P: Cull images during import

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I wish, I could rate my picture using my evaluation-stars and -colors directly during the import process and adding specific meta-tags maybe just to one photo (and not the entire import).For instance: I am shooting all day for 5 different projects - they all mix on one SD-card. Coming back, I have to go thru the import-process 5 times, looking thru all the pictures over and over again to sort out the pictures for these five projects.Why can ́t I do this straightaway during import? Am I over looking something already there in LR?I hope, you can understand my wish.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

The #1 issue overwhelmingly with Lightroom is speed.  And the most bogged down part of the application is in culling.  If you are a mastermind and can figure out how to tweak settings to make things go faster, then that is great.  But that does not fit me or I suspect 99% of LR users.  So make it easy on us and make Adobe look like rock stars add a simple Cull module.  Problem solved!

[Earth Oliver]

Use the Embedded Preview option when importing and speed is not an issue for the initial cull.

[Earth Oliver]

do you know how unbelievably long it would take for Lightroom to analyze all your images for focus?

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Why is there no filter options during import? When I have time i rate images in the camera so I directly can start to work on the correct images in LR. 

If I take 100 images, rate 10 of them I would to like to import only the 10 images and skip the other 90 image to save time, battery, HD space and so on when I'm at the laptop.

Why isn't this possible? Can't take long time to develop?

[Photo Taco Podcast]

Agreed, embedded preview workflow really helps, but it takes some knowledge to know how to use that workflow and I really think a cull module would help make it work without having to understand how to do a particular workflow.

[Earth Oliver]

eh? which is easier - selecting Embedded Preview during import or learning an entirely new module?

[Photo Taco Podcast]

People are already familiar with how to use things like Photo Mechanic to solve the problem, so I think the new module has a better chance.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I've got it! I found a work around to quickly select only the RAWs when import to Lightroom.

First you have to enable the "Treat JPEG files next to Raw files as separate photos." option in Lightroom preferences. Next, when importing, don't use the "Import..." button to start the process, instead go to your SD card on Finder (or whatever source) and sort by Kind and select only the RAWs, then drag the RAW files and drop them on the Lightroom icon on the Dock, this will make Lightroom initiate the import process with only the RAWs selected! That's it!

This has been tested on a Mac, as this is what I use, on Windows you probably would have to select the RAWs and use the right click Open With.. context menu option, but I can't confirm it since a don't have a Windows computer with Lightroom installed.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I would absolutely love this.

[merrymar]

I've always culled before importing by using the free "Faststone" (Win only). Mark the "ins" by a tag (press backslash as you go through the thumbnails), and ignore the "outs." Then at the top sort only on tags, drag them into a new folder, and import to LR from that folder.

[johnrellis]

For reference by future readers:  LR 7 added a File Type sort order to the Sort menu in the toolbar at the bottom of the Import window.

[tim levy]

While we can 'star' / rate images on our cameras, we should be able to import ONLY the starred images as it would save a lot of time and a lot of hard drive space. For example - shoot a sports match at 10 frames per second = 2000 images + select & star 40 hero images on camera, therefore should be able to import ONLY these 40 starred images... Instead we have to import 2000 images and then click 'star' rating. This is a waste of time.
There are already sorting options in the import dialog - but the only truely useful one is missing. 
PLEASE ADD THIS OPTION - SORRY FOR SHOUTING !!!!

[Yves-CH]

In LrC, Simply when importing, uncheck the images you do not want to import! Then start the import!

[tim levy]

@yves_crausaz ?? For a start, starred ratings do not appear in grid mode on the import page - so how would you know what to uncheck? Going through all the images in this view takes for ever. And 'simply' uncheck 1,960 images? That still means scrolling through hundreds of images and unchecking them... Easier said than done. 
 What would be easier is for Adobe to just add 'SORT BY > STARRED RATING'. That would be so easy to implement - no idea why they haven't done this. Photomechanic has done this ages ago...

[JohanElzenga]

Sounds like a reasonable request, and it surprises me that I cannot find a similar earlier request. Surely you can’t be the only one who would like this?

OTOH I wondered. I never use in-camera star rating myself, because I think it is very time consuming and cumbersome. You can only judge the images on a small LCD screen, so you need to zoom in on each image to check sharpness. You also do not have a compare view, making it extra difficult to decide if this image is really better than the previous one(s). I guess most photographers use the same workflow as I do: They don’t waste time rating images in-camera, but simply import them all and then rate them in Lightroom.

[Yves-CH]

he unchek button at the foot of the window, then they check only discreet pictures.... So alone will be imported the checking!

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

It's been a while.... but I "think" Photomechanic can help with this.  It can import a large shoot MUCH quicker than LR.  At that point you filter based on star rating and just "open" those for editing in LR.  That means PhotoMechanic calls LR to just import only those images.  This saves a LOT of time in the sort of workflow that you describe.

I purchased PM a few years ago for that reason.  Up until this covid year, I do one shoot a year that involves shooting an insane number of images and need to process a very small number of selects quickly.  I'd rate images in camera and then use the workflow described above to get the selects into LR.  I too would LOVE it if star ratings showed during LR import.

Bob Smith

[JohanElzenga]

If you love it, then don’t forget to click on the green vote button on the left of the original message.

[tim levy]

What's easy to forget while editing, is that every second counts. For example, you download 3000 images from an

8 hour shoot, and each RAW image takes 2.5 seconds to 'open / load' & check instead of 1 second. 3000+seconds = approx an extra hour - even more time for slower computers. Over a year, this equals an extra 10-20 days work! (and yes I have a very fast imac)
The thing is clicking through images on the back of the camera = instantaneous /less than 1 second. There is no 'load time'. Lately I have attached my Canon R5 to a huge TV screen with HDMI cable and rate them this way. I can save 1-2 hours per shoot. It's unfortunate that I have to bother, but it's also nice to see the work on a 1 meter screen.
Shooting with the new Canon R5, the ingesting / importing process is even more time consuming / uses more disc space - especially if you are shooting RAW or even CRAW. The other thing is you now have the option to shoot at even higher drive modes (3/6/12/20 frames per sec) so you end up shooting more at key moments.
Only recently, I have  started editing (star rating) after a 'set up'  - ie 1 second burst of 3-6 images = select 1. This also cuts down editing time later as you are spending time on location instead of extra time back in the office / studio selecting images. 
** The other option is to have in the 'loupe' view (in the Import page / dialog) - give us the ability to star images there. Then give us the option to import only starred images. It's not a big ask and it would save us DAYS OF WORK just waiting around for loads / deleting '0 star' images - not to mention tonnes of disc space etc.

[tim levy]

I too would use the old / usual post shoot import system. Just make a coffee while waiting. But often have clients ask for 6-10 'hero' images for media straight after event / shoot. I used to import key shots onto my iphone using a lightening to USB adaptor to camera and just airdrop on the spot to clients phone. Pretty great and even faster than stuffing around with Canons wifi etc. Ultimately it would be best if we could 'airdrop' straight from camera image to iphone... (probably happen one day)
If you could just import say 5 starred images onto your laptop - you save important minutes of waiting around as it can take sometimes 15 minutes to ingest so many images - even with CFexpress.

[tim levy]

Think I'm tempted to go the PhotoMechanic route. It is adding an extra step in the process though. A sports photographer buddy swears by it. Also good to support the 'little guys' as well. But really this should just be a feature in LR ha. No reason not to have it... 

[johnrellis]

Why conversations get merged:

https://feedback.photoshop.com/conversations/lightroom-classic/lightroom-auto-import-to-folders-orga... 

[tim levy]

Hi Jeffrey!
I don't understand why my 'Sort by Star Rating during import' thread was merged with a thread that was started 7 years ago? I mean - if a thread was created to solve a problem / come up with a solution - why has it not been solved in 7 years? Also, now the thread is buried again... Do coders / head honchos ever look at these threads and go 'that is a good idea?' Or are we just wasting time trying to contribute here. 7 years is a long time!!!

[JohanElzenga]

Somebody merged a recent discussion with this thread, but I am not sure that is correct. This thread is about rating during import. The merged thread was about Lightroom filtering images that are rated in-camera. Similar perhaps, but definitely not the same request.

[tim levy]

The sad & super lame thing is that this old original thread is over 7 years old - therefore proving that this forum falls on deaf ears!!