Lightroom Classic 14.5.1 GPS Wrong Locations

[divindk]

Suddenly, the last 26 photos I've imported in my lightroom cataloug have the wrong GPS location. The actual files have the correct GPS location. I unchecked the "remove location info" in Export.  Then, I can reset their GPS location by importing the metatada from the original file and they appear correctly in Lightroom's map feature for a few moments, until the files synce with lightroom on the web again. Then, they all have the same GPS location as the 27th photo. No matter what I do. Need some help on this one.

[JohanElzenga]

I'm not sure what exactly you did, but if you sync the metadata and check the GPS fields, then indeed all images will get the exact same GPS coordinates as the active one.

[johnrellis]

@divindk: "I can reset their GPS location by importing the metatada from the original file and they appear correctly in Lightroom's map feature for a few moments, until the files synce with lightroom on the web again."

@JohanElzenga: "if you sync the metadata and check the GPS fields, then indeed all images will get the exact same GPS coordinates as the active one."

I think @divindk is referring to syncing the problem photos with the LR Cloud via a synced collection, not Photo > Develop Settings > Sync Settings.

[JohanElzenga]

I think @divindk needs to explain in more detail what he does. What confused me was "I unchecked the "remove location info" in Export" and then "Then, I can reset their GPS location by importing the metatada from the original file". What export? And does 'the original file' mean that 'Read metadata from files' was used (why was that necessary?) or is the original file that 27th photo?

[divindk]

Okay, so here's the workflow and how the problem is presenting itself, now that I've run a few tests. I have over 12,500 images in my Lightroom Classic Catalouge, wich is synced with the cloud version. I have everything arranged into collections by the year I shoot. When I place new items in this years collection, they automatically sync with Lightroom on the web, which is what they're supposed to do.  All images have gps coordinates embedded. I returned from doing some shooting in Hawaii in august, with my last shooting there on 8/23/25.  All images since have been shot as CR3 files, just like the ones from Hawaii. The recent raw files have GPS coordinates embedded into the metadata from locations I've shot here in Southern California. I use a combo of the camera writing GPS to the file, or an aftermarket phone logger that writes the GPS to the file. I open raw images in bridge, then edit/process in photoshop.  I only move the processed .jpeg images into my lightroom catalouge. This is the same workflow I've been using for the last 15 or so years and there's never been a problem... the GPS data from the raw file comes across to the .jpeg and appears in lightroom classic on the map with no issues.

Recently, with every image I've imported into lightroom since returning from Hawaii, lightroom changes to a GPS location in Hawaii... I'm presuming it's the last Hawaii image in the catalouge. I've verified now that the CR3 and the resulting .jpeg files have the correct GPS coordinates BEFORE I move the .jpeg files into LRC by viewing their properties using the windows photo viewer, which also provides GPS mapping.  After I move them into LRC, I add them to my years collection and they sync with the cloud, just like always. Except after they sync, LRC has changed their GPS coordinates to Hawaii. It happened again as recently as yesterday. The only thing that changed is that I bought a new computer and moved my LRC catalouge over to the new hard drive about the time I finished Hawaii and starting importing more recent local images. Every other aspect seems to be working right, so I'm at a loss for why it's happening. Any suggestions?

[johnrellis · Accepted solution]

"the resulting .jpeg files have the correct GPS coordinates BEFORE I move the .jpeg files into LRC by viewing their properties using the windows photo viewer, which also provides GPS mapping.  After I move them into LRC, I add them to my years collection and they sync with the cloud, just like always. Except after they sync, LRC has changed their GPS coordinates to Hawaii. "

In LR Classic, go to the Import window. In the right column, is Apply During Import > Metadata set to something other than None?  If so, set it to None and then try a test import of the JPEGs.  Do their GPS coordinates get changed?

If the GPS coordinates don't get changed, then the Metadata preset used by Import must be setting the GPS coordinates.  Edit that preset and uncheck the box to the right of Camera Info > GPS.

[divindk]

I'll check that, but when I initially import the new images, they have the correct GPS in LRC. I can verify that using the map feature on each new image after importing into LRC. Nothing changes until I add them to my 2025 collection, which triggers the sync with the lightroom cloud. After the sync with lightroom cloud, the gps data has changed to somehwere in Hawaii despite the fact that it was previously in California.