Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Unless you have images in multiple places (not under one root folder), just copy the root photo directory. It will take a while, but will include all sub-directories.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Seems to me that there are three, maybe four separate tasks.

1. Get the image files backed up.
2. Get rid of unwanted image files
3. Use Lightroom to manage image files
4. Remove any backed up files that are unwanted.

Depending on the order you do them, the workflow changes.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

Thank you for mentioning Painter. I’ve been using LR for a long time and never noticed it! Thank you!

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

My suggestion:
First, make a new catalog with located on your backup HD. Under that new named catalog folder, I would make an "Images" folder. Into the "images" folder I would copy all the folders containing images that I want to import.

Master Lightroom Catalog Name
lightroom files
|__Images
|__subfolders containing images arranged how you would like.

Second, Within LR Import using the "Add" mode and select the base image folder with a check in the include subfolders box.

Now all your images will be in LR, and you can bite the bullet and delete those that you do not want to keep in small increments.

The downside to this method is that you will not be able to rename the files during the import.

To add keywords, all you have to do is select as many files as you want to have the same keyword list and then type in the keywords.

Once you have your catalog built. You can move and rearrange folder contents within Lightroom so the file pointers don't get goofed up.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Exactly, import all. Cull, pp, then copy/back up to back up drive.

Haenzel Loc: South Holland, The Netherlands

Is Rapid Photo Downloader an option for you?

fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM

I think you will find Painter to be a very useful tool for what it offers to do for you. I have found many task examples where it made the whole exercise easier and faster to accomplish. One of LR hidden gems IMO. I'm glad you have now discovered Painter.

fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM

Jay go back to my original suggestion...you will find that does exactly as you have suggested above. Use the painter feature to 'reject' those you don't want and then delete the rejected images from the HD...using LR to delete

jayw Loc: Contoocook, NH

I'll give it a try over the weekend and see if that does what I want.

Thanks for suggestion.

sloscheider Loc: Minnesota

I'm inclined to say don't copy the files but rather use the "Add" function for importing them all. This will leave all your images exactly where they are. As others have said you've really got several projects to tackle. Backing up to a 2nd drive is just one of them, importing into LR and culling duplicates are other projects.

I'm hesitant to go along with creating your LR catalog by indexing your backup copy. Make sure you've got a good backup of your images. LR doesn't need to know anything about your backup hard drive so leave your files where they are and just Add them to LR. Then start flagging images as rejects/duplicates and clean things up.