This page on DanHartfordPhoto.com contains an index of Lightroom and Lightroom Classic Articles and blogs.

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031 -15 things all new LrC users should know (Added May 2026)

This  Article (Blog) covers 15 things that tend to trip up new LrC users or that later on they wish thety knew when they first started    

030 - Cleaning up Folder Mess in LrC (Added Feb 2026)

This long Article (Blog) covers a large range of issues generally described as a "folder mess" in LrC.  This includes sturcural problems in the folder hierarchy, misnamed folders, duplicate folders and files, and missing folders, along with various error messages that crop up when trying to remedy such situaitons.    

029 - Scanning Family Archive of Film Based Images (Added Nov 2025)

Two part series which provides tips, tricks, and considerations of a family archive scanning project to digitize a trove of prints, slides, and negatives.  This usually includes your own collection of film based images but also inherited or borrowed material from relatives. 

028 - Sharing LrC Collections on the web with feedback (Added Nov 2025)

This article provides steps to share a web page for a LrC collection (or LR/Cloud Album) to the internet which can be accessed by others (everyone or just invited people) and allow viewers to return "comments" or "Likes" back to LrC and LR.

027 - Clear LR Cloud and start LrC syncing from a clean slate (Updated Dec 2025)

This article provides steps to comploetely clear the LR/Cloud, including saving recent Lr/Cloud imports and edits that may not have synced to LrC.  It then articulates getting those new imports and edits back into LR/Cloud and LrC.

026 - Fixing Sync Problems Caused by Switching the Sync Catalog (Updated Mar 2025)

This article provides solutions on fixing problems casued by switching which LrC catalog syncs with Lr/Cloud.  this includes "un-syncable images" and invasion of Smart Previews among others.

025 - Changing which Catalog Syncs with Lr/Cloud Behavior (Updated Dec 2025)

This article explains what happens when you change which LrC catalog syncs with your Adobe LR/Cloud account

024a - Lr/Classic <-> Lr/Cloud Sync Behavior (Updated Jun 2026)

This article is part I and explains what exactly happens in regard to images synced between LR and LrC when the user executes various actions in either LR or LrC

024b - Lr/Classic <-> Lr/Cloud KEYWORD Sync Behavior (Updated Jun 2026)

This article is Part II and explains how kwyqords sync between LR and LrC when one performs various actions in either LrC or LR that related to keywords (including syncing images that have keywords) if you have enabled keyword syncing


023 - Create JPG's from Previews (2024)

Build JPG's from LrC Previews.  Use when folders/files have gone missing not only from LrC but from all disks, backups, LR/Cloud, other cloud copies, and photo sharing websites

022 - Folders / Collections / Keywords (2024)

The purpose of this article is to help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of Folders, Collections, and Keywords.  All can be used to organize your images and to help you find images but each has pros and cons.

021 - Image Size, Aspect Ratio, Resolution, Creating Jpg's for Printing (2024)

In this article, I explain the meaning of the various values related to image size, aspect ratio, resolution and also how to use LrC Export and Print Modules to produce files for printing, posting on websites, submitting to gallery shows or competitions.

020 - Sharing Your Images (email and on the Web) (updated May 2026)

This article discusses how to share images from LrC on the Internet and through email. Most of us like to have other folks see our images and the most popular way to do that is to share them on the Internet.  In this article I talk about sharing on social media sites, image sharing sites, file sharing sites, E-Mail, LrC "make Public" tool, build a website with Adobe Portfolio, LrC Web module, and non Adobe web site tools.

019 - Use Smart Previews in Adobe Cloud to Save Cloud Storage Costs (2023)

Adobe counts the space used by original images in the cloud against your plans storage limit but does not count the space used by Smart Previews.  For most purposes Smart Previews can be used in Lightroom/Cloud just the same as originals.  In this article learn about this as well as how to convert those originals you're paying for to free Smart Previews.

018 - Keeping track of the derivative image lineage (2023)

When using LrC many times we create VC’s (Virtual Copies) and also wind up with edited copies if we send images to an external editor or use one of the Enhance features.  As the number of these “derivatives” images multiply if is sometimes quite difficult to know which ones came from which other ones, in what order and for what purpose.  This article provides a methodology to keep track of these images.

017 - AI Masks used in Conjunction with Healing tools (2022)

Using one of the AI masking tools (Sky, Subject, background, etc.) in conjunction with one of the Healing tools can result in unexpected results such as ghosts, and improper applicaiton of changes.  In some cases order matters and in some cases you will need to re-compute your AI Mask.  These interaction, and their correction are explained in this article.

016 - Quick Develop vs. Basic Panel in Develop Module (2022)

The Quick Develop panel in the Library Module contains controls which are also found inthe Basic Panel of the Develop Module.  However the work differently and this article explains that difference.

015 - Meaning of Grid Cell Shading (2022)

The LrC grid contains a wealth of displayed information depending on what is in your View Settings.  In addition canvas (background) of each cell is used to optionally show selected metadata about each photo.  The color and shade of gray of the canvas areas also convey information.  learn what the colors and various shades of gray mean.

014 - Including images buried in stacks in the grid (2022)

If you use LrC stacks this article tells you how to include images buried in collapsed stacks without having to expand thos stacks.  This is very useful if you set a filter and you want to see all the images that match the filter even if they are in collapsed stacks.

013 - LrC Keywords for People (2021)

LrC keywords can be used to identify named people in images, either with or without using the Face Detection tools.  Once you have these sorts of Keywords they can be used to filter/search for images having those keywords.  However, complex mix and match is not straight forward.  For example all images with Joe and Mary and no one else.  Or all the photos of Joe and Mary as long as Jane is not also in the image.  This article explains to to accomodate these complest mix and match requirements.

012 - Sync Keywords between LrC and LR (Updated for LrC/15.4, Jun 2026)

Keywords did not sync between LrC (Lightroom Classic) and LR (Lightroom/Cloud) through version 15.3.  This artcile contains the hack which we used through v13.3 to 'sort of' sync keywords and then describes the true keyword syncing that appeared in June 2026 with LrC/15.4. 

011 - LR/Classic Files to Backup and Restore (2019)

Having a good backup stragegy is extremely important.  LrC provides a simple backup process that you can choose when LrC is shutdown however this only backs up two critical Catalog files - it does not backup your images or other less critical catalog related items.  It also does not backup your preferences, presets, andsettings.  This article talks about backing up all these things.

010 - How to remove redundant JPG's from RAW/JPG pairs (Revised 2019)

If you import RAW+JPG treated as a single image and later wish to get rid of the JPG's (they are redundant anyway) to save disk, this article shows you how.  It includes information on figuring out if such pairs are  misisng one or the other of the pair and how to repair that.

009 - Syncronizing images between Lightroom/Classic and Lighroom/Cloud (2018)

This article describes some of the major differeces between LrC (LR/Classic) and LR (LR/Cloud) how to use LrC and LR together and sync images back and forth

008 - Add a border to exported JPG's (2018)

When you export images this article shows you how to have a colored canvas behind the image which can be seen around the edges of the image itself - sort of like a fake mat.  This is useful if the aspect ratio of the image is different than the output aspect ratio and you want white space on the sides rather than cropping the image.

007 - LR/Classic vs. LR/Cloud - Product History and How to Decide (2017)

Adobe has two seperate sets of applicaitons both with the Lightroom name.  One is Lightroom Classic which is the tranditonal version that relies only on things on your own computer.  The other is just called Lightroom (which I call Lightroom/Cloud for clarity).  It is multiplatform where all the different versions operate on the same images in the Adobe Cloud.  There is a lot of overlap between the two ecosystems and the user interface is quite different.  This article explains the history of these two products including all the name changes, and helps you decide which is best for you. 

006 - Show images buried in stacks

OBSOLETE - Replaced by Article 014.

005 - Updating LrC to a new release (2015)

MOSTLY OUT OF DATE - In this article I discuss a few tips for the upgrade process itself..

004 - Use Lightroom Smart Collections & Keywords to Manage Workflow (2013)

Learn how to use a combination of metadata and keywords with Lightroom Smart Collections to manage post processing workflow.  The idea is that for each step in workflow have a Smart Collection that shows the images that still need that workflow step to be performed.

003 - Get the Most out of LR Keywords (2016)

Keywords are one of the most powerful features in Lightroom but many people tend to ignore thenfeature.  Here I describe what Keywords are and show you some of the many uses for them including tips on building a keyword hierarchy.   

002 - Before and After Lightroom Crashes (2016)

This article is obsolete and has been replaced with Article 011

001 - Should I Buy or Rent Lightroom (2015)

In 2015 with the introduction of LR6, one could either buy LR with a perpetual license or as a rental.  Starting with LR7 they discontinued the perpetual license option.  Since it is nearly 10 years later, this article is considered obsolete