How can I automatically group burst photos into separate folders by capture time?
Asked 2/9/2020
1 views
2 answers
0
I shoot a lot of burst/continuous photos and want a way to automatically group them into separate folders based on capture-time gaps, such as starting a new folder whenever the gap between shots is more than 5 seconds. Lightroom Classic’s grouping/stacking doesn’t solve this for me because I specifically need actual folders on disk, and my computer struggles with very large sets of images in Lightroom. Is there software or a script that can do this reliably from image metadata, ideally before importing into Lightroom?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
1
Adobe Bridge may not automatically stack sequences, but it can be used to create stacks and then carry out operations on those stacks. I'm assuming (untested) that this includes moving them to new directories.
Adobe Bridge is free, and a lot faster than Lightroom when viewing thumbnails. You don't need to import images, it simply operates on the filesystem.
This doesn't solve your entire issue, since I don't think it'll do the stacking automatically (it will for Panorama or HDR, but I'm not sure if the HDR will catch your burst sequences).
Originally by user28155. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user28155
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—this is possible, but the most practical answer from the community is to do it before importing into Lightroom. If you move files after import, Lightroom’s catalog links can break unless you also update the folders inside Lightroom.
Two workable approaches were suggested:
-
Use a script that reads each photo’s capture time from metadata and creates a new subfolder whenever the gap between consecutive images exceeds your chosen threshold (for example, 5 seconds). A Python script was specifically suggested for this.
-
Use Adobe Bridge for faster filesystem-based browsing than Lightroom. Bridge can create and work with stacks, and it operates directly on files without import. However, based on the answers, it may not automatically stack ordinary burst sequences the way you want, so it’s less certain for full automation.
If your goal is true folder creation by time interval, a metadata-based script is the clearest solution. If you just need faster culling and viewing, Bridge may help. In either case, organize first, then import into Lightroom.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI6y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
How can I organize Lightroom imports into event-like groups similar to iPhoto Events?
Why doesn’t Lightroom’s Folders panel match my actual folder hierarchy?
Is there free software that can automatically identify photos suitable for panorama stitching?
Can I reorganize photos into new collections in Darktable without moving files?
How can I sort photos into folders based on their shooting date?