Camera Labs

I'm updating my process and want to integrate image Exif metadata. Soon, I will be processing large numbers of photographs and I want streamline to be efficient as well as accurate. I will be adding a photo gallery to my Website soon. An important task before me is to understand the role Exit metadata will play.

I set copyright information on my Canon T4i so it will update that Exif field in all photos taken. (Unfortunately, my Canon G12 doesn't have this feature.) Since my G12 cannot handle this, is there a way to stamp all those photos with my copyright?

Although I've been rating (stars: none, 1 to 5) my images for a while, I've just started rating them in-camera. What I've discovered is that rating information is a one-time upload only synchronization. In-camera ratings do upload to the computer. But, since I always choose to upload new photos only, any rate changes I've made in-camera to already uploaded photos are ignored. So, in-camera rating is like a preliminary critique used to refine the rating after reviewing on the computer's big screen.

I also understand that GPS location information is stored as Exif, but since I don't have a GPS device to plug into my T4i, I'm not seeing GPS fields.

Now I've played around in Windows 7 with image Properties, like: Title, Subject, Tags, Comments, Authors, Copyright, Image ID, etc. But, I don't even know if these properties will survive processing I've yet to discover. Do these properties show up under Mac OS X or Linux? Will they survive a FTP upload? Are they imported into image database software?

For example, 'Tags' is an important field that is used in content throughout my Website. It is a Linux server with middleware written in PHP called Drupal 7 CMS (Content Management System). Drupal has taxonomy that uses tags to index content. It pushes this index out to search engines, like Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. It would be ideal to be able to update the Tags field once for each image on my Windows 7 File Explorer and have that information propagate to the Internet.

I understand that Lightroom is an excellent database driven image manager (as well as other things). Do you recommend it? Is there a trial/cheap version? How does it handle importing properties found in Windows Explorer and Exif metadata?

I just uploaded and erased my memory cards. I don't normally do both, but I'm going to get into the habit. I did leave several protected portfolio quality photos on one card just for show. And I have a protected ID pic at the beginning of every memory card in case of property loss; So, I don't usually format memory cards, I erase all unprotected.

I'd like to know if anyone has suggestions as to a step-by-step process that works for them?

I would really appreciate if you fine experienced photographers would take my poll and offer your advice in this matter.

Thank you in advance!

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-=- PalaDolphin
http://www.PalaDolphin.com
My equipment are:
Canon AE-1 Programmable w/55mm, 200mm, & 24mm lenses
Canon PowerShot G12
Canon Rebel T4i / EOS 650D
lens: EF-S 18-135mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS STM
lens: EF-S 55-250mm 1:4-5.6 IS II
lens: Quantaray Tech-10 CN AF 24mm 1:2.8 fixed
Canon Speedlite 199A flash
tripod: Targus® TG-5060TR
bag: Lowepro® SlingShot 202AW

I don't do a lot with EXIF data but I do use Lightroom 4. When you upload the photos you can add metadata like copyright information and keywords. Here is a video showing you what you can do during import.

Lightroom import

You can put filters on your library so you only see photos with certain keywords, or with a rating or colour code. I find the Collections handy to group photos from different folders.

You can create a watermark and put that on every photo when you export them which could be of interest to you.

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Camera: Nikon D60
Lenses: Nikon AF-S DX 18-55 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR, Nikon AF-S VR 70-300 f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED
Flash: Nikon SB-910
Tripod: Joby Gorillapod Focus with Ball Head X, Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 with Manfrotto MH054M0-Q5 ballhead

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