Lightroom - Moving Images to A Catalog

[Matt Limb OBE]

Hello All

Using LR3 and want to do some serious tidying of images; basically I have images in one catalog that should be in another. 

It is easy to make a  selection or make a collection of the images I want to move, but once I have done this can I add that collection/selection to a different catalog - easy to create a new catalog but can I add to an existing catalog

In summary, can I move images, as a collection or selection, from one catalog to another existing catalog.

In anticipation, thanks for your help

Matt Limb OBE

[Bill Lewis]

Hi Matt,

Go to file>Import from catalog   In the dialog box chose the catalog you wish to import photos from, you will now see the various folders in that catalog, click on the preview box and you will see all the images in the folders just as you see them in a regular import. In the import dialog box uncheck all, then scroll thru the images checking those you wish to import. Don't forget to go back to the catalogs you imported from and remove the images you imported from those catalogs. I haven't done this except as a test and it worked fine.

Bill

[Matt Limb OBE]

Thnaks fro that, I was looking at 'moving' the collection from on-to-the-other catalog - never thougfht about reimporting the images - will give it a go

[johnbeardy]

I would recommend you only use one catalogue. Annotate your images with metadata and use that metadata to pull out groups of images.

John

[Matt Limb OBE]

John

I can see your point in this and the logic, saves a lot of work across each catalog

The issue I always have is how do I not corrupt the metadata?  On all my commissioned work (images not free to send to library) can I put COMM in the meta data - if so where would your recommendation be that in which metadata field

Plus if I use the method suggested by Bill will I not only import the image and loss any develop done in the other catalog

Matt

[johnbeardy]

Whatever you do is going to require some work, Matt, but keeping it all in one place means less work, and just a little more self-discipline. I'd suggest something as simple as creating a keyword "Commissioned" (full word - just in case) that is marked "Do Not Export". Apply it to all commissioned images. Then create a smart collection called "Images available for library" and add a single criterion - Keywords / Don't contain / Commissioned - and use this when you've gathering images for the library.

Bill's method would bring in the links to all the images (remember the images themselves are still in their original Explorer/Finder folders) and all the adjustments and other metadata. In general, always look first to Import from Catalog if you want to preserve your work - you rarely need to re-import images directly from the hard drive.

John

[Matt Limb OBE]

OK now had time to have a play and John's point are the way forward, management of ALL images in One catalog - then use sesible metadata

Many thnaks