Prevent re-import of images previously deleted from Lightroom Classic

Report · Aug 05, 2023

Note that in both of these workflows, I am connecting the cameras to my Mac via a USB cable.

Workflow with my Canon camera:

Import files from camera using Canon's EOS Utility. This put the images on my computer in their permanent location.
In Lightroom Classic (LRC), I use the "Add" option with import which simply adds the images to the LRC catalog.
I review the images, deleting the ones I don't want (reject, then delete from disk).
I take more photos and repeat this process. Note that the previous images are still on my SD card.
During the LRC import, LRC does not re-import images that are still on the card, but previously rejected and deleted in LRC. This is the desired result.

Workflow with my Sony Alpha camera:

Unfortunately, the Sony software doesn't provide (as far as I know) the same import capabilities. Therefore, I have to use the "Copy" option when importing via LRC. This is the primary difference in these two workflows. It is LRC, not Canon's software, that is putting the images in their permanent location.
I review the images, deleting the ones I don't want (reject, then delete from disk). This is the same as with the Canon workflow.
I take more photos and repeat this process. Note that the previous images are still on my SD card. This is the same as with the Canon workflow.
During the LRC import, LRC DOES re-import images that are still on the card, but previously rejected and deleted in LRC. This is NOT the desired result.

If the problem really is with the "Copy" option, then it seems I'm forced to:

Always delete the images from my SD card after importing them to LRC (not desirable). I want to do this only after my backup system has had time to copy the new images off my computer.
-or-
Manually create the folders (e.g. yyyy-mm-dd), copy the files from the SD card to the appropriate folder, and go back to the Add option.

I'm really hoping I'm missing something and there's another solution to this problem. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

Report · Aug 05, 2023

My second solution (manually creating the folders) won't resolve the problem, so I'm back to deleting the images from my SD card after importing. I'm still hoping there's a better solution.

Report · Aug 05, 2023

Unfortunately, the Sony software doesn't provide (as far as I know) the same import capabilities.  Therefore, I have to use the "Copy" option when importing via LRC.  This is the primary difference in these two workflows.  It is LRC, not Canon's software, that is putting the images in their permanent location.

Why not simply use your MACOS Finder to copy photos from the SD card to the desired folder on your hard drive? In fact do that for both the Canon and the Sony. Then import as you actually want, that is via Add.

Speaking to the Canon EOS Utility, if you are not using it to cull thru the images before importing into LrC, why bother with it? Just use Finder. This is how many accomplish this.

I review the images, deleting the ones I don't want (reject, then delete from disk).

Was that Delete, or Remove?

P.S. Consider creating a folder called Rejects, When culling via LrC, move the rejects to that folder. Keep them their untill you absolutly no longer need them, when it is no longer likely that a new import will trip over them from say the SD card.

Report · Aug 05, 2023

Thanks for responding. Your suggestion was my second proposed solution, but it doesn't prevent the re-import problem, because after taking more images, I would have to figure out which ones had been deleted from LR and not re-copy them. With tens or hundreds of images, it's just not feasible.