Geotagging in Lightroom.

Pete Gl

Pete Gl

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Errr Pete?
Edit My Images
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When I Geotag my images using the "Map" module in LR, I'm fairly certain it only adds the Geo data to the library copy of the image, not the original image stored, for example, on my hard drive. Is there a way to get the Geo data back to the original image?

Many thanks in advance

Pete
 
Yes it can be done.

I should point out that I only had my LR for about 9 months so far, haven't used it a lot, and still learning my way around, but yes, it can be done as I have found out about it.

Point of note: The geotagging information will become part of the image's metadata, the EXIF thing, or put it other way, if you right-click the image file in Windows, and click on Properties, the geotagging information will be included in that. Therefore, if you want to save geotag information to original files not Library copies, any changes you make to image files in Library, like adding keywords, adding copyright information, etc., they all will be saved along with the geotag information too.

Depending on your Lightroom's set up, in the Library, in Grid view, you may see in the upper right hand corner, a little icon looking like three lines and a downwards arrow, that lets you know the metadata needs to be updated, and if on the lower right hand corner, there's a little icon looking like a signpost, it means the image file now got geotag information. Unless you told your LR you prefer not to display those icons, in which case you'll have to remember which of the photos you had geotagged yourself.

When you know that photo had been geotagged, just right-click on it to bring up sub menu, then hover over 'Metadata' which shows a triangle arrow pointing to the right, where another sub menu will pop up, then click on the one that says 'Save Metadata to File'.

Actually this is a one by one thing, like I pointed out, I'm still new to LR and still learning how to use it, so I haven't yet learnt how to get it done with so many photos.

I think IICR, highlight any photos you want (usual stuff like click first photo, hold down shift, click last photo, or hold down Ctrl and click whichever photo you want to select), then when you got the photos you want, I think you go to the menu bar, click on 'Metadata' to pull it down, then can't remember which one of those commands to use, either the one that says 'Sync Metadata' or most likely the one that says 'Save Metadata to File'.

Yes, you can save the geotag information to the original files on your hard drive.
 
Brilliant !! Thank you very much Major Eazy.

Pete
 
P.S.

That's something else you taught me, yes my photos currently display the little icons you mentioned, I didn't know you could turn them off, sometimes if you get 2, 3 or even 4 they can make the image look cluttered. Now I know you can turn them off.

Thanks again Major Eazy.

Pete
 
Yes, you can turn them off, it is up to you.

I once turned off the upper right corner icon which reminded me if the EXIF had been updated but not saved to file, but later changed my mind and turned them back. It do not bother me if they clutter up a bit, after all they're just tiny icons, plus I found them to be useful for reminding me if the EXIF metadata for the Library copies had been updated, but not saved to the original files.

Go to Library module, make sure it is in Grid View, hold down Ctrl and press J

That brings up the Library View Option, then have a look at it, chose your options. You can make notes of the settings, then change the settings, close it by clicking in the X in the upper right corner, have a look at your Grid View. If you're not happy, just start again with Ctrl + J and adjust settings as you like.

If you want to be sure that LR lets you know if the original files on your hard drive did not have their EXIF updated with geotag, leave the one that reads 'Unsaved Metadata' with a tick. But if you prefer to turn it off, well then when you geotag your photos, make sure you remember to save them as I suggested, otherwise, if you don't, you would have Library copies geotagged, but original files not geotagged.

As for the tiny ones, the part you mention about "2, 3, or even 4", actually I can't remember which settings and options turn them on/off, beside, I don't even remember if I did turned them off (I only remembered that I turned off the upper right icon), but they would be somewhere in the Library View Options. Either the one that says 'Show images info tooltips' or the one that says 'Thumbnail Badges'

I can't remember but Adobe would have online manuals you can download in PDF, actually I learnt mine from Scott Kelby's book.
 
UPDATE: Sometimes you may untick/tick some of them, and notice the changes happens in Grid View, the small "2, 3, or even 4" icons as you put it, is the 'Thumbnail Badges' option. Uncheck (turn off the tick mark) it, and they turned off.
 
Many thanks once again Major Eazy!

Pete
 
A couple of great tips there [emoji3] what version of LR ?
 
Lightroom CC, however it also works with Lightroom 6, basically LR CC and LR 6 are the same, expect for CC having few extras related to using cloud services in addition to LR 6.

But I would assume those tips would work with any version of Lightroom, just check to see.
 
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