EXIF Data

[RonH]

Tried to do a bit more on the subject. I use PSE8 and most of my pics I frame for upload to CinC. Just checking locally on my pc, it seems that PSE8 does not save the EXIF data when framed eg layers involved but is OK on 'out of the box' pics.
Can someone using PSE8 please check if this is the case or if it is just my set up ... I can then go for more 'looksee'.

[Dave Humphries]

Aah, this possibly sounds like the cause of what Wendy experiences.

I never frame mine (but I use PSE6) and haven't seen the problem.

Perhaps it assumes the EXIF data comes from the biggest picture, and since that's the frame, which has no EXIF .... or that could just be another infamous "Humphries red herring"

[ScoutR]

Aah, this possibly sounds like the cause of what Wendy experiences.

I never frame mine (but I use PSE6) and haven't seen the problem.

Perhaps it assumes the EXIF data comes from the biggest picture, and since that's the frame, which has no EXIF .... or that could just be another infamous "Humphries red herring"

Frames/Layers may very well be one cause of EXIF going missing, but I have a feeling it is far more complex than that. I have gone through the shots in my album. There are many there that I worked on before getting Elements. I thought the EXIF used to be there on my shots before using Elements, but now it is gone on them too (using KUSO, it might be there with other viewers)

On most of my shots The main EXIF is gone. However, there is at least 1 that I found that I just put up recently and the EXIF is there. It was done in Elements with Layers and a frame.

Bottom line, from my end I cannot find any consistent reason why it is there on some and not on others.

For what it's worth we are not the only ones having trouble. I have checked some of the Elements and Adobe forums and there is a lot of discussion from people with the same problem. I remember reading one thread that left me with the conclusion that the software is buggy in this respect. It's too complicated for me, and seems to come down to the fact that there is not a universal standard for storing and viewing this info, hence the mixed results. I don't think I bookmarked the thread, but if I come across it again, I'll post for you guys.

To tell you the truth, I don't know, I've spent a lot of time experimenting trying to find something consistent, but when I think I've found the answer and try to duplicate it I do not get the same results ALL the time

I have given up. I know I can get EXIF if I need it at home, so it's not being stripped, it just can't be viewed everywhere, all the time in a consistent manner

[RonH]

Aah, this possibly sounds like the cause of what Wendy experiences.

Frames/Layers may very well be one cause of EXIF going missing, but I have a feeling it is far more complex than that.

Yep Dave & Wendy, I think the bottom line is somewhat variable ... maybe something to do with the sequence of how we do things in eg PSE8. I also have had a looksee at Forums but nothing definitive that I can spot. Adobe are very adept at not giving direct answers themselves That's often the case with 'leading players' these days whatever the product ... now in my day blah, blah blah! Don't think you want me to go down that track
Thanks for your time today, much appreciated.

[ScoutR]

That's often the case with 'leading players' these days whatever the product ... now in my day blah, blah blah! Don't think you want me to go down that track
Thanks for your time today, much appreciated

LOL, I've been restraining myself from going off on the same kind of tirade (sp) Does anything ever work anymore?

Anyway, it is a mystery I would like to solve, but I'm just not concentrating on it. It's one of those things that will be revealed when the time is right - maybe

If it is revealed to me I will share, as I hope will anyone else.

[Dave Humphries]

~ Anyway, it is a mystery I would like to solve, but I'm just not concentrating on it. It's one of those things that will be revealed when the time is right - maybe

If it is revealed to me I will share, as I hope will anyone else.

Of course we will, but as you wisely suggest, it's not worth diverting oneself from pixel peeping and shuffling for too long over.

Cheers,

[RonH]

Of course we will, but as you wisely suggest, it's not worth diverting oneself from pixel peeping and shuffling for too long over.

Cheers,

Having nothing better to do I have inserted two pics from my PSE8. The one without the frame is an unmodified jpg just resized to fit the Album CinC need. The one with the frame is the first one plonked into a frame by ctrl/n then the black frame layered by using alt/backspace ... which is how I do most of my framing. No other magic applied.
Hey presto ... no camera exif data with the frame.
This same 'action' has been placed by me now on the Adobe site to seek out an expert ... think I have got one interested! Watch this space
SOMETHING INTERESTING ... A CLUE? Looking at these pics in my PSE8, the one without the frame is placed next to the original jpg whereas the one to which I have added the frame is placed in the PSE pic file under today's date. This is getting very interesting You don't HAVE to read this!!

[ScoutR]

Hi Ron: I agree with you that the frames seem to make a difference. I hope your results are consistent. I actually tried the very same experiment, and thought it was solved, when I saw the same results that you just got on this one. Going forward I kept watching and found that some shots with frames had exif and some shots without frames did not have exif so it was back to the drawing board for me.
Hope it works out for you though.

[RonH]

SOLUTION WITH FRAMING

Lets download another version of my framed pic ...


Yeeee camera data is now included
It comes down to the way in which one adds eg frames. The way I added frames changed the pic to a frame basis with a pic in it and EXIF is not copied across ... you were correct Dave.
I got successful on the Adobe forum with JohnEllis so thanks to him (I think he works for Adobe) I enclose his (edited) comment and solution below:

An easy way to add eg a black frame is to go to image.jpg and do Image > Resize > Canvas Size and make the new canvas size bigger than the image. You can select "extension color" using the drop down at the bottom of the window. Since you're working within image.jpg, the EXIF data is preserved, even if you then do File > Save As to save under a different name.

This is exactly what I did to this framed pic and all is well. Hope that this is of help to others in our community.
Off now to say a big thankyou to him ... wonder if he wants to join our 'club?' I'll ask.

[carregwen]

You could always try it this way using a package called Mikes Framer. You can change colours and layouts.

[ScoutR]

An easy way to add eg a black frame is to go to image.jpg and do Image > Resize > Canvas Size and make the new canvas size bigger than the image. You can select "extension color" using the drop down at the bottom of the window. Since you're working within image.jpg, the EXIF data is preserved, even if you then do File > Save As to save under a different name.

This is exactly what I did to this framed pic and all is well. Hope that this is of help to others in our community.
Off now to say a big thankyou to him ... wonder if he wants to join our 'club?' I'll ask.

I'm glad that is working for you. My frames are all added by changing the canvas size (it's the only way I know how), so there is something different going on with my system/process. I'm sure there are other variables, for instance I export to LR as DNG. Then if I want to do further editing, I open in Elements. At first I thought everything was OK if I just stayed in LR, but have since had examples where EXIF did not stay with those either. Then I thought it was the frames or layer in Elements, but have had cases where it stays and cases where it disappears.
I really hope that this keeps working for all your shots. In my case it seemed to work, but then got lost on others, and I still do not know at what step it goes missing. Someday when I have tons of time, I will post at various stages and see if I can nail down what I am doing that strips it after being posted.


Edit: hmmmmm, I change the canvas size while still in PSD format. First I resize the image, then I resize the canvas, then I do the Save As. I wonder if I did the Save As (jpg) first and then did the resizing if it might work. I will try that.

Wendy

[ScoutR]

Open in Elements - Save as jpg with different name - resize image - resize canvas - save

Edit: it is still not there for me using KUSO
have to go to work, will try again later tonight

[RonH]

I have just tried to resize the frame so as to allow for text underneath and also added text giving the full monty ... for me at least. And it works



Can't understand Wendy why it does not work for you since you use the same PSE8 ... it must come down to the other processes you use?

Below is a full description of the way I have acheived my aim as guided by the Adobe guys:

Add a black frame by going to image.jpg and do Image > Resize > Canvas Size and make the new canvas size bigger than the image. You can select "extension color" using the drop down at the bottom of the window. Since you're working within image.jpg, the EXIF data is preserved, even if you then do File > Save As to save under a different name.

If you want to vary the border click again on Image > Resize > Canvas Size and this time click on the anchor point (arrow pointing upwards) to ensure your next change only applies to the bottom of your picture. Now add another x cm by typing in the height box. This will make the frame bigger at the bottom and you can then add text as another layer, flatten and then Save As to preserve the metadata.

let me know if this works for you. Its no big deal not to have the EXIF with posted pic but its nice to be able to solve these irritating problems

[RonH]

Thanks for this info Rob ... when I have unscrambled my brain I will have a looksee
Ron

[ScoutR]

If you want to vary the border click again on Image > Resize > Canvas Size and this time click on the anchor point (arrow pointing upwards) to ensure your next change only applies to the bottom of your picture. Now add another x cm by typing in the height box. This will make the frame bigger at the bottom and you can then add text as another layer, flatten and then Save As to preserve the metadata.

let me know if this works for you. Its no big deal not to have the EXIF with posted pic but its nice to be able to solve these irritating problems

Thanks Ron: I never flatten mine. Maybe that is it??? I will try that when I get home. I agree it's not the end of the world if the EXIF is not there, but it is a mystery to me why it is there sometimes and not others.
The one below was done recently, the same process I usually use and the EXIF is there. (at least it was in the first post I had it in) I do not recall doing anything differently with this one, so I just don't understand and it will bother me until I find something conclusive and repeatable.



I'm at work so I can't check if it shows up on this one, but I was very surprised to see that it was there when I first uploaded it.

Wendy

[RonH]

Thanks Ron: I never flatten mine. Wendy

Yep its a complex issue this Adobe stuff. If you don't add a layer eg for text then I can't see that there is anything to 'flatten' so you must be doing it the correct way. I have repeatedly tested what I have outlined and its not failed (me at least). I guess that you stick to the CinC Album limitations of 700px long side and max file of 156kb so this would not be a possible reason for failure.
Bottom line is I think that there should be a university degree course on Photoshop!
Good luck Wendy and congrats on the joint 1st with Rodney and I in Comp #75

[ScoutR]

I have repeatedly tested what I have outlined and its not failed (me at least). I guess that you stick to the CinC Album limitations of 700px long side and max file of 156kb so this would not be a possible reason for failure.
Bottom line is I think that there should be a university degree course on Photoshop!
Good luck Wendy and congrats on the joint 1st with Rodney and I in Comp #75

I'll do some more experiments. I'm sure I've tried it before but I will try leaving LR out of the equation and see if that works. I'll also try straight LR and see how that goes. I've checked the size angle too, and that may be a determining factor in some cases but again does not seem to be a consistent factor for me.
Regardless of what the conclusion is, unless it is something that fits into my workflow, the editing will have priority over EXIF.

Congrats to you too, I'm in good company , the albatross was really did look like an airliner coming in for a landing.