p.1 #1 · Questions: Lightroom & multiple external drives on Mac
I am setting up a Macbook Pro to do my Lightroom, Photoshop, & DXO PhotoLab 6 processing with a newly re-organized set of folders and files. Nothing has been imported yet.
There are too many files to keep everything on the laptop, so I would like to do the following:
A. Have the Lightroom catalog stored on the laptop.
B. Maintain a photo library of 3 SSD drives that would be organized by types of photos (e.g., Travel, Family, Landscapes, Still Lifes, Architecture, Macro, Not-Yet-Sorted, etc). Each of these major categories would be a folder with multiple sub-folders and the folders and sub-folders would all be reflected in the Lightroom catalog when the files were first imported. I know enough to only move previously imported files within Lightroom by using Lightroom.
C. While working in Lightroom, I want to simultaneously connect one, two, or even all three of these external SSD drives to the computer so that files can be accessed from each drive by Lightroom as I edit and process files.
Questions:
1. Would the Macbook Pro and Lightroom both be able to keep up to three drives straight and would Lightroom know which of the three drives to go to for a particular folder and files?
2. Has anyone done something like this on Mac and have you had any difficulties?
3. If you happen to know--would Photoshop and DXO PhotoLab 6 also do well with this setup?
Thank you for any help and the benefit of your experience and knowledge.
p.1 #2 · Questions: Lightroom & multiple external drives on Mac
I use a MBP for travel but it's a good bit faster than my older Win 10 desktop. I typically connect 1 drive at a time and keep all images on it, but your questions are not so much OS, rather than just LRC questions. On my desktop I have my library spread over 4 drives (all backed up elsewhere, more than once).
1) LRC will have no problems with the library across many drives (if that is your question about keeping them straight).
2) As I said this is not a Mac/OS issue, just LRC.
3) I don't have DXO but I use PS extensively and I can access any of the files on any of the drives. PS just opens a normal file explorer window and I browse to the file. PS on my MBP is the same.
Make sure you have each SSD backed up fully and keep the same folder structure (to make it easy for recovery).
p.1 #3 · Questions: Lightroom & multiple external drives on Mac
I should have also mentioned that while I typically only use 1 SSD on the MBP while on the road, at home I have 5 attached to it. The one I use for travel and an OWC 4 bay SSD enclosure which I use as JBOD. I have occasionally created a LRC catalogs across many of the drives with no issues.
p.1 #5 · Questions: Lightroom & multiple external drives on Mac
chiron wrote:
I am setting up a Macbook Pro to do my Lightroom, Photoshop, & DXO PhotoLab 6 processing with a newly re-organized set of folders and files. Nothing has been imported yet.
There are too many files to keep everything on the laptop, so I would like to do the following:
A. Have the Lightroom catalog stored on the laptop.
B. Maintain a photo library of 3 SSD drives that would be organized by types of photos (e.g., Travel, Family, Landscapes, Still Lifes, Architecture, Macro, Not-Yet-Sorted, etc). Each of these major categories would be a folder with multiple sub-folders and the folders and sub-folders would all be reflected in the Lightroom catalog when the files were first imported. I know enough to only move previously imported files within Lightroom by using Lightroom.
C. While working in Lightroom, I want to simultaneously connect one, two, or even all three of these external SSD drives to the computer so that files can be accessed from each drive by Lightroom as I edit and process files.
Questions:
1. Would the Macbook Pro and Lightroom both be able to keep up to three drives straight and would Lightroom know which of the three drives to go to for a particular folder and files?
2. Has anyone done something like this on Mac and have you had any difficulties?
3. If you happen to know--would Photoshop and DXO PhotoLab 6 also do well with this setup?
Thank you for any help and the benefit of your experience and knowledge....Show more →
If you are moving thousands of files at a time it is actually better to use the OS. Just remember to re-establish the link so LrC knows where the folder was moved to. The main advantage of moving folders within LrC is you don't have to worry about doing that. I've read many posts people where people meant to but forget. 3 years later it is a nightmare.
I use the OS for big moves like replacing a drive. All the other times I use LrC.
p.1 #6 · Questions: Lightroom & multiple external drives on Mac
chiron wrote:
I am setting up a Macbook Pro to do my Lightroom, Photoshop, & DXO PhotoLab 6 processing with a newly re-organized set of folders and files. Nothing has been imported yet.
There are too many files to keep everything on the laptop, so I would like to do the following:
A. Have the Lightroom catalog stored on the laptop.
B. Maintain a photo library of 3 SSD drives that would be organized by types of photos (e.g., Travel, Family, Landscapes, Still Lifes, Architecture, Macro, Not-Yet-Sorted, etc). Each of these major categories would be a folder with multiple sub-folders and the folders and sub-folders would all be reflected in the Lightroom catalog when the files were first imported. I know enough to only move previously imported files within Lightroom by using Lightroom.
C. While working in Lightroom, I want to simultaneously connect one, two, or even all three of these external SSD drives to the computer so that files can be accessed from each drive by Lightroom as I edit and process files.
Questions:
1. Would the Macbook Pro and Lightroom both be able to keep up to three drives straight and would Lightroom know which of the three drives to go to for a particular folder and files?
2. Has anyone done something like this on Mac and have you had any difficulties?
3. If you happen to know--would Photoshop and DXO PhotoLab 6 also do well with this setup?
Thank you for any help and the benefit of your experience and knowledge....Show more →
1. Yes they can. Remember, LR is a database and keeps a record of where every photo is located. This is assuming all 3 drives are connected at the same time. If not you'll have to remember which drive to connect for LR to find the photo(s) in question.
2. Yes, I had multiple drives all hung off a USB hub. Not the fastest hardware setup but your SSD's themselves are probably faster depending on how they are attached.
3. Yes, both can access files on any of the SSDs.
At some point I grew tired of having all my individual drives laying around, having to remember which I wanted to copy photos to etc. In the end I decided to clean up the clutter by going to a large multi-disk enclosure (NAS) with Thunderbolt throughput. It's currently configured with 26TB (14TB still available plus an open drive slot for further expansion). All previous photos now reside in one location. I maintain current year photos on the MBP but eventually they get moved to the NAS, usually at the end of the year depending on space consumed. If its a large bunch is being moved then like Zenon mentioned, I'll use the OS and repoint to them within LR. Folder structure & drive(s) are definitely an individual choice. What ever works best for you is the proper answer.
