Often the order we would like to showcase our images is not the same order we shot the images with our camera. However, we frequently view our images in the Library in this order. How then, can we re-arrange our images to show up in a custom order when making a Slideshow or Web Gallery page? Here we show you how.

The key is setting the sort in the Library Module while you have the images showing that you wish to set as a custom sort. See the example below where we set the sort order to a user defined type.

After setting this sort order, use the mouse to drag images around on the screen. Notice after moving an image, the numbering of the images resets (if you have the numbering visible in your images).

That’s all there is to it! After re-sorting your images, proceed to make a Slideshow or Web Gallery and the new order will be preserved.

Note if the sort order is set to something else, like capture time, re-ordering your images will have no effect as Lightroom will send them back to capture time order before exporting a Slideshow or Web Gallery.

UPDATE FOR LIGHTROOM 2 BETA

Lightroom 2.0 Beta does not allow for custom sorting as Lightroom 1.4.1 does. The menu items don’t exist. Because we are in the Beta stage, it doesn’t mean the functionality will not be available in version 2.0 when released. However, we need to find a work-around in case it remains as it is in the Beta.

Kelvin Brown found such a work-around and posted an answer to my question in the forum. Kelvin found that you can create a collection of images and sort them in any order you wish by dragging and dropping the images to new locations. I confirmed that this works. After further testing, I also found that the custom sorting does NOT work in Quick Collections. Apparently this feature is only available in standard collections.

Although, better some than none!