How can I add keywords to existing Lightroom photos from a text or EXIF-based file without losing current keywords?
Asked 1/6/2013
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2 answers
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I have a Lightroom catalog with about 20,000 photos. I extracted metadata with ExifTool that Lightroom doesn’t normally import, such as camera effects like “Partial Color Blue,” and I’d like to add those values as keywords to the corresponding photos after they’ve already been imported.
My current data is essentially a filename-to-keyword list, for example:
./2012-12-30/DSC03532.JPG effect-Partial-Color-Blue ./2012-01-07/DSC00353.JPG effect-Partial-Color-Yellow
I know I could write keywords directly into the files and then re-read metadata in Lightroom, but I’m concerned about wiping out the keywords already stored in Lightroom. What’s the safest workflow to merge these new keywords into Lightroom without losing the existing ones?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
4
First, use Lightroom's Save Metadata to File command (in the Metadata menu or via Ctrl/Cmd+S shortcut) to make sure the metadata saved in the JPG or XMP files (including keywords) are in sync with Lightroom's database.
Then add the desired EXIF data to the image files (for JPG files) or XMP sidecar files (for raw image files) using exiftool. For instance, to add the camera make as stored in the exif data to the keywords of a JPG file (with raw files it gets a tiny bit more complicated since you have to read from the raw file and write to the XMP file):
exiftool "-Keywords+<Make" <DIRECTORY>
Now select all images (Ctrl/Cmd+A to select all files if you are in Grid view), right-click and select Metadata > Read Metadata from File from the context menu.
Lightroom should now display the updated keywords.
Originally by user19528. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user19528
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—sync Lightroom’s current metadata to the files first, then add the new keywords, then read the metadata back into Lightroom.
Typical workflow:
- In Lightroom, select the images and use Metadata > Save Metadata to File (Ctrl/Cmd+S). This writes Lightroom’s current keywords/metadata to JPGs or XMP sidecars so the files and catalog are in sync.
- Use ExifTool to append keywords rather than replace them. For example, ExifTool can add values into the Keywords field (for RAW files, this is usually written to the XMP sidecar rather than the RAW itself).
- Back in Lightroom, select the images and use Metadata > Read Metadata from File.
If you do step 1 first and use ExifTool to add keywords instead of overwriting them, Lightroom should merge in the new keywords without losing the existing ones.
An alternative mentioned was automating Lightroom itself with a Windows macro tool such as AutoHotkey/AutoIt, but writing metadata with ExifTool and then re-reading it is the cleaner metadata-based approach.
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