# \#metadata **URL:** https://forum.inaturalist.org/tag/metadata/30.md [Latest](https://forum.inaturalist.org/latest.md) · [Categories](https://forum.inaturalist.org/categories.md) · [Tags](https://forum.inaturalist.org/tags.md) --- ## [Advice on backing up large amounts of iNaturalist photos](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/advice-on-backing-up-large-amounts-of-inaturalist-photos/78743)
**Author:** [@wolfram06](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/wolfram06)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [May 12, 2026, 6:39am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/advice-on-backing-up-large-amounts-of-inaturalist-photos/78743 "2026-05-12T06:39:27Z")
Recently I’ve been wanting to make offline copies of my iNaturalist observations, that way if something happens to the iNaturalist servers or the internet as a whole I won’t loose my observations. However, as of writing… --- ## [Naturtag by @jcook - Organize your photo collection with iNat metadata](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/naturtag-by-jcook-organize-your-photo-collection-with-inat-metadata/33959)
**Author:** [@jcook](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jcook)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [May 5, 2026, 5:40pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/naturtag-by-jcook-organize-your-photo-collection-with-inat-metadata/33959 "2026-05-05T17:40:54Z")
Here’s a fun little project I’ve been working on for a couple years that I’d like to share: https://github.com/pyinat/naturtag It’s an open source desktop application, and its main goal is to let you use your own iNatur… --- ## [Should Europeans stop using iNaturalist because of the possible threats of the current US-Politics? (about data safety)](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/should-europeans-stop-using-inaturalist-because-of-the-possible-threats-of-the-current-us-politics-about-data-safety/74772)
**Author:** [@sebwen](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/sebwen)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [January 19, 2026, 5:36pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/should-europeans-stop-using-inaturalist-because-of-the-possible-threats-of-the-current-us-politics-about-data-safety/74772 "2026-01-19T17:36:37Z")
Hi, i’m new to this forum and didn’t find similar topics (only minimising-unwanted-corporate-government-surveillance and safety-of-posting-locations, … but it’s not exactly what i searched for). Reasons why i think it m… --- ## [Do you rely on metadata for your observations?](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/do-you-rely-on-metadata-for-your-observations/73438)
**Author:** [@kimberlydw](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/kimberlydw)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2025, 5:39am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/do-you-rely-on-metadata-for-your-observations/73438 "2025-12-29T05:39:46Z")
A recent struggle has made me aware of some issues with how metadata changes and thought it needed discussed. I dont know how many of you use the metadata on your photos to keep track of its details. I personally use a p… --- ## [Recent change of automatic lowercase of certain Tags?](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/recent-change-of-automatic-lowercase-of-certain-tags/67930)
**Author:** [@wimvdam](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/wimvdam)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [August 9, 2025, 11:19pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/recent-change-of-automatic-lowercase-of-certain-tags/67930 "2025-08-09T23:19:03Z")
I know that the lowercase/uppercase of Tags sometimes gets changed according to a standard. Did this standard get changed recently for words such “California” and “Mountain Quail”? My July 20 submitted observations got a… --- ## [Image metadata isn't loading when uploading images](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/image-metadata-isnt-loading-when-uploading-images/67822)
**Author:** [@sofiazed1](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/sofiazed1)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [July 30, 2025, 2:46pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/image-metadata-isnt-loading-when-uploading-images/67822 "2025-07-30T14:46:08Z")
Platform: Website Browser, if a website issue: Firefox and Chrome Description of problem: When I attempt to upload photos to the ‘new observation’ page via the drag and drop method or the ‘choose files’ button, the me… --- ## [Can you trust your meta data?](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/can-you-trust-your-meta-data/63166)
**Author:** [@kimberlydw](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/kimberlydw)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [March 24, 2025, 5:03am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/can-you-trust-your-meta-data/63166 "2025-03-24T05:03:55Z")
While moving my pictures and audio between apps, internal storage, etc, i noticed something upsetting. I think many of us rely on our meta data to know the date, time, place, everything we need here. How can our meta be … --- ## [Generating lists of single-record species for an area](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/generating-lists-of-single-record-species-for-an-area/62109)
**Author:** [@leptonia](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/leptonia)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [February 26, 2025, 8:22pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/generating-lists-of-single-record-species-for-an-area/62109 "2025-02-26T20:22:17Z")
Hi everyone, Does anyone have a clever solution for generating a list of species that are represented by very few records (\<10) for a given area? Specifically, I am looking to generate a list of fungi that are represen… --- ## [Information/data visualization design and inaturalist data](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/information-data-visualization-design-and-inaturalist-data/58137)
**Author:** [@giorgio215](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/giorgio215)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [November 15, 2024, 3:10pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/information-data-visualization-design-and-inaturalist-data/58137 "2024-11-15T15:10:35Z")
Hello! I’m an information designer and I teach data visualization in a few courses. In the past, I’ve already used iNaturalist data for exercises and tutorials. This year, I would love to assign students a project where … --- ## [Is there a tool to transfer metadata to tags?](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/is-there-a-tool-to-transfer-metadata-to-tags/54660)
**Author:** [@deniszp](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/deniszp)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [August 24, 2024, 1:34pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/is-there-a-tool-to-transfer-metadata-to-tags/54660 "2024-08-24T13:34:40Z")
Is there perhaps a tool that allows me to automatically transfer the camera and lens model from the metadata on my photos to the tags for these photos? Or maybe there is already some way to view all photos of a certain l… --- ## [Inat\_downloader : Python script for images and metadata downloading](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/inat-downloader-python-script-for-images-and-metadata-downloading/46378)
**Author:** [@cypamigon](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/cypamigon)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [October 29, 2023, 5:28pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/inat-downloader-python-script-for-images-and-metadata-downloading/46378 "2023-10-29T17:28:05Z")
Hi everyone, I wanted to share with you a Python script I’ve created to automatize the download of images and metadata from iNaturalist observations. Whether you’re a nature lover, researcher, data scientist, etc., this… --- ## [New open-source project synchronising iNaturalist to ArcGIS](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/new-open-source-project-synchronising-inaturalist-to-arcgis/44015)
**Author:** [@nigel\_charman](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/nigel_charman)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [August 8, 2023, 10:58am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/new-open-source-project-synchronising-inaturalist-to-arcgis/44015 "2023-08-08T10:58:30Z")
We’ve open-sourced our project for synchronising iNaturalist data to ArcGIS. Using iNaturalist engages the public in biosecurity surveillance and control. The backend ArcGIS project (called CAMS weed app) allows us to … --- ## [Do you need to check the button 'sync obs. w/ photo metadata when you upload a photo](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/do-you-need-to-check-the-button-sync-obs-w-photo-metadata-when-you-upload-a-photo/24266)
**Author:** [@kgunson](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/kgunson)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [June 26, 2021, 4:54pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/do-you-need-to-check-the-button-sync-obs-w-photo-metadata-when-you-upload-a-photo/24266 "2021-06-26T16:54:11Z")
There is a checkbox when you upload a photo to iNat that says sync obs. w/ photo metadata. If you forget to check this, will the metadata (EXIF) still be taken from the photo such as location date and time? What if you f… --- ## [Mapping iNaturalist metadata to DarwinCore properites](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/mapping-inaturalist-metadata-to-darwincore-properites/10654)
**Author:** [@jcook](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jcook)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [March 9, 2020, 2:46am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/mapping-inaturalist-metadata-to-darwincore-properites/10654 "2020-03-09T02:46:53Z")
TL;DR: How can I most easily map iNat metadata \<–\> DwC properites for arbitrary observations? I’m interested in storing some iNaturalist metadata for my own observations with the corresponding photos on my local machine… --- ## [Export Column for Only Specific Epithet ](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/export-column-for-only-specific-epithet/8587)
**Author:** [@thecaiman1](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/thecaiman1)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2019, 3:29pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/export-column-for-only-specific-epithet/8587 "2019-12-17T15:29:42Z")
I am exporting data for incorporation into another (offline) biodiversity database. The Export Observations interface is good but can there be an additional option under Taxon Extras that puts ONLY the specific epithet i… --- ## [Metadata: how to add a taxon name that is picked up by iNat on upload?](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/metadata-how-to-add-a-taxon-name-that-is-picked-up-by-inat-on-upload/3691)
**Author:** [@karoopixie](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/karoopixie)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [June 7, 2019, 10:04am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/metadata-how-to-add-a-taxon-name-that-is-picked-up-by-inat-on-upload/3691 "2019-06-07T10:04:58Z")
On the video tutorial for uploading obs, the presenter mentions that the taxon name was taken from the metadata. How does one include it in the metadata/exif? And can one include other things like Life Stage or Habitat…