Photo metadata
Photo metadata is information stored inside an image file about the image — camera settings, date, location, rating, caption, copyright — rather than the pixels themselves.
Every digital photo carries data about itself. Some is written automatically by the camera; some is added by people and software later. Metadata lets software sort photos by date, search by keyword, show who owns an image and place it on a map. It travels with the file, unless a platform strips it.
Three standards cover most of it: EXIF, IPTC and XMP.
How it works
EXIF holds technical data the camera writes: model, lens, exposure, capture time and GPS. IPTC defines descriptive fields: creator, copyright, caption, keywords. XMP is the modern container that carries IPTC fields, ratings and edit settings, either inside the file or in a sidecar. Editing software reads all three.
An example: finding one photo in an archive
A photographer is asked for a portrait from a conference three years ago. Searching the archive for the client's keyword, the year and a four-star rating finds it in seconds — because the metadata was added when the photos were delivered.
Metadata in CloudTether
CloudTether delivers full-size files with the camera's metadata intact, including in-camera star ratings from Canon and Nikon. A shoot can add more: “Stamp IPTC/XMP metadata” adds copyright, creator and keywords to every file it delivers, and when stamping is on there's an option to strip GPS from delivered files. Geotag photos writes the phone's location into JPEGs. File names are kept by default — see original file names.
Platforms and stripping
Social platforms commonly strip metadata on upload; cloud storage usually keeps it. Galleries vary. Check before relying on metadata for credit.
Tips and common mistakes
- Add copyright and creator to every delivered file.
- Decide per shoot whether location should travel with the photos.
- Keep keywords consistent so search works years later.
See also
Put it into practice
CloudTether tethers your camera to your phone and delivers every shot to the cloud, live as you shoot — no laptop.