Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Importing Keywords into a living catalog  (Read 2131 times)

dchew

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1020
    • Dave Chew Photography
Importing Keywords into a living catalog
« on: July 20, 2009, 06:23:08 am »

I should first explain my quirky workflow:  I have two catalogs, one "WIP" for raw imports and one "Photographs_01" which are developed, edited and keyworded.  
Imported raw files go into WIP
Edit > develop > rank > edit > develop...
Keyword the >=1-star images
Export >=1-star images as dng's
Import those into "Photographs_01"

I do this because it is a way for me to ensure that all the "Photographs_01" images are developed. As an amateur it may be a few weeks between WIP import and editing.  That's longer than my brain can remember, and for me it solves the, "Oh I forgot about developing and keywording that shoot from xxx" problem.  Theoretically all the images in Photographs_01 should be either dng's (or a tiff if it was scanned).

Watching Michael and Seth got me motivated to clean up my keywords, so I did.  In the Photographs_01 catalog.  The keywords in that catalog are now all organized with hierarchies, etc.  So not-so-smart me exports the keyword list from Photographs_01 into WIP.  Now I essentially have a duplicate mess.  The old keyword mess associated with the raw images that were in WIP and the new, beautifully-organized (a relative term) that came over from Photographs_01 with parent / child relationships and all.

Other than going through keyword by keyword and assigning the "correct" keyword to images then deleting the old duplicate keyword, is there a better way?  It's a bit of a daunting task, and before I start I wanted to ask.  You never know...

Here's an example:  WIP has the following keywords, all at a top level with no parent/child relationship:
United States, Ohio, Holden Arboretum

Photographs_01 has the same keywords, but organized:
WORLD LOCATIONS > Continents > North America > United States > Ohio > Holden Arboretum

All nine keywords now exist in WIP, but none are assigned to the "beautifully organized" keyword list from Photographs_01.

Dave
Logged

john beardsworth

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4755
    • My photography site
Importing Keywords into a living catalog
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2009, 06:27:44 am »

The answer is no. But what's really the point of the WIP catalogue other than making work for yourself? Why not, for example, use smart collections to target recent pictures that haven't been adjusted or keyworded. Look up my workflow smart collections for how to do this.

John
Logged

dchew

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1020
    • Dave Chew Photography
Importing Keywords into a living catalog
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2009, 06:40:13 am »

Quote from: johnbeardy
...But what's really the point of the WIP catalogue other than making work for yourself? Why not, for example, use smart collections to target recent pictures that haven't been adjusted or keyworded.
John

John,

These are great questions; in the end it is probably better, but I don't because I often have things "half baked."  I might do a quick develop, like say color balance, then stop and go to work.  A week goes by.  Or I develop but don't rank or keyword.  Certainly I can do a smart collection for images without keywords (or with zero stars), but partial developing gets me lost.  If I was rigorous with my workflow your approach would work.  My two-catalog approach is more like a safety net for being sloppy.  The slop stays in WIP.  

I'll check out your workflow.  Thank you.

Dave
Logged

dchew

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1020
    • Dave Chew Photography
Importing Keywords into a living catalog
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2009, 09:05:05 am »

John,

I went to your website.  What a great resource; thank you for all the effort you've put in to help educate "the rest of us."  

I downloaded the smart collections and it looks very robust.  If I maintain a specific order to my workflow, it looks like I can beat my half-baked issues with your approach.  I'm going to try applying these collections to my WIP catalog and see how it goes.

On a side note, I'm heading over to the U.K. tonight through Sunday morning (looks like I'll be keywording on the plane).  Southern part near Southhampton.  I was planning on going back to the New Forest on Saturday, but if you have any suggestions for this time of year, please let me know.

Thanks again,

Dave

Logged

john beardsworth

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4755
    • My photography site
Importing Keywords into a living catalog
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2009, 09:18:25 am »

Dave

The New Forest is not an area I know well, but it looked pretty enough during my one journey there - a sort of intimate landscape, spring mists, ponies or other wildlife in the trees. The places that most spring to mind are Durdle Door, and Lulworth cove, Corfe Castle, or slightly inland this avenue.

Those collections will get you moving. They might be overkill or be hopefully you'll get the idea and adapt them to your needs. Have fun.

John
« Last Edit: July 20, 2009, 02:19:49 pm by johnbeardy »
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up