EXIF information in pictures

[cartigayane]

For learning how a picture is taken(aperture setting, ISO, shutter speed etc), I used to see the EXIF information of the picture posted along with the pictures in pbase.

While some of the pictures show the EXIF information, some do not.

Is it the person who has uploaded the picture does not want to show the EXIF information OR by mistake it was not enabled by them.

In case they do not want to show explicitly, is there a way to delete the EXIF information from the picture. If there is not a way to rip off the EXIF information, which can I use with the downloaded picture to see and learn how the author has taken the picture(settings).

Could some experts throw some light on this.

Is there a way pbase can enable EXIF for all the pictures so that new people to photography who are interested in learning can learn from the seniors/experts.?

Thanks.

[jdepould]

If you click save for web in photoshop that will delete the EXIF to minimize the size of the file. Some people are just paranoid, most of my pictures have full EXIF, the ones that don't I either forgot or uploaded them from an assignment where I needed a smaller file for e-mail.

[gemmf]

Apart from 'save for web', if you use some software, e.g. noise reduction, panorama etc, they will also remove EXIF, so there's really nothing PBase can do. I normally try to retain it but sometimes I have no choice.

[sean_mcr]

I'm not paranoid, i'm just not interested in them, or gear talk. It's nothing to do with secrets because learning to expose is not a secret and looking at an exif is not the best way to learn. Knowing what camera somebody owns does not mean you're ever going to be able to shoot like they do.

Frankly I'm not here to teach anybody anything, i wouldn't presume so much. What use is an exif if you don't know what you're looking at? What use is it if you don't shoot under the same conditions as the person you're viewing does? And do you really think you will once you look at their exifs?

To suggest that i have no control how my images are viewed is laughable at best.

Stop looking at exifs and start looking through a viewfinder. That's how you learn to take better photographs

Great shot, what lens?

Nice Shot, What camera?

It's not seeing the woods for the trees

If you want to learn something that's really worth learning, go here.

http://www.markushartel.com/tutorials/b ... -rule.html

[rileypm]

This is a photo sharing site and if members learn something along the way then that is a bonus. Most of the learning appears to come from establishing relationships with other photographers and communicating with them. If you have questions regarding someone's photo, you should ask them.

[andrys]

I'm not paranoid, i'm just not interested in them, or gear talk.

Frankly I'm not here to teach anybody anything, i wouldn't presume so much...

Re what others might write:

Great shot, what lens?

Nice Shot, What camera?

It's not seeing the woods for the trees

If you want to learn something that's really worth learning, go here.

Sean, you do at least seem to be 'teaching' someone else what is
"really worth learning" instead of just letting them feel some
validity in wanting to learn what they can from others'
Exif data to get an idea of what choices other photographers
(or their cameras) made when shooting a scene he liked (or didn't)

But, also, you HAVE shown an interest in someone else's choice
of lens in a shooting environment that needed flexibility
from them and you did try to show them why another lens
would have been better when you didn't like the blurring of one
area of the picture.

In that case I was less drawn to lens talk than you in that
you wished he had used another lens for reasons you gave.

He chose a lens out of need to move around quickly and be
ready for all kinds of situations. He and I both did not at
all mind the blurry area (a pianist's moving hands) and I felt it
added to the feel of the picture, which was about musical
performance for others.

http://forum.pbase.com/viewtopic.php?t=30798

So yes, you, like most of us when we know something that
we'd like to remind others of (when they're asking questions
about how to do something) will want to help them learn or
remember something.

Here, you and I agree that no photographer should be
forced to provide exif data (for me, that is a wholly
unreasonable request) but I have often myself been interested
in the exif data of good pictures I admire and I appreciate that
it's there when I'm interested. Am also interested in it if someone
wonders why a picture went bad and asks others here about it.
The exif data can help that way too.

[bertone61]

Noone can or should be forced to provide EXIF's. Agree. But I would not say that you can't learn anything from reading EXIF data. I often take a look just to get some basic informations about the lens and settings and I always found that kind of info useful. Therefore I always provide the EXIF data though on some occasions I don't.

Cheers
Steve

[jypsee]

is biased toward Nikon values, or settings. I use mainly Canon equipment and the way the exif is shown on my photos is not all that accurate. In addition, I use RAW format when I photograph and if I save a file as a 16bit TIFF the exif is stripped out unless I also choose to save an exif jpeg with it; not something I need or want. So, folks should remember that all exif is not created equal here in pbase-land.
I choose to display exif because it's an old habit from the days when I carried a notebook to record camera settings and other notes about an exposure. Apparently I learned something from that experience....

[sean_mcr]

I don't strip exif data, i just don't show it. I display my images in the way that i do simply because i want people to focus on the image.

Andrys

I don't take shots to teach anybody anything, so i do object to having my photographs displayed in such a way. That does not mean that i'd refuse to give anybody any advice if i could help them. That is when they look for it; I’m a photographer not a teacher, I don’t go around looking for people to teach.

I'm not going to go back to that old debate about Alains shot. The lens was brought up by him, had he not brought it up or posted it looking for opinion i would have said nothing. The forum and the gallery are two different things and I think Alain and I have a good understanding of each other. It’s not now possible to give comment on or vote for any of my images. I’ve never had a bad one, but it’s not why I’m here. When I want feedback I’ll ask for it and I won’t complain if you don’t see the image as I see it as I’m not here to change anybody’s mind on my photographs.

The sunny 16 rule.

Is it worth learning? it's one of the cornerstones of learning how to expose and no exif can ever come close to it (in regards to learning exposure). That's not an opinion, that's a fact. When somebody learns it so that it becomes second nature to them, they can pretty much tell how a shot was taken simply by looking at it, but more importantly, how to take their own shot. Anybody can totally disregard it and stare at exifs all day if they want.

Exif/Shopping list

Some people look at exifs like a shopping list. Canon & Nikon get so much free advertising from them. I don’t like the idea of my photographs becoming a marketing tool for them and for them the most important detail in the exif is their brand. They know full well that a 100-400mm is not ideal for somebody that’s six months in to photography, but they know they’ve been on Fred Miranda etc and heard all about those L lenses with their tack sharp this and buttery smooth that.

It would be hard to convince me that the majority of Exif peepers are interested in anything other then what camera and what lens the shot was taken with. It reduces photography to an act of consumerism that gives the false impression that you can some how buy your way in to good photography.

[thazooo]

My work flow goes from RAW to TIFF and then a JPG if I post it. If anyone wants to know what settings I used they can always ask and I'll answer.
The poll is limited to either yes require it or No because we want to keep the info secret. A rather limited poll.

[andrys]

The poll is limited to either yes require it or No because we want to keep the info secret. A rather limited poll.

I agree, because none of them applied. I don't want it mandated
because I feel it's up to the photographer and certainly not for the
one reason given there, at all.