import into LR without keywords

[kmanley18]

I need to import photos into lightroom without the keywords that are saved to the photo. Here's the deal I manage a digital asset management solution for a college. When I get a shoot of images from a photographer they have often added their own keywords to the IPTC data of each image. When I import those images their keywords pollute our keyword list in Lightroom. It's supremely frustrating to have to go in and delete their keywords so it doesn't muck up the system. 

I've tried assigning metadata at import and then leaving the form fields blank, hoping that would wipe their keywords, but they still get imported. Any other ideas?

[Todd Shaner]

"I've tried assigning metadata at import and then leaving the form fields blank, hoping that would wipe their keywords, but they still get imported."

It's working for me. Create a new Metadata preset in the Import module under 'Apply During Import.' Uncheck everything except 'Keywords,' leave the keywords box blank as shown below, and Save as a new Metadata preset.

[kmanley18]

Thanks Todd. I actually do that very thing. I import using that preset, and it appears that the images don't get imported with keywords assigned to them but the photographers' keywords still get added to my keyword list. Still, a pain to have to sift through my list for their keywords so I can delete them.

[hbbk]

maybe one turnaround could be:

import the photos as is, then once imported select them all, clear the keywords field , then "metadate>purge unused kewords menu" (i use a french lrc so the englis menu name is maybe not th same but you'v got the idea ;-))

hope that's help

[Todd Shaner]

I can confirm the behavior. It looks like LR imports the file with keywords and then applies the preset to remove it. You could use Adobe Bridge to remove the keywords before import into LR. Here's an example:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/bridge/batch-keyword-delete/td-p/10874607?page=1

[GoldingD]

Perhaps outside of LrC use a metadata aapp to remove keywords. 

something like:

https://www.colorpilot.com/exif_keywords.html

[Todd Shaner]

Actually it's simpler than I thought using Bridge as outlined at the below.

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/community/threads/batch-delete-keywords.16006/

[Todd Shaner]

This was actually requested nine years ago, but don't hold your breath waiting for Adobe to implement it.

https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/ability_to_not_import_image_keywords_in_lr

[johnrellis]

"I import using that preset, and it appears that the images don't get imported with keywords assigned to them but the photographers' keywords still get added to my keyword list.Still, a pain to have to sift through my list for their keywords so I can delete them."

Two methods to make this easier:

- As mentioned above, after importing, do the menu command Metadata > Purge Unused Keywords. This will remove all keywords from the keyword list that aren't assigned to any photos.

- Alternatively, create a top-level keyword "New". In the Keyword List, right-click New and do Put New Keywords Inside This Keyword. Then after an import, select all the new keywords and click the "-" button to delete them. (Don't try to right-click the keywords and do Delete -- that deletes only one keyword due to a bug.)

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