Metadata, Oh Metadata! JPEG comments, IPTC, Exif

[DaveC]

Hi,

I have finally discovered how much supplemental information (metadata) can
be stored with a JPEG image file. JPEG comments, IPTC, the Exif data
written by my digital camera. This is a revelation!

Also just figured out that my old PhotoShop 7 (and PhotoShop Elements?) will
allow me to view and enter/edit the JPEG image metadata. Changes my entire
concept of organizing and displaying photos.

Questions:

Before I spend a month annotating (adding metadata) to hundreds of old
photos, is there a tutorial that could help me decide which pieces of data
are worth entering (title, keywords, ...) and what I should think about when
entering the information?

Are there software packages which make this task easier? From John Inzer's
recent post I think I understand about XP and renaming, but this is about a
lot more than just renaming.

Can I get in trouble adding metadata to a JPEG image file? Might it
overwrite other metadata or somehow screw up the image data. (When I added
some metadata using PS 7 and then closed the image I noted that - with my
casual permission - it saved the image as a much more compact JPEG. That
was probably not such a good idea since the orginal JPEG was my only high
quality copy)

If I put one of these images on a web page does the metadata go with it; and
can someone on the web view the metadata?

If I put one of these images on a web page can I get the metadata title,
caption, ... to automatically transfer over to the contents of a HTML alt
tag. (I think I understand that the Google and other web crawlers index the
alt tag contents so Google et all can search for images. Which is a pretty
nice feature of Google, and I would like to contribute to the image index)

Are there photo organizing software packages that allow searches of the
metadata without necessarily messing with my present organization - which is
just separate folders and subfolders with descriptive titles and some files
with descriptive names)

Does the concept of jpeg metadata extend to sound bites? I would love to go
through old photos and record my extemporaneous reactions as part of the
image file. I would also love to own a camera that could attach a brief
audio recording to selected photos in near real time.

Thanks for your comments,

DaveCu

 

[John Inzer]

I have finally discovered how much supplemental
information (metadata) can be stored with
a JPEG image file. JPEG comments, IPTC,
the Exif data written by my digital camera.
This is a revelation!

=================================
Way...too many questions for a newsgroup
message but I'll give it a try....(one or two per
message would be better)
=================================

Also just figured out that my old PhotoShop 7
(and PhotoShop Elements?) will allow me to
view and enter/edit the JPEG image metadata.
Changes my entire concept of organizing and
displaying photos.

=================================
Try this: Open a folder...My Pictures...for example...
open an image and right click it...from the menu...
choose...Properties / Summary tab / Advanced
button.
=================================

Before I spend a month annotating (adding metadata) to
hundreds of old photos, is there a tutorial that could
help me decide which pieces of data are worth entering
(title, keywords, ...) and what I should think about when
entering the information?

=================================
Add the info that's important to you
and think of which words would be
best for searching.
=================================

Are there software packages which make this task easier?
From John Inzer's recent post I think I understand about
XP and renaming, but this is about a lot more than just
renaming.

=================================
Try the following if the files are in the
..jpg format.

Open a folder, My Pictures for example...
Select all the files you wish to edit and
right click the highlighted group.

From the menu...choose...Properties /
Summary tab / Advanced button...

Add info to any of the following fields
by simply selecting the field and begin
typing.

Title
Subject
Keywords
Comments
Author

When you are finished click the OK
button. All selected files will be updated.
===
Open a folder that contains image files...
"My Pictures"...for example...

Left click the "Search" button on the toolbar.

In the "Search Companion" pane...choose...
All files and folders.

Enter your search word in the "A word or
phrase in the file" field...

Click "Search".

Also the following freebie is good for
editing and backing up EXIF Data.

Exifer For Windows
http://tinyurl.com/ixso

Also MS Digital Image Suite 2006 includes
the Digital Image Library which is very useful
for cataloging your image collection:

MS Digital Image 2006 Suite
http://tinyurl.com/d76hv
=================================

Can I get in trouble adding metadata to a JPEG image
file? Might it overwrite other metadata or somehow screw
up the image data.

=================================
Personally, I never edit my original files in
any way...I always work with copies after
burning the originals on CD-Rs. Anyway...
I doubt that you will corrupt your image files
by editing the metadata.
=================================

(When I added some metadata using PS
7 and then closed the image I noted that - with my casual
permission - it saved the image as a much more compact
JPEG. That was probably not such a good idea since the
orginal JPEG was my only high quality copy)

=================================
This is due to the compression algorithm
used in the editing program. Check your Help
files and you may find that it is adjustable.
=================================

If I put one of these images on a web page does the
metadata go with it; =================================
Yes.
=================================
and can someone on the web view the
metadata?

=================================
If the data is there...anyone can view it.
=================================

If I put one of these images on a web page can I get the
metadata title, caption, ... to automatically transfer
over to the contents of a HTML alt tag. (I think I
understand that the Google and other web crawlers index
the alt tag contents so Google et all can search for
images. Which is a pretty nice feature of Google, and I
would like to contribute to the image index)

==================================
I'm guessing yes.
==================================

Are there photo organizing software packages that allow
searches of the metadata without necessarily messing with
my present organization - which is just separate folders
and subfolders with descriptive titles and some files
with descriptive names)

===================================
Some ideas:

Windows XP...Start / Search...

FastStone Image Viewer
http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

MS Digital Image 2006 Suite
http://tinyurl.com/d76hv
====================================

Does the concept of jpeg metadata extend to sound bites?
I would love to go through old photos and record my
extemporaneous reactions as part of the image file. I
would also love to own a camera that could attach a brief
audio recording to selected photos in near real time.

====================================
Yes, movie files can contain metadata.

Maybe you would like Photo Story 3:
PhotoStory 3 For Windows
http://tinyurl.com/4f869

FWIW...you can find lots of useful info
with a Google search...

--

John Inzer
MS Picture It! MVP
How to ask a newsgroup question:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[DaveC]

Thanks John for all of the info. Will take me awhile to digest. DaveCu

 

[John Inzer]

Thanks John for all of the info. Will
take me awhile to digest. DaveCu

=============================
You're welcome.

--

John Inzer
MS Picture It! MVP
How to ask a newsgroup question:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[PhotoDan]

Dave,

There's a marvelous little freeware application called PixVue that
integrates with Windows and allows very, very fast & easy access and editing
of metadata, including iptc info. Then, when you right click on an image in
windows explorer, the "Properties" pane will show you ALL metadata embedded
in the image. You can also right click and edit. As I said, a marvelous
application. You can Google to the home page and read about PixVue and read
the instructions. I work with thousands of old family history images and
couldn't do without PixVue. You do have to have the Indexing service running
but you most likely have that anyway. By the way, I probably sound like I'm
the developer but I'm not. I'm just a very satisfied user of this little
gem.

Photodan

 

[Martin]

Did you heard about Kalimages and its jpeg file properties editor?

It allows you to add keywords, comments, other metadata to your images so
that this qualified information stays in picture itself and navigates inside
when you transfer the files.
You can create templates for mass editing jpeg files, catalog separate
folder of images reading and maintaining this information into a database
included in the software, search metadata, execute XML export etc.
www.kalimages.com works with IPTC and XMP; it can help a lot.

Mary.

Thanks John for all of the info. Will take me awhile to digest. DaveCu

--
Patrick Peccatte & Virginia Manso
www.softexperience.com
Kalinews, un traitement de texte éditorial
www.kalinews.net
Kalinews, an editorial text editor
www.kalinews.com

 

[deebs]

Did you heard about Kalimages and its jpeg file properties editor?

It allows you to add keywords, comments, other metadata to your images so
that this qualified information stays in picture itself and navigates inside
when you transfer the files.
You can create templates for mass editing jpeg files, catalog separate
folder of images reading and maintaining this information into a database
included in the software, search metadata, execute XML export etc.
www.kalimages.com works with IPTC and XMP; it can help a lot.

Mary.

PixVue seems to do the same but for free (to non-commercial users) if I
am not mistaken