Metadata

Learn how to read and extract EXIF and IPTC metadata from images.

Learn how to read and extract EXIF and IPTC metadata from images.

Table of Contents

• What is Metadata?

• Reading EXIF Metadata

• Reading IPTC Metadata

• Common EXIF Tags

• Common IPTC Tags

• Practical Examples

What is Metadata?

Image metadata is embedded information about the image and how it was created:

EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format):

• Camera settings (ISO, aperture, shutter speed)

• Date/time photo was taken

• GPS coordinates

• Camera make and model

• Image dimensions and orientation

IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council):

• Copyright information

• Creator/photographer name

• Keywords and categories

• Caption/description

• Headline and title

Reading EXIF Metadata

Get All EXIF Data

img = ImageNew("photo.jpg");
exifData = img.getExifMetaData();

// Returns struct with all EXIF tags
writeDump(exifData);

BIF Syntax:

img = ImageRead("photo.jpg");
exifData = ImageGetExifMetaData(img);

Get Specific EXIF Tag

img = ImageNew("photo.jpg");

// Get camera make
make = img.getExifTag("Make");

// Get date taken
dateTaken = img.getExifTag("DateTime");

// Get ISO speed
iso = img.getExifTag("ISO Speed Ratings");

BIF Syntax:

make = ImageGetExifTag(img, "Make");

Check for EXIF Data

img = ImageNew("photo.jpg");
exifData = img.getExifMetaData();

if (structCount(exifData) > 0) {
    // Image has EXIF data
    writeln("Photo taken with: " & exifData["Make"]);
} else {
    // No EXIF data
    writeln("No camera information available");
}

Reading IPTC Metadata

Get All IPTC Data

img = ImageNew("photo.jpg");
iptcData = img.getIPTCMetaData();

// Returns struct with all IPTC tags
writeDump(iptcData);

BIF Syntax:

img = ImageRead("photo.jpg");
iptcData = ImageGetIPTCMetadata(img);

Get Specific IPTC Tag

img = ImageNew("photo.jpg");

// Get copyright
copyright = img.getIPTCTag("Copyright Notice");

// Get keywords
keywords = img.getIPTCTag("Keywords");

// Get caption
caption = img.getIPTCTag("Caption/Abstract");

BIF Syntax:

copyright = ImageGetIPTCTag(img, "Copyright Notice");

Common EXIF Tags

Camera Information

img = ImageNew("photo.jpg");

// Camera details
make = img.getExifTag("Make");              // "Canon"
model = img.getExifTag("Model");            // "EOS 5D Mark IV"
software = img.getExifTag("Software");      // "Adobe Photoshop"

Camera Settings

// Exposure settings
iso = img.getExifTag("ISO Speed Ratings");       // 400
aperture = img.getExifTag("F-Number");           // 2.8
shutterSpeed = img.getExifTag("Exposure Time");  // "1/500"
exposureProgram = img.getExifTag("Exposure Program"); // "Manual"

// Lens information
focalLength = img.getExifTag("Focal Length");    // "50mm"
lens = img.getExifTag("Lens Model");             // "EF50mm f/1.8 STM"

Date and Time

// When photo was taken
dateTime = img.getExifTag("DateTime");                   // "2025:01:15 14:30:22"
dateTimeOriginal = img.getExifTag("Date/Time Original"); // Original capture time
dateTimeDigitized = img.getExifTag("Date/Time Digitized"); // When digitized

GPS Information

// Location data
latitude = img.getExifTag("GPS Latitude");       // [40, 44, 54.36]
longitude = img.getExifTag("GPS Longitude");     // [-73, 59, 10.56]
altitude = img.getExifTag("GPS Altitude");       // "10.5m"

Image Information

// Image properties
width = img.getExifTag("Image Width");           // 6000
height = img.getExifTag("Image Height");         // 4000
orientation = img.getExifTag("Orientation");     // "Rotate 90 CW"
resolution = img.getExifTag("Resolution Unit");  // "Inches"
xResolution = img.getExifTag("X Resolution");    // 300
yResolution = img.getExifTag("Y Resolution");    // 300

Common EXIF Tag Reference

Tag Name	Description	Example Value
Make	Camera manufacturer	"Canon", "Nikon"
Model	Camera model	"EOS 5D Mark IV"
DateTime	Last modification time	"2025:01:15 14:30:22"
Date/Time Original	Original capture time	"2025:01:15 14:30:22"
ISO Speed Ratings	ISO sensitivity	400, 800, 1600
F-Number	Aperture value	2.8, 5.6, 16
Exposure Time	Shutter speed	"1/500", "1/60"
Focal Length	Lens focal length	"50mm", "24mm"
Flash	Flash status	"Flash fired", "No flash"
GPS Latitude	GPS latitude	[40, 44, 54.36]
GPS Longitude	GPS longitude	[-73, 59, 10.56]
Orientation	Image orientation	"Normal", "Rotate 90 CW"

Common IPTC Tags

Copyright Information

img = ImageNew("photo.jpg");

copyright = img.getIPTCTag("Copyright Notice");
creator = img.getIPTCTag("By-line");  // Photographer name
credit = img.getIPTCTag("Credit");
source = img.getIPTCTag("Source");

Descriptive Information

// Content description
headline = img.getIPTCTag("Headline");
caption = img.getIPTCTag("Caption/Abstract");
keywords = img.getIPTCTag("Keywords");
category = img.getIPTCTag("Category");

Editorial Information

// Publication details
city = img.getIPTCTag("City");
state = img.getIPTCTag("Province/State");
country = img.getIPTCTag("Country/Primary Location Name");
instructions = img.getIPTCTag("Special Instructions");

Common IPTC Tag Reference

Tag Name	Description	Example Value
Copyright Notice	Copyright information	"© 2025 John Doe"
By-line	Creator/photographer	"John Doe"
Headline	Image headline	"Sunset Over Mountains"
Caption/Abstract	Image description	"Beautiful sunset..."
Keywords	Search keywords	["landscape", "sunset"]
Category	Image category	"Nature"
Credit	Credit line	"Photo by John Doe"
Source	Image source	"Photography Studio"
City	City of origin	"New York"
Country/Primary Location Name	Country	"United States"

Practical Examples

Display Photo Information

img = ImageNew("photo.jpg");
exif = img.getExifMetaData();

if (structCount(exif) > 0) {
    writeOutput("
        <h3>Photo Information</h3>
        <p><strong>Camera:</strong> #exif['Make']# #exif['Model']#</p>
        <p><strong>Date:</strong> #exif['Date/Time Original']#</p>
        <p><strong>Settings:</strong> ISO #exif['ISO Speed Ratings']#,
           f/#exif['F-Number']#, #exif['Exposure Time']#s</p>
        <p><strong>Lens:</strong> #exif['Focal Length']#</p>
    ");
}

Check Image Copyright

img = ImageNew("photo.jpg");
iptc = img.getIPTCMetaData();

if (structKeyExists(iptc, "Copyright Notice")) {
    copyright = iptc["Copyright Notice"];
    writeln("Copyright: " & copyright);
} else {
    writeln("No copyright information found");
}

Extract GPS Coordinates

img = ImageNew("photo.jpg");
exif = img.getExifMetaData();

if (structKeyExists(exif, "GPS Latitude") && structKeyExists(exif, "GPS Longitude")) {
    lat = exif["GPS Latitude"];
    lon = exif["GPS Longitude"];

    // Convert to decimal degrees
    latDecimal = convertGPSToDecimal(lat);
    lonDecimal = convertGPSToDecimal(lon);

    writeln("Location: #latDecimal#, #lonDecimal#");
    writeln("View on map: https://maps.google.com?q=#latDecimal#,#lonDecimal#");
} else {
    writeln("No GPS data available");
}

Generate Image Report

img = ImageNew("photo.jpg");
info = img.info();
exif = img.getExifMetaData();
iptc = img.getIPTCMetaData();

report = {
    filename: "photo.jpg",
    dimensions: "#info.width# x #info.height#",
    fileSize: info.source.size,
    camera: structKeyExists(exif, "Make") ? "#exif.Make# #exif.Model#" : "Unknown",
    dateTaken: structKeyExists(exif, "Date/Time Original") ? exif["Date/Time Original"] : "Unknown",
    copyright: structKeyExists(iptc, "Copyright Notice") ? iptc["Copyright Notice"] : "None",
    keywords: structKeyExists(iptc, "Keywords") ? iptc.Keywords : []
};

writeDump(report);

Filter Images by Camera

// Find all images taken with specific camera
files = directoryList("photos", false, "path", "*.jpg");
canonPhotos = [];

for (file in files) {
    img = ImageNew(file);
    exif = img.getExifMetaData();

    if (structKeyExists(exif, "Make") && exif.Make == "Canon") {
        arrayAppend(canonPhotos, file);
    }
}

writeln("Found #arrayLen(canonPhotos)# Canon photos");

Sort Images by Date

// Sort images by capture date
files = directoryList("photos", false, "path", "*.jpg");
photosByDate = [];

for (file in files) {
    img = ImageNew(file);
    exif = img.getExifMetaData();

    if (structKeyExists(exif, "Date/Time Original")) {
        arrayAppend(photosByDate, {
            file: file,
            date: exif["Date/Time Original"]
        });
    }
}

// Sort by date
arraySort(photosByDate, function(a, b) {
    return compare(a.date, b.date);
});

Add Metadata to Thumbnails

// Create thumbnails with metadata overlays
files = directoryList("photos", false, "path", "*.jpg");

for (file in files) {
    original = ImageNew(file);
    exif = original.getExifMetaData();

    // Create thumbnail
    thumb = original.copy()
        .scaleToFit(400, 300);

    // Add metadata text
    if (structKeyExists(exif, "Date/Time Original")) {
        thumb.setDrawingColor("white")
            .setDrawingTransparency(80)
            .drawText(exif["Date/Time Original"], 10, 290, {
                font: "Arial",
                size: 12
            });
    }

    filename = getFileFromPath(file);
    thumb.write("thumbnails/#filename#");
}

Important Notes

1. Not all images have metadata - Check for existence before accessing

2. EXIF data can be removed - Privacy tools often strip EXIF

3. Format support - EXIF typically in JPEG/TIFF, not PNG/GIF

4. GPS privacy - Consider removing GPS data before publishing

5. Tag names vary - Different cameras may use different tag names

Next Steps

• Utilities - Image properties and format support

• Advanced Examples - Metadata-driven workflows

• Getting Started - Basic image operations