Maybe, I don't fully understand your problem, but it seems like the easiest solution would to add eSATA capabilities to your laptop. Then you should be able to access your main archive (JBOD) from your laptop as well as easily upload images from the laptop to the JBOD after traveling.

Fredrik

I have done a similar conversion intermittently over the last 2 years. Here is a few thoughts of what I found useful!

1. I scanned the images in batches, one subject category at the time. The scans were placed in a folder named with the appropriate subject category. This allowed me to easily go back and double check that I hadn't missed anything, and tag slides whose scans turned out poorly (I used a batch process -  and a few images needed customized scan setting to turn out good).

2. These subject folders were imported into Lightroom and placed in folders allowing me to monitor my metadata progress. 1-Raw_Scans (The holding thank for new scans). 2-Rename_Scans (The scans were renumbered to match original slide number). 3-Add_MetaData (Having them organized by subject categories and by file number, helped with entering keywords and location info since similar images are grouped together). 4-Transfer_To_Archive.

3. By working with one subject folder at a time, it became a reasonable number of images at a time, and seemed less daunting. It also mimicked the original physical filing structure that I was familiar with. This helped me keep track of my progress as I occasionally had to leave the projects for a few months, and then remember were to pick up again.

4. Once fully integrated in the DAM system you can either toss the original subject category folder structure, and file things in bucket. Or do what I did, and file the subject folders into the Bucket system, this way I can use the full DAM or the old familiar subject filing system.

Fredrik

I personally use Smugmug to share photos and sell prints from trips I lead.

http://fredriknorrsell.smugmug.com/Travel

I have been very happy with both print quality and capabilities of their Pro accounts. The Pro account allows me to share items at cost or make a profit, select betwwe 2 different printing labs, control print settings etc. It also allows me large freedom to customize the look of the site and maintain a very professional appearance, and detailed gallery statistics. There also are  details such as professional packaging of prints , and capability to send Thank You notes to your customer and much more.

Fredrik

Thanks Bill,
Quite an annoying quirk with Google maps! The tip of clicking on more info and search map does speed it up compared to randomly zooming and scrolling until you find the coordinates.

Fredrik

I myself ended up choosing Lightroom. I preferred the organization of the interface. That said I have several friends (serious amateurs to part-time pros) that uses Aperture and is very happy. In my opinion, its mostly about personal preference, all softwares have their strengths/weaknesses.

Fredrik

I'm using LR3 and when I click on the arrow it will mark the correct location in Google maps. But here is the problem, I often shoot in remote locations (10-100 kilometers from named roads and towns) and in these cases Google maps will open centered and zoomed in at some town/highway. Then I have to zoom out and scroll around until I can see my location, and then zoom back in.
Anyone else have the same problem? Anyway to get Google maps to start centered at the tagged location?

Computer: MacBookPro, OSX 10.6.7, Safari 5.0.5, and LR3.3

Fredrik

Hi Gloria,

To me the solution would be, requiring all students to have a large portable  HD (The Master HD) on which they store all their images and LR catalog. Then they can work with the images and catalog both at home and in the classroom. Also have them set the preferences to automatically write changes into XMP, then they can easier re-build their catalog with all changes if it should get corrupted.
As for backing up collections I could see using keywords, or the ITPC fields Instructions or Job Identifier to save this info, or the Custom Fields in John Beardsworth (Search, Replace, Append) plug-in. Another option would be having LR3 create a backup every time LR closes. This backup could live on the same HD as the original, to provide easy access in case the original catalog gets corrupted.

One very important aspect of this workflow would be helping the students to create a solid backup system for "The Master HD", otherwise they could loose everything in case of a HD crash.

Fredrik

Hi John,

I saw somewhere that you were close to releasing a new version of this plug-in. Any possibility that it will support transferring metadata to the keyword field? Specifically I would love to find a way to transfer data from, Country, State, City, Location fields into Keywords. Or does anyone have an easy way to add this info to both the metadata fields and keywords all at once.

Fredrik

Thanks John,
It works great. This is going to save me from doing the round trip to iview for appending text.

Fredrik

Thanks, both of you. I guess I'm best of convincing them to upgrade or they have to live with however they look in Lightroom 1.4.

Fredrik

Thanks Peter,
I will try it in a few days, when I have some time to play with it.
At the moment I'm to busy actually having fun behind the camera.

Does anyone know if it is possible to convert Peters Autoblack preset into a develop preset that could be applied from inside lightroom?

Fredrik

I'm working with Lightroom 2.3 and often set the new Camera Calibration profile to "Camera Standard" for my Nikon D700, then convert all my NEF files to DNG.
I now have a customer using Lightoom 1.4, that wants me to send them RAW-files, in my case DNG-files.
Does anyone know which edits they will be able to see?
I know that they will not be able to see any local adjustments, but will they see the "Camera Standard" profile?

Fredrik

Hi Chris,
I found this old post of yours. Did you ever figure out a solution?
I'm in a very similar situation with metadata for about 6000 images in my FileMakerPro DB, that I would like to transfer into ITPC data in my case Lightroom or iViewMediaPro.

Fredrik

I'm using iVeiw and Lightroom on a Mac. Used an old Powerbook (less powerful than current Macbooks) until a few months ago. In my opinion a Macbook would perform fine, unless you plan on storing and working with 1000's of RAW files on the Macbook.
That said, a big advantage for efficiency is the larger screen estate you get with the MacbookPro.

Fredrik