How to embed GPS data without a plugin Camera GPS?

[MorganB]

Hey folks,
I have a GPS question that I am hoping someone can help me with. I don't have a plug in camera GPS that automatically embeds gps data into my metadata, but I do have a Garmin handheld unit that I use to record my photo locations from time to time. I would love to embed this information into the EXIF metadata of some of my photos however the GPS field doesn't even show up unless the GPS is already encoded into the image. Is there any way for me to access this field and manually input the lat/long info?

Thanks a lot,
Morgan

 

[dj_paige]

In Windows, you can use the freeware program called GeoSetter.

 

[Brad Snyder]

Morgan, nothing to add, but welcome to the Forums.

 

[eaglekepr]

Geosetter is a good one, especially for clicking a point on a Google map and tagging the photo with it. You can however do it all in LR with Jeffrey’s “GPS-Support” Geoencoding Plugin for Lightroom plugin. Neither are the perfect solution to getting the coordinates into the catalog/photos but until Adobe does something about it, they are probably the best software method available. Both will tag photos with coordinates when synchronized with the tracklog your Garmin produces. Jeffrey's plugin is by far my most used, with his upload to Flickr being #2. Lots of other goodies on offer from his site too.

 

[bcalles]

I use Downloader Pro for upload from the CF card and automatically merge my handheld Garmin GPS track info, into the pictures and rename all the pictures according to my needs. At the same time I also solves a problem with transferring the file name into the Title field, as this can't be done via LR, but Downloader Pro can do it automatically. Downloader Pro also does the DNG convertion to a backup drive for safety storage.

GeoSetter is only used in case I do not have the Garmin data. Then I use GeoSetter before LR import.

Then I import into LR.

br,
Bo

 

[Brad Snyder]

Bo, thanks for the input, if no one has said so yet, Welcome to the Forums.

 

[Halfje-Bruin]

I just bought a Garmin GPS and also use GeoSetter to add the GPS information to the files.

 

[tmozer]

I, just this evening, used Geosetter to add GPS data to a bunch of my old images. Great little program! However, these are image files that were already imported into Lightroom. While Lightroom recongnizes that the Metadata was changed (by an external program), it does not acknowledge the new GPS data.

Is there a way to refresh the file Metadata in Lightroom, or do I have to re-import?

 

[Brad Snyder]

Ted, try this with just one photo first. Select the photo in Library Grid, and from the Library menu > Metadata > Read Metadata from File.

I don't work with GPS or Geosetter, but I remember some sort of issue with the Geosetter data overwriting/blanking out the existing adjustments, but I can't remember the details. There was a procedure of saving metatdata, geosetting, and reading metadata back, but I'm not sure if this is the situation where it's applicable. There's a detailed thread on this forum somewhere, but I haven't found it yet.

I'll search for it some more, but in the meantime, take baby steps, so we don't trash your adjustments. Or just wait for better information.

Edit: Ok, now I'm a little bit confused. I've found references to both methods.

With files already imported into Lr:

a) 'geosetter', then 'read metadata'
b) 'save metadata, then 'geosetter', then 'read metadata'

I honestly don't know which is correct, but it looks like b).

Here's probably the best thread on the subject.

For a whole page of threads to read, cut and paste the following search string to Google. Don't include the <>'s.
<[COLOR=#''''ff]site:www.lightroomqueen.com/community geosetter read metadata[/COLOR]>

Advice, second opinions, anybody?

 

[bcalles]

Option B will work, I'm doing that on occasions where I correct some GPS data after import into LR.

br,
Bo