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How can I sort images from multiple cameras in Lightroom by time and export them to Photoshop

Community Beginner ,
Feb 08, 2017 Feb 08, 2017

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I saw a forum where part of this was answered but no one mentioned how to export them to Photoshop for editing and uploading to DropBox for a client.  I understand how to sort them by capture time and my cameras are both set to the same time.  What I cannot figure out is how to then export the images and still have them in order of the TIME they were taken.  LT will number the images, but the numbering is at the end of the file name not the beginning so when they are exported they still revert back to the original grouping by camera.  When I deliver the images to a client I want similar images from two different cameras to be together.  I am new to LT so your help is appreciated.

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LEGEND ,
Feb 09, 2017 Feb 09, 2017

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Stop renaming them. Select all of them, or part of them first to last by Capture Time and Right Click on the first in the order and select Edit In then choose PS. The images should load into PS in the same order they were select, first to last by Capture time.

In any event the problem comes with how they are displayed in whatever program the client will be viewing them. Most will want to place them in order by File Name and not Capture Time. That is something the Client and you will have to sort out.

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 10, 2017 Feb 10, 2017

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Thank you for responding.  I appreciate you offer to help.

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LEGEND ,
Feb 09, 2017 Feb 09, 2017

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suee36125316 wrote:

LT will number the images, but the numbering is at the end of the file name not the beginning so when they are exported they still revert back to the original grouping by camera. When I deliver the images to a client I want similar images from two different cameras to be together. I am new to LT so your help is appreciated.

You can use the Export module's 'Filename Template Editor' with the below Custom settings to place the Sequence # at the front of the Filename.

Select all of the images from both cameras and set sort to Capture Time. The Export files will be named in order of Capture Time when sorted by Filename (0001_Filename, 0002_Filename, 0003_Filename, etc.)

What editing are you doing in PS? You may be able to do that in LR if you tell us more about your workflow.

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 09, 2017 Feb 09, 2017

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I am totally new to this forum and to LT and appreciate everyone's help here.  I'm not sure if I can respond to everyone with just one response so I'm hoping everyone can see this.

Having said that, I have four test images I'm working with the learn how to do this. They are sorted properly and then I click "Export".

Am I in the right place?  I entered the sequencing below but it exported all four files with ooo01 in from of them and the same image number.  I'm obviously doing something wrong.

Since I do not know LT yet, I do my processing in PS and save the event files in folders.  When I upload to DropBox or burn a CD the images group by camera not time.  I had a client complain about this and I had to go in and rename/renumber 200 files.

Export Page.JPG

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Community Expert ,
Feb 09, 2017 Feb 09, 2017

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Here's an example of how you might set it up. In the Filename Template Editor, the key is to insert the blue metadata tokens where you want the filename to change for each individual image, and you insert a Custom Text token so that you can type filename text that will be the same for every image.

Lightroom Filename Template Editor.jpg

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 09, 2017 Feb 09, 2017

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Thank you Conrad.  I'm still not getting this to work.  I followed your example....I think and it exports the images all with the same file name even though I marked 001 sequence.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 10, 2017 Feb 10, 2017

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suee36125316 wrote:

it exports the images all with the same file name even though I marked 001 sequence.

Just making sure...was the sequence number set up by clicking the Insert button for one of the Sequence and Date options in the middle of the dialog box, or by typing it manually? Anything typed manually will be the same for all filenames.

I agree with trshaner that it would be helpful if you can post a screen shot of the Export dialog box the way you've set it up, to help us see what needs to be adjusted.

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 10, 2017 Feb 10, 2017

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Wow!  I'm so inexperienced in LT that I kept trying to type things manually.  I finally got it!!!  Thank you so much for sticking with me on this.  Last night I also figured out how to do it in Bridge so it's a double bonus.

It was truly a lesson in perseverance in this forum and me.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 10, 2017 Feb 10, 2017

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You're welcome...Glad to hear it worked out!

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LEGEND ,
Feb 09, 2017 Feb 09, 2017

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suee36125316 wrote:

Am I in the right place? I entered the sequencing below but it exported all four files with ooo01 in from of them and the same image number. I'm obviously doing something wrong.

Yes this is the right place, but you're using the 'Custom Text' field to create a Sequence #. Please take a look at my example in Reply #2 above. You need to go into Custom Settings and then select 'Edit' as shown below. Next insert 'Sequence # (0001),' add an underscore or dash for a separator, and then insert 'Filename.' The assumption here is that 1) you want the files to to stay in Capture Time order using filename sort and 2) you want to be able to identify the original camera filename. This file renaming template will do that for you.

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 09, 2017 Feb 09, 2017

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I did this and it exports the four test images with the same image number. 

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LEGEND ,
Feb 09, 2017 Feb 09, 2017

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Works for me–Here's an example Export with that Filename Template.

Please post screenshots as below. I'm sure we can figure out what's wrong.

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 10, 2017 Feb 10, 2017

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Thank you so much for your help!!  You were so clear but I'm just so inexperienced that I didn't finally "get it" until Conrad mentioned not typing into the box and using the insert buttons.

I so appreciate your constant help and not giving up on my lack of knowledge.  As I mentioned before, I'm just starting to make myself learn LT.  I've used PS for years for my editing.  Always something to learn.

Someone else mentioned that it depended on the program my client uses as to whether the sort would remain for them.  Is that true or are they consistently going to stay in this order when they are delivered.  Seems like they should.

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LEGEND ,
Feb 10, 2017 Feb 10, 2017

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suee36125316 wrote:

Someone else mentioned that it depended on the program my client uses as to whether the sort would remain for them. Is that true or are they consistently going to stay in this order when they are delivered. Seems like they should.

Most viewers and applications use Filename sort order by default. The fact that your client complained about the sort order indicates they are using probably using a viewer with Filename sort order.

From inside LR if you hit the F1 key it will take you to tutorials and and other resources on Adobe.com for learning.As you gain experience it will get easier and If you get stuck we are glad to help.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 09, 2017 Feb 09, 2017

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Another thought... if your end goal is to share images with a client you might want consider an alternate workflow. Try organizing your images in a collection in the order that you want (e.g. by time), then sync the collection with Lr Mobile and share the link with your client(s). Your client will then be able to access the collection via any browser window and make comments that will sync to your Lr desktop version.

You can then export the collection to deliver to your client. And although I agree with JSM on not renaming the photos, if you absolutely don't want a break in the sequence you can rename upon export.

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 10, 2017 Feb 10, 2017

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Thank you for your assistance.  I am just learning LT so the simpler the better for now. 

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Community Expert ,
Feb 09, 2017 Feb 09, 2017

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The big question is whether you need the images to stay in capture time order after they're delivered to the client. In other words, do the images need to stay in capture time order on the client's own drive? Because if they do, there's probably only one answer.

The Mac and (I think) Windows file systems don't let you (or your client) sort files by capture time in a folder. They let you sort by File Created or File Modified dates, but those aren't the same thing, and Lightroom can't rewrite either based on the capture time anyway. Any solution you might find for sending the images to Photoshop in capture time order probably will break down when it's time to deliver the files to the client.

Most clients are probably going to have folders on their drives set to sort by file name. So ultimately, that's the only practical solution to the problem: If you want the images to stay in capture time order all the way to the client's drive, rename the files in a way that the capture time is in the filename and can be sorted by it.

For example, if your original filenames from different cameras are:

_MG_6728.CR2 (capture time 20170206-184020)

_MG_0034.CR2 (capture time 20170206-184023)

_MG_6729.CR2 (capture time 20170206-184035)

_MG_0035.CR2 (capture time 20170206-184056)

…and you don't want the capture time at the beginning, and you want to preserve the original filenames, you can use Lightroom to automatically rename the beginning of the filenames consistently, and using filename tokens, have Lightroom put the capture time and original filename after that:

MyStudio-20170206-184020_MG_6728.CR2

MyStudio-20170206-184023_MG_0034.CR2

MyStudio-20170206-184035_MG_6729.CR2

MyStudio-20170206-184056_MG_6735.CR2

Renamed in this way, the images will stay in capture time order when sorted by name on any file system you or the client might use, and you can still identify the original filenames.

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LEGEND ,
Feb 09, 2017 Feb 09, 2017

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and (I think) Windows file systems don't let you (or your client) sort files by capture time in a folder.

Minor correction: Windows File Explorer does let you view and sort files in a folder by photo capture time.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 09, 2017 Feb 09, 2017

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johnrellis wrote:

and (I think) Windows file systems don't let you (or your client) sort files by capture time in a folder.

Minor correction: Windows File Explorer does let you view and sort files in a folder by photo capture time.

Thanks for filling that in...that's why I said "I think"

If the client is on Windows and the plan is to rely on that ability to sort by Capture Time, that could affect how the images should be exported. They probably have to be exported with the Metadata Include option set to All Metadata or All Except Camera & Camera Raw Info. The other two choices won't include EXIF Date Time Original...am I correct in thinking that Windows needs Date Time Original to sort by capture time?

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LEGEND ,
Feb 09, 2017 Feb 09, 2017

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am I correct in thinking that Windows needs Date Time Original to sort by capture time?

Right.

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