Doug Kerr
Well-known member
We follow several different practices regarding metadata, depending on the destination of the image file and other factors. I thought I would show a couple of examples.
For posting on a photographic forum, such as this, and for other comparable publications into a camera-aware context, we include the Camera Exif metadata. If we are not using Photoshop to finally prepare the image file, we typically include the MakerNote area (manufacturer-specific camera data). Photoshop does not conserve the MakerNote area, and so in general, when preparing image files with Photoshop, we do not take the trouble to add it externally (unless the matter being "illustrated" somehow depends on that data).
But for general release to newspapers and magazines (not photographically-oriented), we normally do not include the camera Exif metadata.
We do include our copyright notice in the Exif metadata (not including the "©" character, which cannot be legitimately included in Exif metadata; the "credible" deviation from the strict standard, encoding it in Windows code page 1252 form, is not followed by Photoshop).
We also include, as the Exif UserComment, "Camera metadata not included". Interestingly enough, Photoshop does not display the Exif UserComment item nor make any provision for generating it; it does preserve it if present. (We introduce it via a template created outside Photoshop.)
In essentially all cases, we include IPTC metadata (in both IIM and XMP forms). In many cases this is generic - it includes nothing specific to the particular image (title of the work, names of the subjects/models, location where shot, model releases extant, etc.). Rather, it contains only our standard copyright notice, my contact information, our "normal" terms of use, etc. In other cases (especially cases of release to the press), some or even a lot of such "image-specific" information is included.
Before I show a couple of examples, let me talk a little about the sample shot itself.
Under a program called CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) the Parker County (Texas) family courts, in collaboration with the Parker County Child Protective Services agency, appoints "advocates" for children whom have become wards of the county as a result of domestic violence crises, incarceration of the parents, and so forth.
This program is promoted and funded by a volunteer charitable organization, also identified as CASA. Annually they hold a benefit dinner for the program's supporters, with exquisite catered food and a variety show with performances by local talent. (Sadly, Casey James had bigger fish to fry.)
Many of the active people in the organization are women Carla works with in other civic and social organizations, and thus this year we attended their function.
Two of the organization members in attendance asked to have their photo taken by a notorious paparrazo present (moi). I was only packin' small heat (my Canon Powershot SX110 IS), having left the big guns at home.
I thought it would show our support for this worthwhile civic and charitable activity by using that shot as the bearer of our illustrative metadata.
In this presentation (prepared with Photoshop CS5), we have the camera Exif metadata, less the MakerNote area, copyright notices in all three forms (Exif IPTC IIM, and IPTC XMP). and out "standard" (generic) IPTC metadata (in both forms):
Douglas A. Kerr: Charity Cuties
In this presentation (I arbitrarily made the image smaller, since once you've seen two you've seen 'em all) there is no camera Exif metadata (but there is the UserComment about that), and the IPTC metadata has considerable image-specific information:
Those with various kinds of metadata viewers may want to lay them on these two image files.
For posting on a photographic forum, such as this, and for other comparable publications into a camera-aware context, we include the Camera Exif metadata. If we are not using Photoshop to finally prepare the image file, we typically include the MakerNote area (manufacturer-specific camera data). Photoshop does not conserve the MakerNote area, and so in general, when preparing image files with Photoshop, we do not take the trouble to add it externally (unless the matter being "illustrated" somehow depends on that data).
But for general release to newspapers and magazines (not photographically-oriented), we normally do not include the camera Exif metadata.
We do include our copyright notice in the Exif metadata (not including the "©" character, which cannot be legitimately included in Exif metadata; the "credible" deviation from the strict standard, encoding it in Windows code page 1252 form, is not followed by Photoshop).
We also include, as the Exif UserComment, "Camera metadata not included". Interestingly enough, Photoshop does not display the Exif UserComment item nor make any provision for generating it; it does preserve it if present. (We introduce it via a template created outside Photoshop.)
In essentially all cases, we include IPTC metadata (in both IIM and XMP forms). In many cases this is generic - it includes nothing specific to the particular image (title of the work, names of the subjects/models, location where shot, model releases extant, etc.). Rather, it contains only our standard copyright notice, my contact information, our "normal" terms of use, etc. In other cases (especially cases of release to the press), some or even a lot of such "image-specific" information is included.
Before I show a couple of examples, let me talk a little about the sample shot itself.
Under a program called CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) the Parker County (Texas) family courts, in collaboration with the Parker County Child Protective Services agency, appoints "advocates" for children whom have become wards of the county as a result of domestic violence crises, incarceration of the parents, and so forth.
This program is promoted and funded by a volunteer charitable organization, also identified as CASA. Annually they hold a benefit dinner for the program's supporters, with exquisite catered food and a variety show with performances by local talent. (Sadly, Casey James had bigger fish to fry.)
Many of the active people in the organization are women Carla works with in other civic and social organizations, and thus this year we attended their function.
Two of the organization members in attendance asked to have their photo taken by a notorious paparrazo present (moi). I was only packin' small heat (my Canon Powershot SX110 IS), having left the big guns at home.
I thought it would show our support for this worthwhile civic and charitable activity by using that shot as the bearer of our illustrative metadata.
In this presentation (prepared with Photoshop CS5), we have the camera Exif metadata, less the MakerNote area, copyright notices in all three forms (Exif IPTC IIM, and IPTC XMP). and out "standard" (generic) IPTC metadata (in both forms):
Douglas A. Kerr: Charity Cuties
In this presentation (I arbitrarily made the image smaller, since once you've seen two you've seen 'em all) there is no camera Exif metadata (but there is the UserComment about that), and the IPTC metadata has considerable image-specific information:
Those with various kinds of metadata viewers may want to lay them on these two image files.
