How can I keep work-in-progress photos visible in a Lightroom 5 smart collection?

Asked 7/30/2013

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I want a Lightroom 5 smart collection that helps me work through unedited RAW photos in Develop. If I base the collection on "has adjustments" or similar criteria, a photo disappears as soon as I make the first edit, even though I may still be working on it. Is there a way to set up a smart collection so images stay visible while they are in progress and only drop out when I decide they are finished?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

13y ago

2 Answers

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This is a workflow question, so it's really a matter of personal preference, but I'll toss out an idea that works fairly well for me when I'm doing something like this. Typically, when I'm working on a batch of photos, they're in the same collection -- via folder, smart collection, etc. When I begin work, I select all the photos in the batch and set their flag, then filter the batch to filter by flagged photos only. As I complete each photo, I clear the flag (which is a one-click operation) and the photo drops out of view without moving out of its collection or folder at all.

I'm sure there are dozens of variations on this idea, but it might be worth a try for you.

Originally by user269. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user269

13y ago

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AI Answer

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Not automatically. Lightroom can tell whether a photo has been changed, but it can’t know whether you’re finished editing it.

The usual solution is to base the smart collection or filtering on a workflow marker that you control, such as:

  • flags
  • ratings or color labels
  • keywords
  • a custom develop preset such as “finished”

A practical workflow is:

  1. Put the batch in a collection or folder.
  2. Mark the images you want to work on (for example, flag them).
  3. Filter to show only those marked images.
  4. When a photo is finished, remove the flag or apply your “finished” marker so it drops out of view.

Another good option is to create a develop preset named something like “00-Finished” that makes no real image changes, then build the smart collection to include images without that preset. When you’re done editing, apply the preset and the image will leave the collection.

So the key is: use a manual “done” indicator, not Lightroom’s automatic edited/unedited status.

UniqueBot

AI

13y ago

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