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Import and delete photos from Lightroom
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Jun 19, 2022 15:44:20   #
chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA
 
I'm looking for a method to batch-delete unwanted pix after import to Lightroom...anyone? I would love to be able to select/tag "keepers" and then sh*t can the rest.

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Jun 19, 2022 15:47:47   #
Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room
 
How about doing the opposite? Flag the ones you want to delete and then just apply the action to all.

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Jun 19, 2022 15:59:05   #
chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA
 
Just Fred wrote:
How about doing the opposite? Flag the ones you want to delete and then just apply the action to all.


...for small amounts that would be fine, but I'm talking a thousand-plus, out of which I may want to keep a tenth?

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Jun 19, 2022 16:32:04   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
Your first action is to select the ones that need to be deleted.
The best way to do that is to go to the library module and display the entire group out of which you will be deleting. If you just imported them, the left panel will have an item 'Previous Import'. Click on that and LR will show just the last set of images you imported. Start with the first one. At this point I usually go to the library loupe view so I can see the image in a reasonably large size. If you want to delete it, press the 'x' key. That will add a reject flag. If you want to keep it don't do anything. To go to the next image press the right arrow key. Again, 'x' or nothing, then arrow.

When you get through them all, go to library grid mode (just press the 'g' key). At the top of the grid, click on 'Attribute'. That will show you a list of things. From the three flags, click on the right one. That will show all the rejected photos. Press ctrl-A or cmd-A to select them all. Press the delete key. You then have the choice of deleting them from the disk or just from the catalog. Deleting them from the disk will send them to the trash bin. Deleting them from the catalog will leave them on the disk but you won't see them in Lightroom any more.

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Jun 19, 2022 16:33:22   #
fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM
 
You won't like this...but. Apply a color (say Red) flag to the photos you want to keep. Then create a Smart Collection that shows only those photos that are NOT flag with red...

Then while in the Grid display mode select all shown photos and flag them as rejects....X key if you like. Then in the photo tab select 'Delete all rejected photos' - near the bottom of the pull down.

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Jun 19, 2022 16:37:02   #
chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA
 
DirtFarmer wrote:
Your first action is to select the ones that need to be deleted.
The best way to do that is to display the entire group out of which you will be deleting. Start with the first one. If you want to delete it, press the 'x' key. That will add a reject flag. If you want to keep it don't do anything. To go to the next image press the right arrow key. Again, 'x' or nothing, then arrow.

When you get through them all, go to library grid mode. At the top of the grid, click on 'Attribute'. That will show you a list of things. From the three flags, click on the right one. That will show all the rejected photos. Press ctrl-A or cmd-A to select them all. Press the delete key. You then have the choice of deleting them from the disk or just from the catalog. Deleting them from the disk will send them to the trash bin. Deleting them from the catalog will leave them on the disk but you won't see them in Lightroom any more.
Your first action is to select the ones that need ... (show quote)


I've thought of this, but it's WAY time-intensive. I've been doing LR since the beginning, but of course don't know everything about it. So, I'm looking for something I *don't* know about, subject to the strictures I've already mentioned. I don't *think* there's a way, which is why I posted the query. Thanks for your response!

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Jun 19, 2022 16:37:03   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
To apply a red color label to an image, just press the '6' key.

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Jun 19, 2022 16:37:47   #
chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA
 
DirtFarmer wrote:
To apply a red color label to an image, just press the '6' key.


I just use "p" and "x" and work from there.

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Jun 19, 2022 16:38:04   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
chasgroh wrote:
I've thought of this, but it's WAY time-intensive. I've been doing LR since the beginning, but of course don't know everything about it. So, I'm looking for something I *don't* know about, subject to the strictures I've already mentioned. I don't *think* there's a way, which is why I posted the query. Thanks for your response!


It's not all time intensive. The time intensive part is selecting the photos to be rejected. The rest of the process I described takes seconds.

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Jun 19, 2022 16:40:13   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
chasgroh wrote:
I just use "p" and "x" and work from there.


p/x works fine. Just select all the "x" flagged photos and press delete.

To batch select the "x" flagged photos, use the attribute filter I described above. Then ctrl-A to select them all.

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Jun 19, 2022 16:40:59   #
chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA
 
fredpnm wrote:
You won't like this...but. Apply a color (say Red) flag to the photos you want to keep. Then create a Smart Collection that shows only those photos that are NOT flag with red...

Then while in the Grid display mode select all shown photos and flag them as rejects....X key if you like. Then in the photo tab select 'Delete all rejected photos' - near the bottom of the pull down.


...I use the "p" key and don't do the color thing, but I think your workflow might work! Key is creating the Smart Collection...and I surely LIKE solutions!!!

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Jun 19, 2022 16:42:15   #
fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM
 
DirtFarmer wrote:
To apply a red color label to an image, just press the '6' key.


Consider using the Painter function in the tool bar set to color red...that is a MUCH faster way to select those photos you want to keep.

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Jun 19, 2022 16:43:38   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
The smart collection will work, however don't try to delete them while displaying the smart collection. It won't work. What you have to do is display the smart collection, then select them all (ctrl-A) and switch out of the collection to all photos. Then the delete key will delete them all.

Actually, the smart collection is a good idea. Once you define it, that collection will show you all the rejects. Deleting the photos won't delete the collection, so the next time you x an image it will show up in the reject collection and you can go there, select all, go back to all photos and delete them. You create the smart collection once and you can use it forever.

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Jun 19, 2022 16:43:56   #
fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM
 
chasgroh wrote:
...I use the "p" key and don't do the color thing, but I think your workflow might work! Key is creating the Smart Collection...and I surely LIKE solutions!!!


Using whatever flag method you like best is just as good as color.

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Jun 19, 2022 16:45:20   #
chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA
 
DirtFarmer wrote:
It's not all time intensive. The time intensive part is selecting the photos to be rejected. The rest of the process I described takes seconds.


...you're right and I see this clearly, the more I think about it, staying in Library mode would be the ticket.

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