Metadata Presets Speed up Your Lightroom Work

Infrared image
Bannack State Park, Montana

Adobe created Lightroom Classic to help us efficiently manage the large numbers of images we create with digital cameras. One of the tools available to us is a metadata preset for copyright information. First we create the copyright preset. Then we can apply it to multiple pictures at the same time.

Create a Copyright Metadata Preset
1.  In the Library module, select a current photo, one you've taken this year (e.g. in 2019).
2.  From the Metadata menu, choose Edit Metadata Presets.
3.  Scroll down to the IPTC Copyright section.
4.  In the Copyright box, type © Your Name, Year (e.g. © Kathy Eyster, 2019)
  • For the copyright symbol, you can use (c), or
  • On a Mac, press Option+G, or
  • On a PC, press ALT and use the numeric keypad to type 0169. Release ALT to see the symbol.
5.  Change Copyright Status to Copyrighted. 
6.  (optional) In the IPTC Creator section, fill in your contact information.
7.  At the top of the window, click Preset Custom.
8.  Choose Save Current Settings as New Preset.
9.  For Preset Name type My Copyright.
10.  Click Create.
11.  Click Done to close the window.

Copyright information for a preset

This copyright information has been added to your photo and is visible in the Metadata panel on the right side of the Library module.

Apply the Copyright Preset to Multiple Images
Now that you have saved this preset, you can select all the images in your catalog that were taken in 2019 and apply this copyright to them.

Using either the Folders panel or the Filter Bar, display all the pictures you've made so far in 2019. Then from the Edit menu, choose Select All. In the Metadata panel on the right, click on the Preset drop-down list and select your copyright preset. Lightroom asks if you want to apply the preset to all the selected images. Click that choice and now all your images have copyright information applied.

Confirm applying your copyright preset

Add the Copyright Preset When Importing New Photos
You can also apply this copyright preset to all new images you import into Lightroom. In the Import window under the Apply During Import panel, click on the Metadata drop-down list and select your copyright preset. When you import the images, your copyright is automatically added to the new pictures.

Apply a copyright metadata preset during import


Learn more tips to speed up your work in Lightroom Classic in my upcoming class October 26, 2019, at the Lifelong Learning Center in Missoula. Click here to register.