The HUGE task of backing up copies of photos from RAW to JPEG

[Danette5]

I am getting older and my children have all moved out of state. I want to make a copy of all of my photos for each of them. Currently I have all of my photos stored in my LR catalog in folders by year (38 years worth). Inside the yearly folder are 12 monthly folders. Most of them are shot in RAW format.

Here is my question: Is there a way to convert my photos and still keep the files and folders system in place. I can easily export the photos from RAW to JPEG but I want to keep all of my files and folders in tact. Is there a way to convert my photos and still keep the files and folders system in place. This is a HUGE task because I have so many years and files and photos....

Input appreciated

[dj_paige]

First, let me take issue with your use of the words "backing up". Backups are identical copies, and you are not producing identical copies of your original photos. You want to export the photos, not make identical copies. Do not think you are making backups.

I believe Jeffrey Friedl's folder publisher plugin does what you want. http://regex.info/blog/lightroom-goodies/folder-publisher

Next, in case you haven't done this already ... month and year folders are usually of only limited use when you want to find that great photo of Aunt Martha; and so I highly recommend that you add the appropriate keywords and other metadata and include these in the exported photos.

[Danette5]

You are right about the term "backing up." I want to export.

Most of the photos have keywords. Only one of my children uses LR so that will be helpful to him.

I appreciate the link. I'm clicking it now to check it out.

[Danette5]

That link looks PERFECT for me. It will take me a while to read through it and make sense of it all--this is a totally new process for me. I appreciate your kindness in responding.

[dj_paige]

Glad to hear this. I hope your other children learn to use LR and/or learn to use keywords.

[Conrad C]

Another similar plug-in is LR/Tree Exporter. I have not tried either, but you can decide which one works better for you.

Regarding keywords and captions: Lightroom Classic exports them using an industry standard called IPTC. Not only do other non-Adobe applications use that same format, but so do many web sites. For example, if you enter keywords and captions in Lightroom Classic and export them as JPEG files, they will be present in other photo applications and also if the same images are uploaded to a photo website such as Flickr or Smugmug.

Furthermore, your own computer’s operating system can search on some types of photo metadata. The built-in search feature in both Mac and Windows computers will find an image by its keywords. For example, if you sent a family member a photo of their grandfather at university graduation, but they forgot where the photo is in the depths of their computer, all they have to do is type in a search and their  Mac or Windows computer will find that photo, wherever it is.

For that to work, you would have to enter that person’s name as a keyword, and make sure keywords are set to be preserved on export. If you wanted the photo to be found if someone searches for graduation photos, you could also enter “graduation” “commencement” “university” and the name of their school as keywords. This is why we find keywords so valuable: They allow photos to be found by anyone with a simple search, and the person does not need to understand the folder hierarchy you used. And the search will work in other programs and on web sites that support IPTC.

[Jao vdL]

The keywords in exported jpegs will translate to Apple Photos and Google Photos and be searchable there. Those programs will also allow easy sorting on date and even location if the images have gps info. You likely do not need to export with any folder organization therefore as long as the kids import these images into software that does the organization for you.

[Danette5]

I didn't know that the keywords can be used in those programs. Thanks for sharing.

The reason I want the folders to remain in tact is because the catalog include photos that have been scanned from film--I didn't go digital until 2002 and these span back 1962. Those photos have no metadata and only the keywords that I attached. Although the files have all been named to include first the date (i.e. 1985-05 baby birth...) so I guess that they could be sorted by that?

[dj_paige]

Virtually every photographic program (and your operating system) will recognize and use the keywords and titles and captions in an export from Lightroom Classic.

[Danette5]

Just one more question. Does the name of the photo get included in searches for Apple Photos and Google Photos?

Let's say I have a photos named 2020-09-07 first day of school. If I haven't added any keywords would it turn up in a search? I have tried to be specific in my naming and it would be great if I didn't have to go back and add those same words as keywords.

Thank you for being sharing your knowledge with me...

[dj_paige]

"Let's say I have a photos named 2020-09-07 first day of school. If I haven't added any keywords would it turn up in a search? I have tried to be specific in my naming and it would be great if I didn't have to go back and add those same words as keywords."

Try it and see!

[Jao vdL]

>Just one more question. Does the name of the photo get included in searches for Apple Photos and Google Photos?

Yes it is just one more piece of metadata that is searchable

[Danette5]

That's really good news. I have been pretty diligent in naming my files. I don't use Apple Photos or Google Photos so I was unsure how to "try it and see" as dj__paige suggested. So much to learn. So many programs and options. I thankful that you could answer this for me with my having to download and try those programs myself. You have done your good deed of the day!

[GoldingD]

You can Export those RAW files to JPEG files placing the JPEG files in a folder of your choice. They do not have to be in the same folder, they do not need to be on the same drive.

[Danette5]

Would I have to change the folder for each export though, to keep the folder structure that I have already set up? That is if I export 1999 I would have to export each month separately and tell LR to save the JPGs in that folder. right?

[dj_paige]

If you do the exports yourself, you have to export folder by folder.

If you use the plug-in, the separate folders are created and populated for you.