Please leave EXIF data intact

[JohnT]

It seems to be happening here often lately so I have to ask. I've been noticing a lot of images have had the EXIF data stripped from them. Please, if your image editing program allows you to do so, leave the EXIF intact for those of us who'd like to see the technical stuff behind your shots. It's also a big help in offering C&C if you want it.

If you're working in Photoshop, use Save As as opposed to Save for Web & Devices. Lightroom also leaves EXIF intact. I don't know about other programs.

Pretty please.

[ngoduyviet]

Yah I find it frustrating when people stripped out EXIF and asked for c&c. Aside from the artistic point of view. It's tough to give good c&c if you know nothing about the mechanics of the shots. It's like being asked to write review to a beautiful car, but you are not allowed to peek under the hood.

I always leave it on, unless I remove them by accident when resizing with a computer I'm not familiar with.

[wondershots]

Some of the issue is where the shots are hosted. For example, Zenfolio - when you link a shot hosted there, there is no EXIF data. Of course, if there's a way to do it I'm open to correction.

[iCe]

Wah Wah

I have been playing with improving the quality of posted images and drastically reducing the size of them at the same time (under 50k is the goal). unfortunately one of the best ways to achieve that is Save for the web, so far, and I don't always remember to add the EXIF back. However... I'm still experimenting so we'll see how it goes.

[Patti Edens]

I really like to be able to see the EXIF too. For those of us that are still learning, it really helps.

For the hosting sites that strip EXIF and for those that like Save for Web, another way to share your EXIF info is to either set up an action that will put it in a frame or use one of the actions or scripts already out there that will do it. It’s an extra step, but, hey, we’re worth it, right?

My favorite one (these days anyway) is Mike Finn’s Framing Script. It will automatically pull whatever EXIF data you want and put it in a frame. It is very easy to use and I have not even begun to explore all of what it will do. But, you can come up with a frame that you like and then run it as a batch. I still make a new frame for each photo that I frame because I'm experimenting.

Examples:

Sometimes I like frames and colorful mattes.


Sometimes I prefer a bit more subtle.


Here's an example of where I think the color in the matte didn't work. It takes away from the photo.


It looks much better here with no frame and a very simple matte - just a place to put the EXIF and other info I like to include.


But you can make it very simple and just include the EXIF in a strip under the photo if you want.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by iCe

Wah Wah

I have been playing with improving the quality of posted images and drastically reducing the size of them at the same time (under 50k is the goal). unfortunately one of the best ways to achieve that is Save for the web, so far, and I don't always remember to add the EXIF back. However... I'm still experimenting so we'll see how it goes.

Under 50k while retaining detail and quality? I don't think that's possible for something like an 800x600 image unless you're working with a b/w with little detail to begin with and you omit the EXIF, which doesn't add that much to file size anyway. My goal is always under 300k. May I ask why you are shooting for < 50k?

[iCe]

Originally Posted by JohnT

Under 50k while retaining detail and quality? I don't think that's possible for something like an 800x600 image unless you're working with a b/w with little detail to begin with and you omit the EXIF, which doesn't add that much to file size anyway. My goal is always under 300k. May I ask why you are shooting for < 50k?

That's why I said experimenting. Under 50k is almost completely useless and it uploads very quickly. These are 58k and 82.5k respectively. the first one needs a slight contrast tweak... but for a 58k image it's not so bad. I don't omit the EXIF on purpose BTW. It's just an artifact of the SFW operation. I've tried to duplicate the same control in Save As but it's not quite getting there. Still working on it.

[Cerbera LM]

Originally Posted by wondershots

Some of the issue is where the shots are hosted. For example, Zenfolio - when you link a shot hosted there, there is no EXIF data. Of course, if there's a way to do it I'm open to correction.

Smugmug: only the original sized file has the exif data, exif data is removed on all other sizes. A change in the last year to save disk space.

[scayf]

Editing with Photoshop (v6) and Paintshop Pro (5), I have never been able to save EXIF information. In fact, EXIF isn't even in the "Help" files of those two apps. I have only been able to read (and save) EXIF info when using Photobase and Irfanview, both of which are next to useless for serious editing.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by scayf

Editing with Photoshop (v6) and Paintshop Pro (5), I have never been able to save EXIF information. In fact, EXIF isn't even in the "Help" files of those two apps. I have only been able to read (and save) EXIF info when using Photobase and Irfanview, both of which are next to useless for serious editing.

That's understandable since PS6 and PSP5 pre-date EXIF.

[kenw]

PSP 9 and x2 (ones I own) allow you to save it.

[scayf]

I did a bit of playing around...as long as images are converted to TIFF, EXIF info is saved as long as the file remains a TIFF. Coverting to jpg loses it all.

Originally Posted by JohnT

That's understandable since PS6 and PSP5 pre-date EXIF.

But...but...I'm too tight to upgrade...

[w9ctm]

Patti,
Can you tell me where I can get ahold of Mike Finn's script? I Googled him and found nothing about a framing script from him...

Thanks in advance,

Chuck