Exporting Photos library whilst retaining folders/albums/date created?

When you export the unmodified or edited/modified version of a photo the EXIF Creation Date will be intact and embedded in the file.

That being said you can export albums of photos to folders with the same name as the album by using this AppleScript: Export Albums to Folders - Jacques Rioux's Script.

You can download a compiled version of the script as an application from this tutorial site:  P01 - Applescripts from Photos User Tips Compiled as Applications

The first time you run the compiled script application Control (right) - click on it and select Open from the contextual menu.

Remember the Finder won't view the EXIF Created Date except when in the column mode. Otherwise it sees the file creation date.

The metadata for each photo shows the creation and modified date as 22 Nov 19, the date of my reconstructed library, not the date on the original photos in my library (back in April 2018). How can I fix this?

Where are you seeing these dates? If in the Finder then the only view what will show the EXIF creation date is the column view.

What the Finder shows in the other views is the "file metadata", not the image metadata.

Exporting the originals will not include the IPTC metadata, i.e. title, description, keywords, etc. Those can be exported in a companion XLM file during export. When imported into an app that uses IPTC metadata it will read the image file and the XML file to get all of data.

I'm trying to cull my library and transfer a number of photos (back the last 19 years) to an external drive 'just in case'. I've gotten in my library review process to the point where I want to transfer 20 photos of a certain event.

As background, I had a problem with my MacBook Pro and the Apple store fixed it by reformatting my hard drive. Unfortunately, my Time Machine backup was corrupted and I had to reload most data, including my photo library, from iCloud. All photos appeared, with the original creation date, camera, etc. intact in the metadata. Now, I just transferred those 20 photos to my external drive using 'Export Unmodified Original'. The metadata for each photo shows the creation and modified date as 22 Nov 19, the date of my reconstructed library, not the date on the original photos in my library (back in April 2018). How can I fix this?

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, the information is the same in all 4 Finder views. Columns is a lot more limited than that shown in your screen shot.

I may have solved my problem. I had been told previously that PowerPhoto was a good option. I downloaded a trial copy, created a new photo library on my external disk named 'Archive Library' and copied the 20 photos to that library file. They all came across with the original creation date intact. I'll probably use that rather than just copies the individual pics as a jpeg file to the external drive. Do appreciate your response and always happy to hear additional information.

Thanks.

In addition, I had also tried the original export and clicked on 'Export IPTC as XMP'. I did get a second .xmp file named the same as the original image jpeg file, but the information there showed today's date as created, modified, and last opened. I imagine that importing both files (?) at the same time would bring up the original IPTC data - but I think the PowerPhoto option is easier for a novice like me.

Thanks again.

I think I understand your suggestion - but I don't really want all the files as an archive - I'm happy with Cloud storage for my library. I'm cleaning up my library in preparation for scanning 40 years of film/slides into a manageable collection. There are perhaps 200 images in my current file that I don't want to permanently delete, but don't want to clutter up my active library either. It seems the best solution is to keep a separate archive library with those 'just in case' images.

Hope this makes sense to you - I do appreciate your suggestion. Thanks

Oy vey! Forgot to ask what system are you running? I'm running Catalina and we have more metadata in the column view that previous systems. 🤭

Running 10.15.4!

Maybe I'm stupid, but why not just locate your library in the finder through preferences in iPhotos and copy your photo library file and put it where you wanted to export it to?

Having to download all of the originals from the iCloud Library may have caused the metadata to be left behind when the new files were created.