A note about using keywords as filters for Smart Collections in Lightroom

[Ellis Vener]

Here is a ‪#‎LightroomCC2015‬ ‪#‎SmartCollections‬ conundrum.Have you ever created  a smart collection based on a set of keywords, but once created the smart collection also contains images that do not have any of those specified keywords?

I have discovered two reasons for this  The keyword filter is doing a non-contextual search.

In the first case the Smart Collection filter does not look for a combination of words only the individual words. It is doing and "or" search instead of an "and" search. In simpler terms when setting up a filter based on a keyword you cannot use a multi-word phrase unless you wish the filter to look for each word in that phrase.

In the first example it sees the "arts" in "liberal arts" as matching the same word in the filter phrase "martial arts".

This problem with non-contextual search parameters goes even deeper: it will see the string of letters that make up one of your search terms  even if they are part of a string that makes up a longer word. In the second example it sees "law" even though the keyword for the image is "lawn"

[Rory]

Lr searching has been long waiting some TLC. 

[Ellis Vener]

In this instance, what is needed is a "but not" conditioner.

[john beardsworth]

In this instance, what is needed is a "but not" conditioner.

Have you tried pressing Alt (PC) or Option (Mac) when you click the + to add a new criterion. It allows you to nest extra conditions.

[john beardsworth]

A second tip is that you can enter all those words on a single line. So Keywords / Contains / Gym Workout.....

[Rory]

I have the keywords "Dog", "Prairie Dog" and "Dog Violet".  I know I can show only the key word "Dog" if I build a smart collection:

• Keywords contains words Dog
• Keywords doesn't contain Prairie Dog
• Keywords doesn't contain Dog Violet

I also know you can filter on a keyword in the KeywordList panel, but this might just be part of a more complex query including dates, ratings etc.

John - is there another, simpler way to do this?  There should be an option Keyword = Dog.

[john beardsworth]

As a smart collection, I think this is it:

Keywords / Contains / Dog
(Now use the Alt/Option and click Plus)
None of the following are True

• Keywords / Contains / Prairie
  Keywords / Contains / Violet

Rory, my understanding is that the smart collection interprets two or more words not as a phrase but as two separate words. So your bullet points read "Find images with dog in the keywords but without 'prairie' in the keywords and without 'dog' in the keywords...."

Yes, there should be a way to say Keywords/ Exactly Equal/Dog. Lots of other stupidity there too - ever tried making a smart collection to find those with empty titles or captions?

John

[dtrozzo]

"but not" conditioner is available- as John stated hold down alt to potion and hit the plus button.

[Ellis Vener]

"but not" conditioner is available- as John stated hold down alt to potion and hit the plus button.

I see that and have tried it but in the instance I cited - "law" but not "lawn" - it dos not work, It still selects images with "lawn"  if "law" is one of the keyword filters. My hypothesis is that after it identifies the string "l" followed by "a" followed by "w" and stops filtering at that point.

[dtrozzo]

I see what your saying- try adding the rule Keyword> Does Not Contain> Lawn.  When I tried to recreate your example using Anna and Annapolis I was able to remove Annapolis from the collection. I hope I am seeing your post correctly-

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Thanks for the tips. I had just about given up trying to filter keywords in any useful fashion. I'll try again.

[Ellis Vener]

I see what your saying- try adding the rule Keyword> Does Not Contain> Lawn.  When I tried to recreate your example using Anna and Annapolis I was able to remove Annapolis from the collection. I hope I am seeing your post correctly-

Thanks dtrozzo! That is a solid work around.

[bassman51]

I often use the "contains all" conditional to select eg "Kids 2016" but not "Kids".