Key Wording Options in LR CC

[JEB]

Lightroom Version

LR Classic

Operating System

1. Windows 10
2. iOS

I am a keen amateur picture taker.

I am contemplating making the move from LR Classic to CC primarily to take advantage of the mobile benefits. I nowadays use my iPhone as my principal camera utilising several apps.

I have several concerns, the first is as follows.

I presently use keywords in Classic. My library is based on a folder structure inherited from prior to starting with LR. When I gained sufficient confidence in key wording, I permitted LR to use its folder dating method. I have approx. 68k images (severe culling is long overdue) taking up 85GB on a 1TB external HD. I hope that makes sense.

I understand that there is no key wording in CC so how do I find all the pictures I have taken over the years and hopefully more in the future, of for instance Venice, once I have transferred my library to CC?

I am sure I will have other questions, but this is central to any decision to make the change.



Thank you,



John

 

[Jim Wilde]

Not sure how you reached that understanding about keywords, but it's incorrect. Lightroom (there is no product called CC any more) does indeed support keywords (and the associated search/filter capabilities), alhough it's different to Classic's, i.e. Lightroom does not support hierarchical keywords, only a flat keyword system is supported.

You may have heard that keywords do not sync between Classic and Lightroom, and that is indeed true. However, if you migrate your Classic catalog to Lightroom, ALL of your existing Classic keywords will also be transferred to Lightroom (though hierarchical keywords will be flattened).

 

[JEB]

Thank you for your swift reply.
Firstly, I have mistakenly been using CC as the cloud based version of Lightroom. So I now know it should simply be referred to as Lightroom, thanks for that.
Secondly, I am delighted to learn that I had got the keyword situation totally wrong. Now that you spell it out I realise that is what I had read. That is the trouble of having read bits and pieces from different sources!
I'd better buy the book!
John

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Apart from keywording by the user, Lightroom also has auto-tagging by Sensei, running at the Adobe servers. You will not see these tags, but try to search for something you did not keyword and you'll find that the subject recognition isn't at all bad.

 

[JEB]

Thanks, yes I had read about this and allowed myself to believe that this was the alternative to keywords rather than an additional feature. Just bought the book and about to upgrade my plan with Adobe.
Cheers
John

 

[prbimages]

Just for completeness, you should know that you do not have to move completely to the cloud version of Lightroom to take advantage of the cloud features. You can implement a hybrid workflow which involves both - although there are a few "gotchas" and things to get your head around. Feel free to ask for more details if you're interested.

 

[JEB]

Hi,
Yes I would be interested in exploring this in more detail. I was operating in such a fashion about a year ago but it all seemed to fall apart recently so I decided to explore the full cloud option. I would appreciate an explanation of the hybrid process before progressing further.
Regards
John

 

[johnbeardy]

Try thinking of Cloudy Lightroom as if it's Lightroom Mobile but on your other computer. You can run it on your main computer, if you want, but it does require care/knowledge.

So in this "Lightroom Mobile on the laptop" scenario your Classic Lightroom remains the master of your files, and Cloudy/Mobile gives you mobile integration. You can shoot or process pictures in the Cloudy/Mobile ecosystem, with the results being synced back into your master catalogue, and you might use the Cloudy/Mobile AI to search for pictures using terms that you may not have entered as keywords (eg search for yellow). But because Adobe failed to integrate keywords between the two hemispheres of the Lightroom world you would only add keywords in Classic. Entering titles, captions, ratings and flags is safe because Adobe did a proper job of integrating them.

The good thing is that if you are careful, you can proceed in baby steps. Don't jump straight in.

 

[JEB]

Hi,
Firstly, thank you all very much for your comments.
I have decided to go for the full migration to Lightroom (cloud).
My recent/current experience of having lost synchronisation between my iPhone and Classic suggests that personally, not having the experience or knowledge, a workaround solution is not for me, advisable .
My reason for not going down this route a few years ago were largely based on doubts around the integrity / reliability of cloud based systems plus the feature differences between Classic and Cloud. I have been using a number of cloud based facilities, like Onedrive, in recent times and much appreciate their benefits. I note that feature differences between Classic and Cloud are reducing and believe that I can live with this.
I will almost certainly retain the option of saving to a local hard drive as a safeguard. In order to keep comfortably within my 1TB capacity I plan, once the migration has been completed, to cull the cloud based images I have been too scared to cull before!
Once again thank you all for enabling me to come to a decision.
John