WINDSOR, England – 3 April 2007 – For the first time, an international conference focusing exclusively on photo metadata will bring together camera makers, photographers, editors, software designers and others who have a stake in professional imaging.

The 1st international Photo Metadata Conference will be held in Florence, Italy, on 7 June 2007. Held in conjunction with CEPIC Congress 2007, this event is organised by two major news industry organisations, IPTC and Ifra, and is sponsored by Adobe Systems Inc.

Everyone agrees that it's difficult to describe photos in a universal way -- independent of language and culture -- but only recently have technologies such as XML permitted photos to carry advanced metadata that can survive throughout the photo production process from camera to finished product. In addition, such formerly exotic technologies as GPS and digital recording can now be embedded in cameras to make a permanent record of such important parameters as the photographer's location and audio comments.

For a full day, representatives from standardisation bodies and such vendors as Adobe, Apple, Canon, Fotoware, Hasselblad and Microsoft will discuss how to improve the interoperability of photo metadata. Photographers, editors, image buyers and others leaders in the photo industry will discuss better ways to describe photos and related rights and permissions information, and will learn how crucial data generated by cameras can improve the editing and long-term resale of images.

The goal of the conference is to simplify the convergence and global applicability of photo metadata, and determine how to maximize the widespread and consistent implementation of standards -- adding value to photos.

As the creator of so-called "IPTC header," a 15-year-old metadata standard that has gained nearly universal acceptance among professional photographers, the IPTC is well positioned to lead the photo industry in this effort. The 2007 congress being held by CEPIC, the Coordination of European Picture Agencies Press Stock Heritage, is the perfect venue for the International Photo Metadata Conference, bringing together the biggest players in Europe's vibrant photo industry.

We welcome participation everyone in the photo industry. To attend the Photo Metadata Conference or learn more about CEPIC's convention in historic Florence, please visit www.phmdc.org. The modest fee includes coffee breaks, buffet lunch and all Conference materials.