LR Question - Proofing

I know many people do and prefer online galleries that allow clients to do their ordering online. I prefer to meet with the client(s) in person to do proofing whenever possible. I wanted to find out how many people edit and do proofing with clients on a different computer?

I know there are professional photographers who have studios with particular areas setup for proofing images with clients. I assume that the area/monitor may not be the same location as where the edits are actually done.

In my case, I do most all of my edits in my office on my desktop machine. There isn't much space there and I'd like to be able to do proofing elsewhere (e.g. living room) where it's easier to relax on the couch and view the images on a larger LCD. What is the best way to manage proofing images there (likely on another computer)? I have NO problem exporting images to another computer and simply showing them... the issue comes in when the client is selecting images they want printed. Obviously with Lightroom it's supposed to be an easy process, where I could use all sorts of methods (e.g. Picks) to tag images the client wants. To do this, do I need to export the catalog to the second computer for viewing, make Picks (and/or a 'Selects' catalog) and export the catalog back to the editing computer?

Can you guys share your workflow for this sort of situation?

Check out THIS POST on Fstoppers about a system called Fiducia.

While it sounds cool, it would also take a decent amount of additional work and hardware.

My wife has an iPad, and I'm probably going to get one for myself later today. Nonetheless, I'd still need AppleTV (the additional hardware) to stream this to my LCD. Additionally (work), I'd have to load all of the proofs that I'd want to show onto the iPad each time. Sure, I can leave galleries on there for longer periods of time, but it's additional management that would have to be done. Specifically since the iPad storage size is not expandable.

I figured it would be easier to stay within Lightroom and do the same. My main concern/question was A) How to best share the images from my editing desktop to the proofing computer?

I know this would have to be done via Catalog. After a shoot I would obviously cull images, do simple adjustments, and I could put all of these images in a Collection of their own. I could then Export this Catalog from the desktop, and import it to the proofing machine. After doing so, I would be able to show all of these images to the client and allow them to select the images that they want.

Which leads me to B) What is the best way to get that information back to the desktop?

Do I just export the Collection from the proofing computer, and import back into the desktop machine? I have never tried this before. When doing so, is another Collection generated, or are just the updates applied? For example, say that I used Flags/Picks to initially select my favorites that I want to show to the client. This is the Collection that I export to the proofing computer. During proofing, say I used Colors to determine what pictures the client wants. When I re-import back to the desktop, is another Collection made, or are these Colors applied to the correct images in the existing Catalog?

I use this method between my desktop and laptop with no problems.

http://tv.adobe.com …om-4/exporting-a-catalog/

1. Export collection of photos I want to look at with client as catalog
   
2. Open on laptop.
   
3. Create a collection of pics and minor edits whilst looking through them with client.
   
4. Export from laptop as a catalog.
   
5. Import back into Desktop Lightroom.
   

sebct wrote in post #15988979
I use this method between my desktop and laptop with no problems.

http://tv.adobe.com …om-4/exporting-a-catalog/

1. Export collection of photos I want to look at with client as catalog
   
2. Open on laptop.
   
3. Create a collection of pics and minor edits whilst looking through them with client.
   
4. Export from laptop as a catalog.
   
5. Import back into Desktop Lightroom.

Thanks for the response.

I've exported a catalog from my desktop to my laptop before (and vice versa). However, I've only ever done it in one direction (from desktop to laptop, or laptop to desktop)... not there and back again.

As the video shows, when you export from the host computer you would select to include the negative files (since they aren't on the other computer).

Say that I make additional edits on the second computer (let's call this the slave, since it can be a desktop or laptop). When I export from the slave, do I need to include the digital negatives (knowing they are still on the host)?

Either way, what is the process to get those edits to be applied to the original files on the host (whether they be in a Folder or Collection)? Can this be done without having the images duplicated on the host computer? Do you choose to Open Catalog, or Import from Catalog? I assume it's the latter.