Digital booths
Keep an XMP sidecar with the RAW file it describes
Prevent descriptive or rights metadata from disappearing when a booth archive moves.
A RAW capture can be accompanied by an XMP sidecar that stores editable descriptive fields outside the image data. If an archive copies only the RAW file, those annotations may seem to vanish even though the metadata editor showed them earlier. Treat the image and its sidecar as a linked pair whenever the format and software use external metadata.
Know what a sidecar contains
IPTC’s current photo-metadata guidance distinguishes descriptive, administrative and rights-related properties and notes that some raw formats may use XMP sidecars because the file itself does not support those fields. A sidecar is metadata storage, not a replacement image and not proof that every camera or editor writes the same fields.
Evidence: Photography metadata standard · Standards body user guide
Check the pair before transfer
In the source application, add a harmless test caption or creator field to a duplicate capture and inspect the resulting file set. If an XMP file appears beside the RAW, copy both together and keep their base names paired. Reopen the copied pair in a second location or application and verify the test value survived before applying the workflow to an archive.
Evidence: Standards body user guide
Keep claims and rights fields accurate
Metadata standards provide fields for creator, description and rights information, but the operator still supplies their truth. Do not fill a copyright owner or usage-terms field from an assumption about who owns the portrait. For booth exports, include only data the workflow can maintain correctly and test whether the final JPEG or print-export step preserves the intended fields.
Evidence: Photography metadata standard
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- IPTC Photo Metadata StandardPhotography metadata standard
- IPTC Photo Metadata User Guide, sidecar filesStandards body user guide