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5 - Library Module Panels

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4 - Folders versus Collections

Folders versus Collections

Folders used to be used for two functions.

Photographers used to use folders:

• To store their photographs.

• To organize their photographs.

Now, use folders for only one of the functions.

With Lightroom:

• Use folders to store your photographs.

• Use collections and keywords to organize your photographs.

Folders

The folders you see in the Folders panel in Lightroom are always located on your hard drive, probably in My Pictures or Pictures.

You can create a folder using Lightroom.

You're not creating a folder in Lightroom.

Rather, the folder is created by Lightroom on your hard drive.

Collections

Collections are created in Lightroom and appear only in Lightroom.

Collections are not on your hard drive like folders.

A photograph can only be in one folder, its "home."

A photograph can appear in many collections.

	No	No	No	No
Folder 1	Folder 2	Folder 3	Folder 4	Folder 5

Only in One Folder

Collection A	Collection B	Collection C	Collection D	Collection E

In Many Collections

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5.4 - Folders versus Collections

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