Jeff's Apps| System | Common contents | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| EXIF | Capture date, camera, lens, exposure, orientation, GPS | Camera or phone |
| IPTC | Caption, headline, credit, copyright, keywords | Photographer, newsroom, asset manager |
| XMP | Extensible fields, ratings, labels, edit instructions | Editing and catalog software |
EXIF describes the capture
EXIF is where most people first meet photo metadata. A phone or camera writes technical details at the moment of capture. Dates and GPS fields can be extremely useful for organizing a library, but they can also reveal when and where an original file was made.
IPTC helps describe and credit the picture
IPTC fields were built around publishing workflows. They answer questions the camera cannot: Who made this? What is happening? What words should make it searchable? A caption or copyright notice belongs here more naturally than in a camera-maker field.
XMP gives software more room
XMP is flexible enough to carry standard fields and application-specific information. Editors often use it for ratings, labels, or nondestructive adjustments. Depending on the format and software, XMP may be embedded in the image or stored in a separate sidecar file.
Why the distinction matters on iPhone
A simple “remove metadata” command can discard useful information along with sensitive fields. Selective editing lets you clear GPS coordinates while keeping a date, caption, copyright notice, or camera record. Before exporting, look at the field itself rather than assuming all metadata has the same purpose.