Submitting your images

For Basic + Advanced Editing

1. Prepare your Lightroom catalog (one per session/event! You can still work from ONE catalog on your end, though it can have mixed results. See below for more info)
2. Make sure you’ve flagged all your picks/rejects and only have them selected
3. Turn on smart previews if you haven’t yet (See below for instructions)
4. Export your catalog + smart previews (select Export as Catalog in the File Menu or see below for further instructions)
5. Upload your catalog + smart previews to the link provided during your onboarding session

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For Exceptional Editing

1. Make your image selections (you can use any program you like, I recommend Photo Mechanic)
2. Copy your selected RAW/NEF files to the link provided during your onboarding session
3. If you’ve scheduled your editing, sit back and relax while I get to work! If not, make sure to drop me a line letting me know your files are completely uploaded and ready for editing.

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Create Smart Previews

There are several ways to generate Smart Preview files:

• On Import
  • When you import new images into your catalog, select Build Smart Previews (Import dialog > File Handling section). Smart Previews are created for all the images imported into the catalog.
• On Export
  • When you export a set of photographs as a catalog, you can choose to build and include Smart Previews in the exported catalog. Click File > Export as Catalog, and then select the Build/Include Smart Previews checkbox.
• On the fly
  • You can create Smart Preview files on demand. Select the files for which you want Smart Previews, and then click Library > Previews > Build Smart Previews.

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How can I export a folder as a catalog?

To export a folder as a catalog, in the Folders panel of the Library module, right-click (Windows)/Control-click (macOS) the folder you want to export. From the context menu, select Export this Folder as a Catalog. This allows you to work from a single catalog on your end and still send me separate catalogs for editing.

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Exporting your images

1. Select Export as Catalog in the File Menu
2. Name the catalog in the Save As field
   1. Your First name + your client name (I.E. PennyWhitfield or PennyMargo etc.) If I already have a client with your first name I’ll let you know and you’ll use this alternative: Your Last Name + your client name.
3. Choose where to save the catalog
   1. We recommend creating an Jennifer Grant folder on your Desktop, then making subfolders named toJennifer & fromJennifer to help keep things crystal clear. Or 01-to Edit and 02-Complete
4. Choose the toJennifer/01-to Edit folder as your export destination
5. Click Export Catalog
6. Once Export Catalog is completed, locate the folder with Lightroom files
7. Select Build / Include Smart Previews
   1. If you selected specific files to send, be sure to also choose Export selected photos only.
8. Right click and compress the outer/top folder
   1. I recommend compressing Lightroom catalogs and Smart Previews into a single zip file before uploading.

Having trouble?

Submit the form below for additional guidance and help! I’ll be in touch within 24 hours though often it’s only an hour or two, depending on the time of day you reach out.