How to restore photo edits after RE-IMPORTING an edited image

[Devorah Malka]

I edited one image from a photo shoot session and exported it. Then closed LR.

I later opened LR to continue editing the images from the same shoot, and wanted to copy/past edits from the already edited image onto some other images, but the editing details on the image (Basic, Detail, Lens corrections etc) are not available anymore.

This means I need to keep LR running till I've finished editing every last image so I don't lose the info.

Is there any way to restore the edit details of this edited image even after I exported, and imported it again?

Please say you can help me??

Thank you very much!

[dj_paige]

Importing the photo a second time was the wrong thing to do. It doesn't fix any problem.

Your edits are always stored in Lightroom, no matter whether you shut Lightroom down, or not.

If you have not deleted the photos with the original edits from your Lightroom (did you delete them?) then your edits are still in Lightroom and you have to find them in Lightroom.

To find the photos with the edits (assuming you did not delete them from Lightroom), please follow all four of these steps in order.

1.   In the Lightroom Library Module, on the left, under Catalog, click on All Photographs

2.   Turn off all filters (Ctrl-L once or twice)

3.   Turn off all stacking (Photo->Stacking->Expand All Stacks)

4.   Search for at least one of these photos by file name using the Lightroom Filter Bar

[Devorah Malka]

Thanks for your quick response!

That didn't work and I didn't delete the original edits. I went followed the steps you wrote and the original edited image still shows no editing details.

Anything else I can do?

[dj_paige]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Debbie+King  wrote

I didn't delete the original edits.

I think you misunderstood. The issue is not if you deleted the edits. The issue is if you deleted the photo itself from LR. Did you do that?

If you did not delete the photo from LR, perhaps you accidentally opened the wrong catalog?? Go to File->Open Recent and open each catalog listed there to see if you can find the catalog with your edits.

[Just Shoot Me]

What format did you use during the Exporting. Even if you exported the image the original image you made the edits to is still in the catalog. You just don't have that original selected. That is why you aren't seeing the edits you original did.

[Devorah Malka]

thank you!

I used JPEG. I also followed dj_paige (latter) instructions but nothing came up

[cmgap]

Hi Debbie,

Try going into the Collections panel and open Smart Collections. Look at the 'Recently Modified' collection to see if the image you are looking for is in this collection.

As JSM has written, Exporting your image regardless of format did not remove the image from your catalog. You would have to have deleted the image for it to be removed. When you export, you are creating an additional new file, your original is untouched and Lightroom stores your edits in the photos metadata (XMP side car file).

For more on what Lightroom is doing when you choose to import an image read here: How to export photos from Photoshop Lightroom

[jenps139]

I recently had a similar issue that I have not found a solution to. I edited over 400 photos and while exporting I went in to edit a few that I wasn't exporting at the time but were within that folder in that catalog and right before my eyes I watched the photos revert back to the original import from Imagen AI and it deleted all my edits that I did beyond the ImaginAI edits. Right now I've just tried some of the suggestions above and still all that exists are the AI edits, my further and final edits have been erased and looks that they are no where to be found. 😞 I'd love any help if you know of anything. I'm so worried it's going to happen again. (this is in LrC on a Macbook pro)

Thank you!

[dj_paige]

Please start a new thread on this. In that new thread, please state the version NUMBER of your LrC and the version NUMBER of your operating system. In that new thread, please explain this part in a lot more detail: "I edited over 400 photos and while exporting I went in to edit a few that I wasn't exporting at the time but were within that folder in that catalog and right before my eyes I watched the photos revert back to the original import"

Please do not continue to comment on your problem in this thread.