# Metadata "Label"



## yorkiemom (Jun 2, 2012)

I've looked everywhere and googled but can't find an answer to my question. The "label" area in the metadata...where does this show up if you put words in that section? I always use the Title and caption area but was wondering what the label spot is for.


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## Jim Wilde (Jun 2, 2012)

If you use a colour label, that's where the information is stored in the metadata.


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## yorkiemom (Jun 2, 2012)

Thank you so much! I was wondering what that was for and just couldn't find it.


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## clee01l (Jun 3, 2012)

If you navigate to the menu {Metadata}{Color Label Set} you will see a list of currently installed presets. The Lightroom Default set assigns the "label names", Red to the red color, "Green" to the green etc. you can create your own Color Label Set and assign other words or phrases to the different color tags that are represented on the Toolbar and in the Attribute filter on the filter bar.  Any Label name that does not match up with one of the 5 assigned to a color is assigned the "Custom" color. 

I use a defined Color Label Set that assigns the phrases to the 5 colors:To Be Worked
Work in Progress
Needs Further Review
Not in a Published Collection - Complete
In A Published  Collection​


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## yorkiemom (Jun 3, 2012)

I was wondering what to use the color labels for. I haven't used them yet. That's like the collections. I haven't used them yet either. Thinking why would I really need a collection? Maybe I'd use them for my favorite photos but not sure what else. I have everything keyworded so I can find anything.

Thanks for the suggestions ont he color labels. I think I might just use them!


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## erro (Jun 3, 2012)

If you find yourself doing the same search or filtering several times, then you can create that as a smart collection instead, saving you some time.

And you can use "normal" collection for grouping arbitrary photos that can't be filtered in an easy way.

Let's say you often want to see your 4-5 star rated photos that also are keyworded "taken at home". Instead of doing that filtering you can set it up as rules for a smart collection.

And let's further say that you want to print a calandar with 12 of those photos, but you are not really sure which 12. Then you can simply add al those photos to a normal collection. Then you enter that collection and delete the ones you don't want in the calendar. This will only remove the photos from that collection, and they are still left in LR and on disk. Then just keep removing photos until you have 12 left.

Smart collection can also be used to track your work-flow. For example, I have asmart collection that shows all photos that don't have any develop adjustments. And another that shows photos without a title. And so on. As soon as I add a title to a photo, it automatically disappears from that smart collection. And so on.


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## yorkiemom (Jun 3, 2012)

Really? Wow, I didn't know I could do all that. Going to have to rethink now. I have so many keywords.

You mentioned that you have a smart collection that shows all photos w/o develop adjustments. Is that so you can see all your "originals" in LR? I mean rather than going out of LR and using, say CS5 (which I use), to possibley make different adjustments on the original and not one that has LR adjustments? Just curious.


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## clee01l (Jun 3, 2012)

Norma, You might appreciate John Beardsworth's Workflow Smart Collections.  I use a modified version of these to manage my workflow, making sure that I have at least one keyword on every photo, a Title, a Caption and Adjustments on every image that I deem complete and to be published. I've extended upon Johns work to drive my Publish Services with Smart collections.  I use the Smart Collections with the color labels that I mentioned earlier to track the state of each image in my catalog.


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## erro (Jun 3, 2012)

yorkiemom said:


> Really? Wow, I didn't know I could do all that. Going to have to rethink now. I have so many keywords.
> 
> You mentioned that you have a smart collection that shows all photos w/o develop adjustments. Is that so you can see all your "originals" in LR? I mean rather than going out of LR and using, say CS5 (which I use), to possibley make different adjustments on the original and not one that has LR adjustments? Just curious.



Keywords are great for lots of things, and I use them a lot. But you can search and filter for much for than just keywords.

Try to create a dummy smart collection and just have a look yourself at all the options you have.

A collection with the rules "doesn't have adjustments" is just one really simple example.


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## yorkiemom (Jun 3, 2012)

Hmmm, going to have to try that out. I'm all for making my life easier. I'll also check out the link. Right now I have a keyword, title, caption and creator for each of my photos so I'm getting there.


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## erro (Jun 4, 2012)

So, then you might want to try and create three smart collections to verify that you really have title, caption and creator for *all *photos. If they all show a count of zero, then you're fine. But as soon as you have another number you'll automatically know that you have missed something, and those collections will immediately show you the offending photos so that you can fix them. And that's just one use for smart collections.


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## yorkiemom (Jun 4, 2012)

Cool! Thanks so much for the indepth explanation! I'll let you know if I have any problems.


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