SmugMug Metadata

[afengler]

I have started using SmugMug as a portfolio site for some of my photographs, mostly wildlife and botanical subjects. All my images are categorized with common and scientific name, family etc.
SmugMug allows only the XMP Title and Description tags to be displayed when selecting an image. Is there an easy way to write selected categories to these tags with ExifTool? This would have to be done to most of my 126,000 images...
All ideas are welcome.

[Mario]

Why not use a Metadata Template in IMatch to copy what you need into the description?

Or, when you use the Batch Processor to export your files for upload to smugmug, you can also copy whatever you want into the title and description.

You surely don't want to "ruin" the metadata titles and descriptions of your files just to make smugmug happy. I recommend using the BP to produce variants for smugmug, with smugmug-compliant metadata.
As a side note, supporting only title and description is quite 90th...


Metadata for Beginners

Metadata Templates

Using Custom Metadata in the Batch Processor

[jch2103]

I use SmugMug also, but it picks up my Descriptions (I don't usually use Title). Which Metadata Template are you using? I use a custom one, but the 1 Default template offers Description (xmp::\description\Description\0) and Headline tags, which seem to be picked up by SmugMug.

[Mario]

It is quite easy to use File.Categories variables and copy them into the description (either in a Metadata Template or in the Batch Processor).
It depends how your category hierarchy is constructed and which categories you want to include. Fortunately, IMatch category variables allow for easy selection and filtering, which means you can easily control which categories to copy into the Description tag. Try it out with the VarToy app.

[afengler]

Thanks Mario and John, for these lightning fast answers! I do not know any other software product that tries to come even close to this kind of customer support...
I like the key idea to create a variant with the batch processor to insert these tags only during the SmugMug uploading process.

[Mario]

Thanks Mario and John, for these lightning fast answers! I do not know any other software product that tries to come even close to this kind of customer support...

This may seem like an old concept these days, with inventive AI-based chat-bots for support (which are usually totally useless, in most cases).
I see IMatch as a package, combining top-quality software with actual support by the developer and the friendly, helpful and knowledgeable user base.

I like the key idea to create a variant with the batch processor to insert these tags only during the SmugMug uploading process.

That's the typical workflow.
You maintain clean and useful keywords, descriptions, title (which is used to store more technical data, like the file name), headline (which is what smugmug should've used), categories, private data per file in IMatch.
You use the Batch Processor to export dedicated versions of your files with controlled metadata for services like smugmug.

Maybe you switch to another service some day which favors headline over title, and supports keywords as well.
Then you can just change your Batch Processor preset, produce new versions of your files for your new service as needed.

Your original files and metadata remain untouched.

PS.: I think I recall some recent discussions on pro photography boards about the terms of service of smugmug. You may want to read them carefully, especially what smugmug is allowed to do with your files without your explicit permission, where your data goes, which 3rd parties smugmug is sharing your personal data with etc.