Artist: What This Metadata Tag Means
Artist is the EXIF field for the photographer or creator of an image. Cameras and editors can fill it in automatically on every photo.
Last updated: November 13, 2026
What it means
Artist holds a name, sometimes with contact details. The same credit often appears in IPTC By-line and XMP Creator as well.
Example
- Tag
- Artist
- Group in ExifMeta
- EXIF
- Example value
- Jane Doe
This is how the tag appears in ExifMeta’s results. The value in your file will differ.
Typical values
Values are free text, usually a name such as Jane Doe, sometimes followed by an email address or a website. Many files leave it empty.
Where it comes from
Many cameras let you set an owner name that they write into every photo. Editors and photo managers can add or change it.
What it is useful for
It credits the photographer inside the file, so the credit can travel with the image. Check it before you share a photo, too: a camera set up years ago can still be writing your full name into every picture.
Watch out for
It is plain text that anyone can edit, so it is a claim of authorship, not proof. When EXIF, IPTC, and XMP disagree, check which one the software you use reads.
Find it in your file
Upload a file to ExifMeta, then type Artist into the “Search tags and values” box under All metadata. If nothing matches, the file does not contain this tag.
Learn more in the guide: EXIF vs IPTC vs XMP: What’s the Difference?
See the tags in your own file
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