoom's new CC family as either Classic Crash or Creative Crash depending upon which version you are miserable with.

first, this is an excellent article, and that's not just pillow talk either... ;)

i do think some of the bullet points could be chunked together and simply termed 'metadata', as in management of it, tho...

basic rules like directory (folder) structure is the kick-off point in ux. in enterprise software of managing metadata customers will also require a developed index of the directory structure's meaning- line by line.... ugh...

i haven't seen the video yet, but will try to check it later.

regarding, 'Subjects like folder strategies, backups, using keywords, and automatic presets may not be the sexiest of topics, but they really do make looking after your precious images so much easier' exactly! total antithesis of sexy and yet, there are whole careers based on the concept. organizing data (information) is a thing. haha...

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