Identify photos starred in Lightroom in File Explorer?

[FrostyOfTheNorth]

Here's the scenario:

I shot a bunch headshots to Lightroom tethered.   As I was shooting, I set 5-star ratings on the photos that the subjects liked.

That's all good, but now I need to send those 5-star raw files to my retoucher.  File Explorer (Windows) lets you search for 5 star attributes, but none are showing up presumably because I'm using sidecar XMP files.

So the question is:  how do I group together the raw files that are starred in Lightroom?

[johnrellis · Accepted solution]

There's no easy way built-in to LR to identify the 5-star raws in File Explorer, since LR writes the metadata to .xmp sidecars, but File Explorer doesn't search the sidecars.

Two methods of getting the 5-star raws to your retoucher:

1. Use the Library Filter bar to filter the 5-star files. Select them and do File > Export, with the export setting Image Format: Original. That will export copies of the files in raw format along with .xmp sidecars containing metadata and develop settings.  Send those copies to the retoucher.

2. Use the Library Filter bar to filter the 5-star files. Select them and do File > Export As Catalog. Check the option Export Negative Files. Send that exported catalog to the retoucher.  She opens that catalog, makes her edits, then sends the catalog back to you.

[FrostyOfTheNorth]

i thought of exporting as a Lightroom catalog, but the retoucher will be using Photoshop.  So I think exporting as original (the first option you listed) is the winning the option here.

Thank you!

[DdeGannes]

Quote “ That will export copies of the files in raw format along with .xmp sidecars containing metadata and develop settings.“

Will xmp sidecars be exported even if “automatically write to xmp is not selected“ ??

[johnrellis]

Will xmp sidecars be exported even if “automatically write to xmp is not selected“ ??

Yes. (I had to verify that.)