Write on the Back of Your Digital Photos

The ability to hold a print and read a scribbled message is disappearing. Metadata is the new handwriting on the back of a photo. It is searchable, permanent, and portable—but only if you take the time to fill it in with care. This guide walks you through a practical way to document your memories without giving up privacy.

Choose the Right Metadata Fields

Metadata standards contain hundreds of fields, but you only need a focused subset for storytelling. Start with IPTC Core, supported by nearly every photo manager.

Build a Workflow You Can Maintain

1. Gather a batch of photos (digital or freshly scanned) that share a common theme.
2. Sit with a relative or friend who remembers the scene. Record audio notes if needed.
3. Open the Photo Metadata Tool and drop in one image at a time.
4. Use Edit Metadata to fill in the story fields while the memory is fresh.
5. Export a cleaned copy with sensitive data (GPS, serial numbers) removed for sharing.
6. Store both the annotated master and share-safe copy in organized folders.

Protect Privacy While You Preserve Memory

Metadata is powerful because it travels. That also means anything sensitive will follow the file forever. Here are boundaries to respect:

• Use general neighborhoods or cities instead of full addresses.
• Avoid writing private diagnoses, financial details, or minors’ full names if the file will circulate widely.
• Strip device serial numbers before sharing outside the family.
• Create a “family only” archive with richer annotation and a “public” archive with sanitized data.

Make It Searchable for Future Generations

Metadata turns chaotic folders into something retrievable. By standardizing your keywords (“migration,” “Kars,” “New Year’s Eve”), you make it possible for descendants to query history the same way they search the web. Combine metadata with consistent filenames (YYYY-MM-DD_Title) and you have a legacy library.