Photo Metadata

IPTC Photo Metadata sets the industry standard for administrative, descriptive, and copyright information about images.

Diagram

Critical to Photo and Related Businesses

Photo metadata is key to protecting images' copyright and licensing information online. It is also essential for managing digital assets. Detailed and accurate descriptions about images ensure they can be easily and efficiently retrieved via search, by users or machine-readable code. This results in smoother workflow within organizations, more precise tracking of images, and increased licensing opportunities.

The IPTC Standard

The IPTC Photo Metadata standard is the most widely used standard because of its universal acceptance among photographers, distributors, news organizations, archivists, and developers. The schema defines metadata structure, properties, and fields, so that images are optimally described and easily accessed later.

Guidelines & Support

See our user guides and support documents for guidance in implementing an efficient metadata workflow. The IPTC Core and Extension Guidelines give instructions and descriptions for all IPTC Standard fields, which helps maximize information stored with images. Also available: Toolkit for Adobe software; users forum; and sample image files.

Research

IPTC not only defines the standard for photo metadata, but also conducts research about how it is used in the real world. We examine metadata in commonly used software, social media platforms, and more. The removal of rights information as images are transferred is of particular concern. Here are our most recent studies, tests, and findings.

 

Upcoming Events

  • IPTC Spring Meeting 2022 - for IPTC members

    Location
    Online
    Date(s)
    16 - 18 May, 2022

  • Photo Metadata Conference 2022 - open to the public

    Location
    Online
    Date(s)
    TBC

  • IPTC Autumn Meeting 2022 - for IPTC members

    Location
    TBC
    Date(s)
    October 2022
Latest News

Dec 6 Publishers Weekly: “How Publishers Can Get Alt Text Right” with IPTC Photo Metadata

Bill Kasdorf, IPTC Individual Member, has written about IPTC Photo Metadata in his latest column for Publishers Weekly. In the article, a double-page spread in the printed version of the 11/22/2021 issue of Publishers Weekly and an extended article online, Bill references Caroline Desrosiers of IPTC Startup member Scribely saying “if publications are born accessible, […]