I know (because Lightroom won't stop telling me) that you can't delete photos from a smart collection — because a smart collection is an dynamically generated collection based on matching metadata. I get it.
However, the reason I use smart collections is to suss out from the myriad of photos I have, a set of images that match some search criteria. Then from that smaller (smart) collection I want to be able to remove some images - not from the collection, but from the disk entirely (trash/delete them).
So, yes I'm looking to delete photos from a smart collection, but more to the point I want to be able to use smart collections to find the photos I want to delete from Lightroom all together.
Aside from smart collection searching, then flagging as rejected, then filtering by rejected and then deleting... which seems insane... How are others doing this?
Or am I just backwards in wanting to delete images directly from a smart collection?
However, the reason I use smart collections is to suss out from the myriad of photos I have, a set of images that match some search criteria. Then from that smaller (smart) collection I want to be able to remove some images - not from the collection, but from the disk entirely (trash/delete them).
So, yes I'm looking to delete photos from a smart collection, but more to the point I want to be able to use smart collections to find the photos I want to delete from Lightroom all together.
Aside from smart collection searching, then flagging as rejected, then filtering by rejected and then deleting... which seems insane... How are others doing this?
Or am I just backwards in wanting to delete images directly from a smart collection?
Posted 5 years ago
Victoria Bampton - Lightroom Queen, Champion
John R. Ellis, Champion
"Aside from smart collection searching, then flagging as rejected, then filtering by rejected and then deleting"
Many find the following method faster, especially when reviewing many photos, and easier to recover from mistakes:
After marking the photos as rejected ("x"), click on All Photographs, then do Photo > Delete Rejected Photos (Cmd/Ctrl + Backspace). If you want to go back to the smart collection, do Window > Go Back (Cmd + Opt + Left Arrow / Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow).
I agree it's a silly restriction you can't do Photo > Delete Rejected Photos from inside a smart collection.
Many find the following method faster, especially when reviewing many photos, and easier to recover from mistakes:
After marking the photos as rejected ("x"), click on All Photographs, then do Photo > Delete Rejected Photos (Cmd/Ctrl + Backspace). If you want to go back to the smart collection, do Window > Go Back (Cmd + Opt + Left Arrow / Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow).
I agree it's a silly restriction you can't do Photo > Delete Rejected Photos from inside a smart collection.
Johan Elzenga, Champion
It's because of a bug/stupid feature that also plagues normal collections. If you use 'Photo - Delete Rejected Photos' from inside a NORMAL collection, the photos aren't deleted as the menu suggests, but only removed from that collection.
