cringeruk

Q: How to remove copyright from EXIF

How do I remove the following copyright field in my EXIF info? I want to submit the photo in a competition and need to remove all traces of my name from embedded EXIF. I am the photographer so do own the copyright!

 

The name was added "in camera" and not through any import presets or autofill list. The fact it is greyed out is worrying me that it not removeable.

 

Thanks

Screen Shot 2014-01-18 at 08.30.30.png

Posted on Jan 18, 2014 12:36 AM

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Q: How to remove copyright from EXIF

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  • by léonie,Solvedanswer

    léonie léonie Jan 18, 2014 2:07 AM in response to cringeruk
    Level 10 (105,690 points)
    iLife
    Jan 18, 2014 2:07 AM in response to cringeruk

    Aperture does not allow to change EXIF tags that have been created by the camera and document, how the image has been created.

    You need to use other software for that, for example ExifTool, see this link:   ExifTool by Phil Harvey

     

    I added some examples how it can be used with Aperture to my user tip here:

                     Modifying EXIF tags of Originals Using exiftool: camera, lens, gps

     

    but not how to modify the copyright tag. You will have to look that up in the exiftool documentation.

  • by Kirby Krieger,

    Kirby Krieger Kirby Krieger Jan 18, 2014 2:57 AM in response to cringeruk
    Level 6 (12,521 points)
    Jan 18, 2014 2:57 AM in response to cringeruk

    You can, I believe, set your camera to not record this data.  Many cameras cannot record the copyright information.

     

    I have never heard of a contest that required files to have the copyright removed (but I don't get around that much).  Personally, I'd be wary of any request for submission of my pictures with the copyright removed.  (I can see the need for this in a contest (that entries be anonymous), but the solution -- requiring the photographers to submit material that has specifically had the copyright removed -- seems poor.)

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Jan 18, 2014 3:10 AM in response to Kirby Krieger
    Level 10 (105,690 points)
    iLife
    Jan 18, 2014 3:10 AM in response to Kirby Krieger

    Personally, I'd be wary of any request for submission of my pictures with the copyright removed.

    Good point, Kirby!  If they particularly asked for the copyright tags to be removed, I'd not trust them with my photos!

  • by cringeruk,

    cringeruk cringeruk Jan 18, 2014 6:53 AM in response to cringeruk
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 18, 2014 6:53 AM in response to cringeruk

    leonie, I am almost there. Using

     

    exiftool -overwrite_original_in_place -preserve "-Copyright="/mydirectorypath

     

    I can get to the following:

     

    Screen Shot 2014-01-18 at 14.45.52.png

     

    but I am not sure how to make it completely blank! How should this part be typed to return nothing in the required field "-Copyright="

     

    As an aside, in the UK copyright is an automatic right and arises whenever an individual or company creates a work. Without being a copyright lawyer I assume I would still own the copyright even if the EXIF info did not show me as such. It is a very well known competition that many professional photographers enter so I am not worrying too much! The rules of the competion also state that ownership of the copyright in all images submitted to the Competition will remain with the copyright owner(s).

     

    Thanks for help so far!

  • by Frank Caggiano,Helpful

    Frank Caggiano Frank Caggiano Jan 18, 2014 7:26 AM in response to cringeruk
    Level 7 (25,782 points)
    Jan 18, 2014 7:26 AM in response to cringeruk

    You need a space after the "-Copywrite=" and what comes next.

    so this

     

    exiftool -overwrite_original_in_place -preserve "-Copyright="/mydirectorypath


    should be


    exiftool -overwrite_original_in_place -preserve "-Copyright=" /mydirectorypath

     


  • by cringeruk,Helpful

    cringeruk cringeruk Jan 18, 2014 7:38 AM in response to cringeruk
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 18, 2014 7:38 AM in response to cringeruk

    Thanks Frank and leonie. That did it now.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Jan 18, 2014 7:51 AM in response to cringeruk
    Level 10 (105,690 points)
    iLife
    Jan 18, 2014 7:51 AM in response to cringeruk

    You are welcome!

     

    Good luck for your competition!

  • by Ernie Stamper,

    Ernie Stamper Ernie Stamper Jan 18, 2014 8:21 AM in response to cringeruk
    Level 8 (37,588 points)
    Video
    Jan 18, 2014 8:21 AM in response to cringeruk

    Did you test simply editing your Export preset to Uncheck the setting to include metadata?

     

    Ernie

  • by cringeruk,

    cringeruk cringeruk Jan 18, 2014 9:27 AM in response to Ernie Stamper
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 18, 2014 9:27 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

    Some of the metadata also needs to be included.

  • by cringeruk,

    cringeruk cringeruk Feb 1, 2014 10:17 AM in response to cringeruk
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 1, 2014 10:17 AM in response to cringeruk

    Two weeks ago I managed to remove the copyright from some photos. Today I am fairly sure I am doing exactly the same but now unsuccesful.

     

    exiftool -overwrite_original_in_place -preserve "-Copyright=" /Users/me/Desktop/bpa

        1 directories scanned

        0 image files updated

        1 image files unchanged

     

    Using the first row above, if it did work presumably 1 file would show as updated right? I add the location by dragging the folder in question.

     

    Any ideas?

     

    Thanks

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Feb 1, 2014 10:47 AM in response to cringeruk
    Level 10 (105,690 points)
    iLife
    Feb 1, 2014 10:47 AM in response to cringeruk

    exiftool -overwrite_original_in_place -preserve "-Copyright=" /Users/me/Desktop/bpa

    The part "/Users/me/Desktop/bpa" should point to the image file, not the folder containing the image file. drag the image in question, not the folder.

     

    If there are several images in the folder, for example jpgs, it should suffice to use a wildcard:

     

    exiftool -overwrite_original_in_place -preserve "-Copyright=" /Users/me/Desktop/bpa/*.jpg

     

    meaning, change all jpegs in the folder "bpa"

  • by Frank Caggiano,

    Frank Caggiano Frank Caggiano Feb 1, 2014 11:01 AM in response to léonie
    Level 7 (25,782 points)
    Feb 1, 2014 11:01 AM in response to léonie

    Pretty sure Exiftool should process all image files in a directory if only a directory is given on the command line, no?

     

    That is at least what the examples on the website show and I seem to remember working on whole directories like this in the past.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Feb 1, 2014 11:03 AM in response to Frank Caggiano
    Level 10 (105,690 points)
    iLife
    Feb 1, 2014 11:03 AM in response to Frank Caggiano

    Good to know. Thanks, Frank!

  • by cringeruk,

    cringeruk cringeruk Feb 1, 2014 1:28 PM in response to cringeruk
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 1, 2014 1:28 PM in response to cringeruk

    Aaarrrrrggggghhhh. Sorry guys, I forgot a step! In case I need to find this process again in the future, follow the following! Note for anyone else; this works for me. If you try it as well, test it first on an image you dont mind screwing up.

     

    Select image in Aperture. Click on File then Relocate Original. Put image(s) in a folder on your Desktop. In the terminal paste the following

     

    exiftool -overwrite_original_in_place -preserve "-Copyright=" /mydirectorypath

     

    Instead of typing the directory path you can drag the folder on your desktop that contains the image(s) into the terminal. Hit enter. If succesful it will say image files updated.

     

    Go back into Aperture. On the same image click on File, then Consolidate Original. Select Move (not Copy) in the pop up screen. Then right hand click on the image and select Update From Original.