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When to add keywords

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Nessus

Nessus

New Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
9
Lightroom Experience
Intermediate
Lightroom Version
Cloud Service
Lightroom Version Number
8.2
Operating System
  1. Windows 10
I like the workflow Victoria has published. What isn't clear to me is when to add keywords. I currently add all of my keywords after importing the images. I'd like to hear other thoughts about when you add keywords.

Thank you,

~ Doug
 
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It depends on the keywords. If you import a set of photos that were all taken in Italy, then you can add the keyword 'Italy' already on import. But if only some of these photos were taken in Pisa, then you can only add the keyword 'Pisa' after the photos were imported.
 
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I'm also doing it after import but i differentiate
  • I add copyright information on all my images at import (automaticaly)
  • General information about the shoot, i sometimes add on import and sometimes afterwards (but always in batch, a few mintues for all shots that day)
  • After import i do rate my images first
  • The rest of the keywording is done on individual images but only those with 3 stars and higher
 
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Technically it doesn't matter when you add the keywords, since Lightroom will let you apply them at any time.

Adding keywords on import is useful only when every photo in that import uses the same keywords. When some photos need different keywords, of course those have to be added after importing. For that reason, even if I've added some keywords at import, I end up adding most after import.

Practically, there's another answer that boils down to "do it before it matters." In other words, you should add keywords (and other important metadata) before the image set becomes fragmented. For example, if you plan to export 250 images to a website that displays photo keywords, the keywords should be added before exporting, so that you don't have to add keywords both in Lightroom and then again on the website.
 
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I find myself doing more like Roelof does.
I break my keywords into 4 main groups : Where - Who - What - Conceptual description
The details of when generally depend on what the "shoot" entailed.
"Where" gets key words added on import.
If what I shot involves only one person, like my grandson (who) at a soccer event (what), his name and soccer<sport get added upon import.
(If the shoot involves multiple people I want to key word, I do that as I process.)
I then rate and process, and generally only the real good shots (3 or 4 stars) get additional keywords that fall under the last category of Conceptual Description. This will include words like "red<dominant color", or "cold", or action words, or mood, etc. I generally add these after I process, when I can flip to Library, add the words, and back to Develop the next one in line.
 
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