Lightroom Tips

5 Ideas for Using Lightroom's Smart Collections

A while back I created a video on Smart Collections and one of the ways that I use them. Well, I was working with some new Smart Collections the other day and I thought it’d be cool to give you 5 ways to use them. More importantly though, I’m looking for some comments here on how you use Smart Collections. I figure there’s got to be plenty of cool ideas out there that I’m missing, so please share.

Anyway, here’s 5 of mine:

Smart Collection Idea #1: PSD Files
Any image edited in Photoshop means it was taken to the next level. Since I’ll usually want to get back to those photos quickly I set the File Type to “PSD” so I can quickly find any PSD files.

Smart Collection Idea #2: HDR Images
Any time I work on an HDR photo in Photoshop I make sure I rename it (to include “HDR) when I get back over to Lightroom. That way, I can set up a Smart Collection where the Filename contains “HDR” so all of my HDR images are just a click away.

Smart Collection Idea #3: Panoramas
Along the same lines of the HDR photos, I do something similar for panos. I make sure to rename any panos when I get back to Lightroom and create a Smart Collection where the Filename contains “Pano”.

Smart Collection Idea #4: Copyright Check
I create a Smart Collection to check for any photos where the Copyright metadata field doesn’t contain “Matt Kloskowski” in it. That way, I can keep an eye on any that I forget to copyright.

Smart Collection Idea #5: Recently Edited
Lightroom also has some default Smart Collections. I kinda like the “Recently Modified” one so I can see what photos I’ve recently changed. I double click on it though, to change it from 2 days to 5 days, and that seems to work well for me.

Well that’s it for today. I’m in Albuquerque shooting the Balloon Fiesta and we have to be up and in the lobby by 4:15am (ouch!). See ya!

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