Adding pictures in Lightroom: changing source destination will lead to loosing metadata in Lightroom?

[bartmeyvis]

-When I’m adding  pictures in Lightroom, instead of copying them, do they have to stay then always at the same location in the original map (in Bridge or at my computer for example) for recognizing the metadata in Lightroom? Or will I by changing my source destination loose my metadata in Lightroom?

[Moved from the Lounge (which is where you can "connect with your peers" from across all of Adobe's products for conversations that don't directly relate to help and support) to a product-specific support forum - moderator]

[Brad Lawryk]

You should not lose the metadata. The metadata is generally embedded right in the image file and should transfer along with the path change.

[dj_paige]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Brad+Lawryk  wrote

You should not lose the metadata. The metadata is generally embedded right in the image file and should transfer along with the path change.

In Lightroom, the metadata and edits are stored in the catalog file, by default the metadata and edits are not stored with the photo itself, and so moving photos outside of Lightroom will cause Lightroom to not be able to find the photos. It's simple to reconnect, but you're better off not doing this in the first place.

The original poster said:

When I’m adding  pictures in Lightroom, instead of copying them, do they have to stay then always at the same location in the original map

You can import new photos into any folder you want, Lightroom doesn't care, everything works fine.

Or will I by changing my source destination loose my metadata in Lightroom?

It's very unclear to me what you are asking here.

[cmgap]

Or will I by changing my source destination loose my metadata in Lightroom? No - pick an image, make an obvious edit such as making it black and white, then move the image to a new folder and see what happens.

After you move your test image, right-click and view in finder. The image will be in it's new location and the edits / metadata will be intact.

[dj_paige]

cmgap  wrote

Or will I by changing my source destination loose my metadata in Lightroom? No - pick an image, make an obvious edit such as making it black and white, then move the image to a new folder and see what happens.

Do you mean: pick an image, make an obvious edit such as making it black and white, then USING LIGHTROOM move the image to a new folder

[bartmeyvis]

Thanks a lot for the comments. Dj paige: I mean moving my pictures on my laptop to another place, not in Lightroom but in Bridge for example.

[Geoff the kiwi]

bartmeyvis  wrote

Thanks a lot for the comments. Dj paige: I mean moving my pictures on my laptop to another place, not in Lightroom but in Bridge for example.

Yes, by moving files outside of Lightroom you may lose metadata. But not necessarily.Move everything within Lightroom so the database maintains the links to the files. If the links/location details are broken by moving files outside of Lightroom they can be restored but it is easier to use Lightroom to do the moving if at all possible.....

[cmgap]

This might be helfpul: Metadata Q&A | Photometadata.org

"Information stored in an image file is always with the image, no matter where it travels. In this sense, the information is the image."

The next question might be What does Lightroom store in the XMP sidecar file: Metadata basics and actions in Lightroom

"XMP facilitates the exchange of metadata between Adobe applications and across publishing workflows. For example, you can save metadata from one file as a template, and then import the metadata into other files."

[dj_paige]

cmgap  wrote

This might be helfpul: Metadata Q&A | Photometadata.org

"Information stored in an image file is always with the image, no matter where it travels. In this sense, the information is the image."

The next question might be What does Lightroom store in the XMP sidecar file: Metadata basics and actions in Lightroom

"XMP facilitates the exchange of metadata between Adobe applications and across publishing workflows. For example, you can save metadata from one file as a template, and then import the metadata into other files."

And yet, by default, Lightroom does not store user-supplied metadata or edits with the image. This happens only if the user specifically instructs Lightroom to store these user-supplied metadata and edits with the image. And then, as noted, some user-supplied metadata, actions and edit history (among other things) are still not stored with the image.

[dj_paige]

bartmeyvis  wrote

Thanks a lot for the comments. Dj paige: I mean moving my pictures on my laptop to another place, not in Lightroom but in Bridge for example.

Still not clear.

Moving your pictures to WHAT OTHER PLACE? Be specific. Moving the photos using your operating system, or Lightroom, or some other method? Be specific.

Also, it sounds like you are contemplating removing/deleting the photos from Lightroom to store them in Bridge? This is certainly an idea that I would never recommend, it seems like it is extra work that provides no benefit.

As a general rule, I also do not recommend using BOTH Lightroom and Bridge together in your work, this seems unnecessary, although I realize that some people do it for reasons that I don't understand.