Define Lightroom Flags and Stars for a Family Photo Review
By ImgHeal · Updated
Flags and stars can organize a review, but their meaning comes from your project. Define what each state represents before asking relatives to rate scans. A five-star photograph is not automatically historically verified, suitable for every print size, or approved for public sharing.
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Separate independent judgments
List the decisions your project needs: capture quality, emotional importance, identity confidence, permission, and restoration status. A single star rating cannot express all of them reliably. Choose one clear purpose for stars and use separate notes or fields for other judgments. Record examples so different reviewers apply the same standard instead of interpreting a high score as general approval of everything about the image.
Set a small review convention
Adobe documents flags, ratings, and labels in Lightroom Classic. Choose a convention that fits those controls without pretending they have built-in historical meanings. For example, use a pick flag for a candidate source and stars for capture usability, with uncertain identities retained in captions. Test the convention on a tiny mixed set before anyone marks a large album. Keep destructive reject-removal steps out of this initial exercise.
Review disagreements against the definition
When two people differ, ask which criterion they evaluated. One may favor a cherished moment while another is judging scan sharpness. Record both observations rather than averaging them into a misleading score. Inspect the actual source at useful detail before rejecting a candidate on thumbnail appearance. A low visual-quality score may still belong to the only surviving image of a person or event.
Keep acceptance decisions explicit
Before exporting scans for ImgHeal or sending a print order, make a separate accepted-file list. Confirm the source identity, intended edit, and permission there. Ratings help navigate the catalog, but the delivery record should state which version was chosen and why. Retain unedited originals even when a generated image receives a stronger aesthetic rating; attractiveness and evidential fidelity are different questions.
Check this workflow before using the result
- Assign one meaning to each rating system.
- Test the convention on a small set.
- Record final acceptance separately.
Sources and further reading
- Adobe: Official application guidanceDocuments rating and flag controls without assigning project-specific meanings.
Questions about this restoration task
Should a rejected flag mean the original can be deleted?
No. Define it as a review state unless a separate, deliberate archival decision authorizes removal and preserves needed evidence.
Continue with a related guide
Try a restoration on a copy of your photo
Keep the original scan. Upload a separate digital copy, review ImgHeal’s generated result, and decide whether it suits your needs.
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