Lightroom Organizing Disaster...Need Suggestions

[Dave442]

I rarely import my phone or P&S the photos into LR. I used to use ACDSee, then IrfanView and now just use Photos on the Mac. I do have a set of Folders for importing these photos, but usually only for select photos or a group that needs to be whittled down for a slide show of a trip.

 

[nerwin]

Well I'm almost done..half way through the 2015 folder now. Figuring out proper simple keywords for the photos are harder than it sounds. I had some that I just coulden't figure out how to keyword so I just gave them a "Misc" keyword and I'll sort them out later.

How would you keyword a nature macro shot like this? The only thing I can think of is adding "Macros" keyword to it.

 

[Dave442]

What I would put on that macro shot is Macro, Flora, Plants, Pine Cones, Seed Scales, Lichen (or whatever is on the end of the seed scales). Of course if your interests are elsewhere it could include Abstract, shallow DOF, bokeh.

 

[nerwin]

I am in way over my head with keywords..oh my goodness. I don't know how you do it..must have super powers hahaha. I'm sorry, but dang it's really confusing. I'm sure it will be worth it once I figure it all out. Still watching YouTube videos and reading blogs to gather ideas. What a chore.

 

[Dave442]

I know Lew has done much more than I have with Keywords and he posted a couple links you should check out. They are in last post in this thread from last year:
LR5.6 synchronizing folders | Photography Forum

 

[nerwin]

Well pretty much done..now its just finishing things up. I have quite a few shots taken from my phone..not sure if I should organize them like the others or keep them all in one folder. Anyways, here's my keyword list so far.

 

[Dave442]

Looks like it was worth the time, ready for 2016.

 

[nerwin]

Looks like it was worth the time, ready for 2016.

Well still not 100% done..though I don't think any of us will be 100% done with organizing Lightroom.

I still got to weed out my MISC images and then keyword keepers from my phone. After that, I gotta work out on collections.

 

[andysmom]

I am reading this thread with interest.
My lightroom catalog is also a disaster and since pictures have been moved around on my hard lightroom cannot find them and I think the only way I can fix it it is to start over.

I am a Mom and just take pictures of family functions etc. I have decided that I would like my file setup to be by date, pretty much exactly like nerwin posted above in post #7.... year, month with folders in each month with a specific events. Am I correct in thinking that if I don't remember the date of a specific event I can search my keywords to find something? As an example, I am very active with the Boy Scouts of America and I take many pictures at campouts, etc of the boys in our troop. When one of our scouts reaches the rank of Eagle, many parents do a slide presentation and I am often asked if I have pictures of their son I can send them. If I use my keywords properly and attach the boy's name to a picture I should be able to search that keyword and find all the pictures of that boy I have, correct? Is a keyword different than a tag?

So I guess my question is how do I get all my 22,xxx pictures out of lightroom to start over and how can I develop a good workflow to get my older pictures in one folder at a time so I can keyword/flag/delete as my time permits? I should add that the reason I have that many pictures in lightroom is because my husband imported them all at once with no regard for any file structure.

 

[Dave442]

The file structure may not matter and you can just build a good Keyword hierarchy.

You need to think first how you want things grouped together.
I might try People, and that put Boy Scouts, and then under Boy Scouts have the name of each kid. Under People you could then add other Keywords like Troop Leaders, Parents, etc.
Then another Keyword for Events and under Events add Keywords for each Event you have pictures from.

Look at the link in my post #65 and then at the links in that post where there is some good information on how to plan to set up a good Keyword system and further links from those pages.

 

[nerwin]

Here I am again..struggling with this same topic. I was doing good, then I got lazy and didn't want to tag anything.

It's not easy keeping up with it. But its soo worth it in the long run I think.

A while ago, I needed to find a certain photo and I just searched for it in Lightroom and boom, found it within seconds. So I totally see the advantages, its just whether or not I'm able stick with this method.

I think I'll wait for a rainy day and work on it some more.

 

[KmH]

Keyword templates.

 

[Dave442]

Keep at it. If I have a photo of a cat I do not consider that I have that cat photo until it has the keyword. On those that are exported I try to include a title and description.