My process for uploading photos on the iNat app is downloading the photos from my camera using Nikon Snapbridge via bluetooth, saving them to my iPhone camera roll in original format, and then posting them in batches. The location metadata is there and correct, but the time is 8 hours ahead from the true local time they were taken (PST).
The time is correct on my camera, and also correct in my camera roll - the 8-hour jump is only present specifically when uploading them to iNaturalist. Could it be the app is reading the metadata wrong/adjusting for timezones? I understand PST+8 is Universal Coordinated Time (UTC), so is it making it into UTC automatically?
I don’t have this issue when posting images that were taken with my iPhone camera, so I have to assume it’s an issue with Snapbridge or the format of the images.
you may need to provide actual examples that show the problem.
if i recall correctly, iNat ignores time zones / offsets recorded in your image metadata, and takes whatever time is recorded and assumes that is the local time, based on wherever your coordinates place the observation.
so if your image records 7AM PDT today in San Francisco, then iNat will take 7AM and set that to 7AM PDT (because you’re in San Francisco).
if your image instead records 2PM UTC, then iNat will take 2PM and set that to 2PM PDT (because you’re in San Francisco).
In my experience as the customer support person for iNat, a lot of the camera company mobile apps cause metadata issues if your workflow is camera → smartphone camera app → iNat, unfortunately.
Which Nikon camera are you using, and is it set to the proper time zone?
Not addressing the issue directly, but just noting that iNat does have the time offset feature on the upload page to handle situations like this (can be applied to all observations at once, pretty efficient).