GPS data in LRM

[ron lavoie]

My camera has a built-in GPS, and the data goes right into the xif data, in-camera.  Lightroom Mobile seems to remove this data when photos are transfered to LRM on my iPad, and that's a big problem for me. This behavior seems so weird to me. Does anyone have any suggestions or insight? I have no interest in cloud storage of my photos. I use LRM just so I don't have to lug a laptop around.

Thanks,

-Ron

[Jim Wilde]

How are you transfering the images to LrM?

How then are you determining that the GPS data has been removed? GPS data is not viewable in LrM, so how do you know that it has been removed?

[ron lavoie]

OK, I looked at a photo that was imported to ipad from memory card and not processed at all. I air-dropped it to desktop and then compared that with the same photo imported from the card on LRC desktop. The former had no GPS and the latter did. Hoping someone can help...

[Jim Wilde · Accepted solution]

If you air-dropped it to your desktop, did you check the export settings of whichever share method you used (Share or Export As...), specifically the "Location Info" in the "Include Metadata" panel? Obviously that option must be enabled to ensure that the GPS data is included.

You know, it can be much easier to let LrM do what it's designed to do and sync your images to the cloud, from which they can download with all metadata into LrC.

[ron lavoie]

Location data was not enabled. God knows why it's off by default.

I have no interest in giving even more money to Adobe just so I can keep my photos in the cloud. I do a lot of photography, and Adobe rates for additional storage are userous. OTOH, maybe I'll be asking soon how to cull the photos that are taking up all my cloud allowance...

Thank you, Socrates, for your questions %^).

[Jim Wilde]

You're welcome!

BTW, I wasn't suggesting that you have to keep your photos in the cloud, I was simply saying you could use what you are already paying for (Cloud syncing and the 20GB of cloud space). Many users use LrM as a front end to their workflow, which includes the automatic sync upload to the cloud followed by the automatic sync download into LrC. Once it is safely in LrC they simply "unsync" the photo which automatically deletes it from the cloud. Optionally, many of them then re-sync from LrC to the cloud, which uploads a Smart Preview "proxy" of the photo. The Smart Previews are 2560 px on the long edge, and are plenty good enough for viewing and light editing (any edits would sync back to the image in LrC), and have the added benefit of not counting against that 20GB cloud allocation. Some users will in fact have uploaded their entire photo library from LrC to the cloud, so instead of them having to "give even more money to Adobe" they are in fact getting some free cloud storage from Adobe.

[ron lavoie]

Great advice, Jim. I am persuaded!

[Charlie.D]

Jim is correct -- LR Mobile doesn't show GPS info like desktop or web apps can.

Try signing into your same account in our Lightroom web app, at: https://lightroom.adobe.com/ 

Select a photo, open it for a full size view and tap the 'i' button to open the Info panel.  If a photo has GPS info, the Info panel in the LR Web app will display GPS info -- do you see this for your photos?

[ron lavoie]

Not sure how to respond. I import directly from memory card. I know because  when I export a photo, location info is no longer there, either on iPad or desktop, in LRC. Also confirmed with 3rd party app, Exif.

Your question makes me want to go back and confirm the above again. I thought this was a known issue.

[ron lavoie]

Forgive me, but I have never used the web app. I will try what you suggest.

[Charlie.D]

Lightroom is a non-destructive editor and organizer.  It should not strip metadata out of your image files. 

If you are examining files that you've imported and then saved out from Lightroom, and are not seeing GPS metadata, it could be that your export settings are currently set to strip out GPS info.  Try Export As.., and then check that Location Info is enabled under More Options in the Export As screen.  This could be Off by default.

Also try exporting original, and confirm exif info remains in your exported original image as well.

The Lightroom web app I mentioned is just a quick way to confirm that files you have imported with the iOS do in fact have GPS info

EDIT: I just caught up on the subsequent replies above, and see you found the same info.  

"God knows why it's off by default."  I suspect the current approach here assumes that exporting is for the sake of sharing, and hiding GPS info for the sake of protecting privacy is the safest default setting.