Lightroom 4 - How to batch export watermarked files when introducing a second camera

Hi guys,

I've recently pulled the trigger on a second 5DIII, and am now stumped in how I go about batch exporting my photos with a watermark.

My scenario
- I have two camera's with obviously differing file names
- To edit a typical event (captured with both camera's), I would typically import the files, go into grid mode and sort by capture time. That way I get a sequence of photos from start to finish.
- However, when it comes to exporting my files with my watermark on it, I have not identified any real "efficient' way of batch exporting my files with a scaled watermark. I have two watermarks, one for landscape orientation and one for portrait orientation (you can't use the same for both, the landscape will always look bigger than the portrait so you have to scale down the proportional size of the landscape watermark). When I only had a single camera, I would typically go into grid mode, sort by aspect ratio, export one batch by portrait orientation (with the portrait watermark), export the other batch by landscape orientation (with the landscape orientation), and I would use the file naming convention as the stock file name (to keep the order of the photos/capture time in tact).

The problem:
- Now that I've introduced a second camera, I can no longer use the above workflow. If I was to sort by aspect ratio, export two batches, one with a portrait watermark and another with a landscape (while keeping the filename stock), the exported results seem to be ordered by the camera used. (i.e. the photos would be ordered with filenames starting with F<xxx> followed by the second camera's filenames of G<xxx> - here the problem is that the photos will be grouped by camera and won't be sorted by capture time).

My workaround:
- I've identified one way of working around this, however I don't think it is efficient and was wondering if there was a more efficient solution available.
- To work around this, I would order all the photos by capture time, export the photos without the watermark and change the filename to a sequence (eg eventname_01, eventname_02 etc etc). I would then import the exported files back into lightroom, sort by aspect ratio, export two batches (one with the portrait watermark and one with the landscape watermark) with the filename being the new sequence file name. The end result would be that I would have my photos exported and sorted by capture time, and the problem is solved.
- Yes, this is one way of working around it, though I am finding it VERY inefficient. Does anyone have a more efficient solution? Thanks!

Hmm, not sure of why you would be seeing the problem, if you are sorting each aspect ratio soley by capture time. I can't test this out, but I'd say go carefully through all your various options, maybe some others can chime in?

tonylong wrote in post #15573733
Hmm, not sure of why you would be seeing the problem, if you are sorting each aspect ratio soley by capture time.

I believe the problem sits somewhere within my file naming conventions. I really hope there's a simple fix available!

Import the files into LR. Then either do any select/reject sorting first so that the sequence numbers remain consecutive, or simply just do a rename of all the files while the images are sorted by capture time. This then allows you to do both your landscape and portrait exports and just use the existing filename. Rename is in the Library tab on the toolbar or just use F2.

Alan

It's possible to create a new file name preset for the export dialog. You need one that will create a file name that includes the capture date and time. This way, regardless of what order you export them, you can always sort them back to shoot order.

In the File Naming section, check the "Rename To" block, then select "Edit" from the dropdown box. Create a preset with the following format:

{Date (YYYYMMDD)}-{Hour}{Minute}{Second}​-{Original filename}

Call it something like "Date-Time-Original Filename"

Select this when exporting and it will give you file names that allow you to sort by capture time, but still preserve the original file name for matching back to the files in your catalog.

BirdsOfPreyDave wrote in post #15576729
It's possible to create a new file name preset for the export dialog. You need one that will create a file name that includes the capture date and time. This way, regardless of what order you export them, you can always sort them back to shoot order.

In the File Naming section, check the "Rename To" block, then select "Edit" from the dropdown box. Create a preset with the following format:

{Date (YYYYMMDD)}-{Hour}{Minute}{Second}​-{Original filename}

Call it something like "Date-Time-Original Filename"

Select this when exporting and it will give you file names that allow you to sort by capture time, but still preserve the original file name for matching back to the files in your catalog.

THAT WORKED!!

thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!

Dave, I like how you put that together, in fact the same "Edit" functions can apply to Import and Rename, as well as the Export naming. You might consider "packaging" this presentation and putting it in the Lightroom Threads "Sticky"!

Glad I was able to help!