It's simply a handy tool to have when you want to organize or search your images based on information like shutter speed, aperture, ISO, or white balance. You can use EXIF data to organize your photos as well as search for photos based on certain EXIF data. The value of EXIF data goes beyond remembering what you did and how your camera settings made the shot or didn't make the shot. Get a quick introduction to EXIF data in the video below by nevercenter: We did this for two reasons: one, to keep track of what we were doing for grading purposes, and two, to develop a better understanding of what went right (or wrong) with our photos.įast-forward to today, and digital cameras have their very own pen and paper in the form of EXIF data (EXIF stands for 'exchangeable image file format').

My teacher explained that we needed to have a pen and paper with us when we took photos, that way we could write down the different camera settings we used, the date the shot was taken, the lens we used, and so forth. When I was in high school, digital photography wasn't a thing yet, so my photography classes were in film. In this guide to EXIF data, we'll seek to answer the question, 'What is EXIF data?' in more detail. The short version of the answer to that question is the EXIF data provides details about images, like the exposure settings that were used or the brand of the camera that was used to capture the photograph.ĮXIF data can be a highly valuable resource in a variety of ways - if you see an image on the internet that you particularly like, you can look at the EXIF data to determine the settings and tools used by the photographer to create the shot.ĮXIF data is also handy when looking back through your own photos to refresh your memory as to the specific settings you used for a particular picture. It's a question that many photographers - both newbies and more experienced ones - have asked: What is EXIF data?

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