# Lightroom functionally after trial period (2017) and mobile workflow w/o CC subscription?



## reidthaler (Nov 12, 2017)

I have smartphone photography students that understandably don't want the subscription service since they don't have Dektol (diluted 1:2) running through their veins as many of us have (or had)--they take photos occasionally, and just want to take better photo that they can with the native camera app, and need to manage those images.

Nonetheless, I'm always trying to figure creative ways of offering solutions to my iphone students to manage their images, especially outside Apple's ecosphere, since they only give you a crummy 5 GB. One workaround that I thought would work, involves using light room after the trial period ends, since the library module supposedly still works. This would be my thinking:

1. Create a Google account if you don't have one. 

2. Download Lightroom mobile and use it as your primary camera for the images you care about.

In Google Drive on the desktop computer, create a folder called Google Photos.

3. In Lightroom desktop, have it auto import images having it watch the Google Photos folder (File|Auto Import).  Designate a folder called Smartphone photos as the destination for imported photos.

4. Download Google photos for the smartphone, and granted permission to access images from your camera roll. (I assume this works the same way on an android device).

5. In Google Drive on your desktop, have it automatically download images into Google's Photo folder. You can find the instructions here.

The only two issues I've thought of with this approach are: 1) in Lightroom mobile, there is no auto export to the camera roll so it would have to be done manually, then photos would need to be deleted, and 2) Photo imported into Lightroom desktop, would not be downloaded by Year/month, which is not a big deal, as it could be done manually, not at all, or the better images would be put into collections chronologically, as should be done anyhow.

Thoughts, suggestions?  Open to other ways of suggesting iPhone image management for my students outside of the subscription service.

Thanks,

Reid


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## Victoria Bampton (Nov 15, 2017)

And I think LRM only exports 15 at a time? Honestly, if they don’t want the sub, there are possibly easier options. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Linwood Ferguson (Nov 15, 2017)

(a) I'm not sure the trial period expiration gives you any access, but (b) please forgive a possibly religious argument, but this sounds like trying to use licensed software without buying a license, and shouldn't we teach our kids better than that? 

The functionality that continues at the end of a subscription (again, not sure if after a trial) is to provide people who were subscribers the ability to get their photos out and into another product.  It wasn't put there to allow people to avoid subscriptions all together, and if enough people use it that way, they will close that tool for those who legitimately need it.


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## reidthaler (Nov 16, 2017)

The option of use Lightroom after the trial version predates the subscription model.  If Adobe only intended  one to only get their photos out of Lightroom after the trial period, why would the Slideshow, Print, Book, and Web modules still work?  For that matter, why would Lightroom still let you import photos?

See What happens to Lightroom after my membership ends? with a response by Tom Hogarty.  

Mike Pasini says:
July 11, 2014 at 9:53 am
Tom, can you confirm that the Library module is unaffected, allowing new imports to the Catalog and quick edits? TIA

Tom Hogarty says:
July 11, 2014 at 12:00 pm
Confirmed.​
7 days is short time for a trial period, and if there is any incentive for a non photographer to upgrade to the subscription service, it will come from using the software over time, not in 7 days.


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## Linwood Ferguson (Nov 16, 2017)

reidthaler said:


> The option of use Lightroom after the trial version predates the subscription model.  ...
> 
> Tom, can you confirm that the Library module is unaffected, allowing new imports to the Catalog and quick edits? TIA



Issues of what usage we should prompt aside...

The part I am still unclear on is whether the behavior after an expired subscription and the behavior after a trial period ends is identical? 

I have not experimented to try either (and trying the former is rather hard actually).


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## reidthaler (Nov 16, 2017)

I can't get it to start.  I set up another account, changed clock back during install so the trial would expire, now it says I have to sign in, and then it tells me it's expired and I have to buy the subscription, so it may be a moot point.


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## Cerianthus (Nov 17, 2017)

I had to google Dektol , but i did use (slide) film before digital.....


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