HOW TO... Find images with keywords (Lightroom)

Identify particular pictures in your photo collection by adding keywords to the metadata, then search for specific images using keyword filters.

Earlier in the series we looked at ways to begin sorting your collection of photos by adding ratings and flags, and using their existing metadata to filter photos according to certain criteria, such as aspect ratio or camera model. Later in this chapter we’ll learn how to locate photos according to where they were captured, thanks to the GPS coordinates stored in the metadata. It’s handy to be able to search for files according to coloured labels or shooting locations, but these tools will only go so far. To find a photo according to its actual subject matter, we could try to remember when it was taken and then scroll down through the Grid view in an attempt to identify its thumbnail. Alternatively, we could add keywords to our photos and then use Lightroom’s Filter bar to find the particular pictures in an instant. Keywords are a series of words that describe the content of a photo. They are stored in the photo’s metadata, so that when the file is shared or uploaded, the keywords remain attached. This can be useful if you want to sell your work as stock photography because potential buyers can use keywords to find your photo via search engines. In this walk through we’ll show you how to create keywords.