EXIF Data in Mini Competitions

[mrinmoyvk]

Hello Everyone and Admin,

Can you please make an arrangement to display EXIF Data of the images added in competitions along side the image?
This will help new photographers to have an idea about how the image was clicked and we will get to learn more.

[Dave Humphries]

Hello Everyone and Admin,

Can you please make an arrangement to display EXIF Data of the images added in competitions along side the image?
This will help new photographers to have an idea about how the image was clicked and we will get to learn more.

I wish it were that easy Mrinmoy.

We can't because not all images have the EXIF data attached, probably 50% lose it; either when extracted from the Image editor, or when uploaded to a site (which may not be here).

The Mini Comps are not the best place to learn, far from it in fact, I would advise you review the two critique forums instead:
Nature & Architecture
People & Pets

The pictures in there are more likely to have the EXIF data, either attached or displayed by the poster (as we request).

You may learn more if you post some of your own for critique (don't be shy) and this thread will help you get the most from that experience. How to Get Effective Feedback for your Posted Images

Best regards, Dave

[Venser]

Can you please make an arrangement to display EXIF Data of the images added in competitions along side the image?

I strip my EXIF data when I export, it reduces the file size. Most of my shots are composites, so the EXIF would be meaningless from a learning perspective.

I assume if someone wanted to learn anything about the photo, they would simply send a message asking questions.

[Shadowman]

Person submitting the image could include EXIF data typed in message area. From a learning standpoint the information is only helpful to an extent, there will be times when different camera settings will get you the same exposure; other aspects of the shot may differ.

[FrankMi]

Hi Mrinmoy! For many of us that use post processing to bring out the best in an image, the recorded EXIF data is just the starting point. It would have meaning for the SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera) image but beyond that it can become increasingly misleading. If the image wasn't shot in RAW mode, the typical JPG in-camera changes to produce the image could also render the EXIF data somewhat misleading, but not to a significant extent.

For example, in Fall Foliage, I had to blend three different images with different exposures to retain any colour in the bark of the tree while not having the sky blow out to pure white. In post processing, all three source images could likely have had their Exposure, Recovery, Fill Light, Blacks, Brightness, Contrast, Clarity, Vibrance, and Saturation adjusted before any serious post processing was begun. For which of the three original images would the EXIF data come close to matching the final image?

It is very important to understand how the elements we see in the EXIF data work together to get the proper exposure, focus point, DoF, and so forth, but in the end it is not so much how accurately the photographer follows the 'rules' but rather how effectively the image stirs an emotion in the viewer.

If you are starting out, learning the 'rules' works in most cases gives you a good grounding in the basics of photography. Once you understand why the 'rules' work, you can then learn where and how to break them to advantage. Because many of the best images break the rules, strictly relying on the EXIF data can be misleading.

I would venture to say that if you were to ask any photographer posting image at CiC to provide you the EXIF data for any of the original SOOC images, they would be happy to do so for you. Hope this helps!

[xpatUSA]

Also there are methods that can show the EXIF info for an image on your hard drive:

1) In my Operating System (windoze XP) you can right-click on the icon, select 'properties' and then select 'advanced'. Some EXIF info will be shown if the image has any.

2) Arguably, the best utility is ExifToolGUI by Phil Harvey which shows all EXIF info and much more, e.g. MAKER, see here for more info:

http://freeweb.siol.net/hrastni3/fot...xiftoolgui.htm

Both methods mean you must download an image to your computer to examine it.

[FrankMi]

Both methods mean you must download an image to your computer to examine it.

At one time there was a tool that ran in IE that would show the EXIF data without having to download the image. ...But browsers are continually changing and I don't know of a current cross-browser based EXIF viewer that still works.

[Dave Humphries]

At one time there was a tool that ran in IE that would show the EXIF data without having to download the image. ...But browsers are continually changing and I don't know of a current cross-browser based EXIF viewer that still works.

There is one for the FireFox browser which works well.

Or you can visit this site (http://regex.info/exif.cgi) and paste the url of a web image in to the box, or select a file from your own computer.

Obviously, they only work if the info hasn't been stripped, or 'diluted' by PP, as Chris, John, Ted and Frank have mentioned.