Can an edited photo still show when it was originally taken?
Asked 12/27/2017
3 views
2 answers
0
I’m trying to understand what photo dates and metadata really mean. If a phone photo has a filename like IMG_20170117_184947.jpg, does that filename usually come from the date and time the photo was taken? Also, does the original image normally contain metadata such as camera make, ISO, flash, and capture date/time?
My confusion is that after photos were copied to Google Drive/Google Photos and edited, some of the file dates changed. I’d like a simple explanation of the difference between filename, date taken, file created, and file modified, and whether editing or copying a photo can change some dates while the image still comes from the same original photo.
Is there any practical way to check the metadata and compare an edited version with the original to show they are the same photo except for the edits?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
4
Simple answer: you can't prove anything. A (digital) photo is just a sequence of ones and zeros (bits) on a disk somewhere, and anyone with enough time, money and dedication could get those bits to say anything they wanted.
Originally by user11371. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11371
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A filename like IMG_20170117_184947.jpg often reflects the capture date/time, but that depends on the phone/app and the name can be changed later, so it is not proof by itself.
The more useful data is EXIF metadata. Many photos include fields such as capture date/time, camera maker/model, ISO, and flash. However, copying, exporting, cloud services, or editing can change file-system dates like Created or Modified, and some workflows may alter or remove EXIF too.
So the key distinction is:
- filename: just the file’s name
- date taken: usually EXIF capture time
- date created/modified: file-system timestamps that often change when copied or edited
You generally cannot absolutely prove when a digital photo was taken, because digital files can be altered. But you can often show that an edited photo came from the original by comparing them visually: if only the added shadowing differs and everything else matches exactly, that strongly suggests it is the same source image with edits.
To inspect metadata, use any EXIF viewer, image editor, or tools such as ExifTool or ImageMagick.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI8y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
How does Google Photos determine photo time zones, and can I change them in metadata?
Can I determine when a Facebook-downloaded photo was taken if EXIF data is missing?
Can I recover a photo’s original capture date after editing or resaving?
What do file, EXIF, and composite date/time fields mean, and which should I use to sort photos by capture time?
Can I batch-set photo dates from filenames if the file dates are wrong?