How to import scanned photos and keep accurate dates?
I am about to scan 5,000 photos using an Epson Fastfoto 680W photo scanner. I then want to import them into Apple Photos on my Mac.
I know that the scanner assigns filenames, but I want to be sure that when I import in the Apple photos it keeps the dates of when the photos were taken.
My question is, what is the best way to achieve this? Is there a specific file naming I should use with the scanner software, or AFTER importing, do I just Select photos → Image ▸ Adjust Date and Time?
Any importing tips would be welcome.
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Sienna
Remember that the FILE created date is when the file was created, not when the photo was taken. Images can have metadata inside them that includes a photo taken date, but that is usually set by the digital camera at the time they are taken. So scanned media doesn’t have it.
You could invest in some sort of image metadata editing app and manually set this. Just make sure you set the right thing. But if you are importing into the Photos app anyway, the. You can use Adjust Date and set the date that way. This doesn’t change the metadata of the scanned file, but does set the date of the photo as it exists in your library. That’s what I do.
If you just want to keep the scans as files. Then I would just name them something that makes sense to you. I use names like “19920731 Waterfall.jpg” for instance. Usually the scanning software lets you set the name before saving or even before scanning. I use Image Capture, which is part of macOS, and it does it that way.