Tagging Images with Metadata

[MarillionFan]

I've just copied over a library of 12000 images from my parents.

I'd like to be able to search for pictures of family members, dates or locations. To do this I'll need to add in some metadata on each image.

Are there any tools for doing this and then searching it?

[TimberWolf]

Neat idea, but having had quick look at current status, is a bit of a minefield, e.g. older image editors may wipe out metadata, loose standards.

Software libraries, such as libexif[3] for C and Exiv2[4] for C++, Metadata Extractor[5] for Java, or Image::ExifTool[6] for Perl, parse Exif data from files and read/write Exif tag values.
Exchangeable image file format - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Metadata - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[doodab]

Have a look at Adobe Lightroom and MS Expression Media.