Creating a virtual copy
Since many many years I organize and edit my pictures in Lightroom. I also edit my pictures in Photoshop. Yet my very first step after each photo session is to upload my pictures in Lightroom.
One must understand that the original picture is stored either on the Mac/PC or on an external disc. Inn Lightroom are only copies. Nevertheless, if one is editing the pictures the original version cannot be seen anymore. It’s possible to reset the editing, but perhaps the intention is to create something new from the original picture.
The trick: Create a virtual copy. The original pictures stays untouched. Sometimes I use a picture for a composition years after it was taken. If I only see edited pictures it’s difficult to make choices.
When I start editing pictures, I first make a virtual copy. This is one of the habits I recommend do everyone.