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RNB55
Participant
January 27, 2021
Question

Move Photos with Keywords from Apple Photos to LR Classic with keywords, without Photos "package"

  • January 27, 2021
  • 1 reply
  • 245 views

I'm trying to move someone off of Photos and on to LRc cc. I actually like the file structure of the Apple Photos package (dates), and would like to move her files to an ordinary folder/subfolder system on a Mac.

I notice that LR has a menu for this-not sure how it works-but LR Class has a menu item for iPhoto.

 

Can I move the existing files and file structure into a new location and into an LRC catalog? Can the keywords travel to. Would it work from Photos > LR> LRC all on hard drive, not yet any cloud storage. RAW files included?

If so, how would files transfer? With edits? Original RAW? JPEGS?

 

Thank you. 

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1 reply

gary_sc
Community Expert
gary_scCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 28, 2021

Hi RNB55,

 

I can help you mostly but I can't speak reliably about keywords as I am not a Photos user. However, later I will show you where you can determine how to get the keywords out and you can tell me what you found.

 

To start out, open Photos. If you have images that are already sorted in groups (e.g., events, travel locations, family, whatever. Select that group. Then go to File (menu)-> Export and then you have to make a decision:

 

 

 

If you export the photos (I have 4 selected so have something to show you), the top choice, any and all changes you made will be permanent, you can then import them into Lightroom.

 

If you select Unmodified Original, than the images will be exported without any of the changes you made. The advantage of this is that LRC can do a much better job of adjustments than Photos can but more importantly, as you get better with LRC, you will discover better ways to improve images. If you lock in your adjustments from Photos, some of those adjustments will no longer be available to you because you do not have access to the original images.

 

Obviously the other disadvantage is that you will have to make your adjustments all over again. 

 

Now, I suggest you do a test, export a few images that YOU KNOW have keywords, export them with adjustments and some other's without adjustments. Once you know which way has the keywords, (maybe neither, maybe both?????) you can proceed as you wish. But please, let me know.

 

Anyhow, after you've exported that block and imported them in LR, than you can start on the next block. Unfortunately there is no real fast easy process for this. When you do your imports into LRC, please read up on things that you can do to speed the process up for Keywording, Presets and other features built into LRC. One good place to see/find this is at Lightroomqueen.com. If you register with her, you can access a free PDF that gives excellent basics on all flavors of Lightroom.

 

Hope this helps,

    R
    RNB55Author
    Participant
    January 28, 2021

    Wow, that is an extraordinarily helpful answer. I will experiment with that and see what happens. That may be the best alternative. I will try your experiment. It may take a couple of days as I'm currently experiencing some external disk problems, but I will certainly get back to you

     

    Thanks again. Meanwhile if I discover a LR"lite" > LRC alternative I'll let you know as well. I have never used the LR version. I will also pass your tutorial advice along.

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