Beginners Question: How to work with keywords?

[stolley75]

Hello everyone!

I am just about to start working with Lightroom.

For me, the key feature to manage my photo library are keywords. I am migrating from Apple's Photos, and I hope to find better tools to manage keywords in Lightroom.

After the first view I am not able to find ways to sort keywords in categories or to define shortcuts.

Are these features somewhere hidden? 
Thank you very much!

[99jon]

I don’t know of any way to create categories. I think it’s by design. You can click on the filter icon to the right of the search box to see a list of key words. Search also works with artificial intelligence (machine learning) using Adobe Sensei tags. You can’t see these in the list of your own key words but simply type generic words into the all photos search box e.g. beach, mountain, boat, boy, girl, red, blue etc. In summary, search will supplement your own keywords with A.I.

https://www.adobe.com/sensei.html

[stolley75]

Hi! 

Thank you very much for your reply! 

I found some screenshots and posts concerning categories. 

Is it possible, that this feature (which also allows to define shortcuts for certain keywords) is only available in Lightroom Classic? That would be a bad backstep, I think. 

[99jon · Accepted solution]

Yes a keyword hierarchy only works with a local hard drive catalog in Classic. In The new Lightroom everything is stored in the cloud and is available on all computers and devices.

[stolley75]

Hi Jon, 

thanks again!

The cloud-synchronisation in the new Lightroom is a great thing! But to be honest, I don´t understand why the keywords feature changed? And what about shortcuts? Don´t they work in the new Lightroom either?

[99jon]

Sorry? Why do you need shortcuts when you have Adobe Sensei?

[stolley75]

AI may be good. 
But Adobe Sensei can't meet my personal requirements as it won't be able to recognize moods for example.

So shortcuts don't work?

[99jon]

Maybe you need Lightroom Classic for complete control. 

[stolley75]

It seems so.

 On the other hand Lightroom Classic doesn't support Cloud Sync.

These applications are not very thoughtful in my opinion.

I think the "Photos" app will remain my choice.

Thanks for your patience!

[99jon]

Classic does support cloud sync but you need to add photos manually to collections in order to sync smart previews. Originals remain in your folders.