cataloging digital images by embedding the catalog data within the image file

New Message Reply Date view Thread view Subject view Author view
Russell Hanson (riverroadrambler@gmail.com)
Tue, 2 Sep 2008 14:59:39 -0500



Message-ID: <eeea499a0809021259w60d97bf3nf51ef83dd21e7d98@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 14:59:39 -0500
From: "Russell Hanson" <riverroadrambler@gmail.com>
Subject: cataloging digital images by embedding the catalog data within the image file

The ideal way to catalog a digital image, in my opinion, (photo, document etc), is to have the cataloging data within the image file itself rather than use a separate spreadsheet or database to keep the catalog info separate from the image. Metadata is the term that is used to describe information about a object -- i.e. information about a digital picture or the cataloging information. The standards for this are XMP, IPTC, EXIF
(search on the three terms to find out more)

Most picture storage formats (jpg, tiff, etc) have internal fields embedde d within the image file to store metadata -- things like all the camera settings for a photograph, date, gps coordinates, caption, keywords, copyright, owner etc. The information is not visible unless you have a program that displays it. Some of it can be seen on a PC if you put the mouse over the file--popup list of camera attributes for instance. Many photo workshop programs let you put information directly into the file
(photoshop for instance, and the caption function in Picasa 2).

 If you take the traditional two file solution--the digital image file and a separate database that has the metadata both files must be kept. If you pu t the cataloging info within the image file, then it is always together, and is a stand alone solution-- you can just send the image to someone else and the metadata is included.

   Some notes about Picasa 2 from Google from their own website the firs t is an embedded caption
   I think the albums are separate metadata structures rather than embedded information (it only works in Picasa).
 One of the fun Picasa features is to geotag your image-- take your picture and place it on the world globe (thus embedding the gps coordinates within the image file). I think with gps --location-- coordinates, a caption and the date added to the image file you could take tours of your local area by year -- the location, date search would bring the appropriate images to view.

 Google picasa info
*Write captions that stay with the picture*. Picasa makes captions the way journalists do – using the IPTC standard. T hat means your captions are saved within their pictures and stay with them, whether you export as a web page or make a CD presentation. Picasa captions are fully editable and searchable, and you choose whether to display them o r not.
 *Make an album.* Use the "Albums" collection to tag your photos into quick groupings inside Picasa. Viewing and sharing the pictures you grouped under an album is easy
– they make great slideshows and movies or you can email them to friends.
 *Keep one picture in multiple albums*. Picasa creates a new "instance" of each photo you label without taking up more space on your computer, so you can put the same picture into multiple albums.

The marvelous thing about embedding metadata within the image is that you can ask the image "who, what, when, where, why...." if you have entered th e cataloging within the image itself. Note-- the information is not in the visible image--just in the file itself stored in extra space.

Russ Hanson

The 3rd Annual River Road Hwy 87 Ramble between St. Croix Falls and Grantsburg is scheduled for Saturday September 27 8-5. Tour the brilliant fall colors on the oldest road in NW Wisconsin and stop at numerous historical sites, garage sales, farm markets, orchards etc. Sponsored by the Sterling Eureka and Laketown Historical Society of Polk County WI.



New Message Reply Date view Thread view Subject view Author view
This archive was generated on Wed Sep 03 2008 - 09:20:47 Central Daylight Time