how to remove date stamp from digital images?

[cryssi]

DH's cousin took all her pics with the nice orange date stamp in the bottom corner. Is there a simple way to remove that, or do I have to spend several hours in photoshop...?

thanks!

 

[donaldduck1967]

It's probably going to cost you several hours in photshop. I hope they turned this option off for the future. Good luck.

 

[gokenin]

I may be wrong but shouldnt you just be able to turn the option off on your camera? that will prevent them from here out but as to ones you have already taken you will have to work with the images on photoshop as far as i know of course you could always take the easy way and simply crop the picture so that you get rid of it. would only work however if its in extra space in the pic and is not vital i guess

 

[cryssi]

yes, you can turn it off, but she likes the date on the pics for her future reference. we don't like it, so we'll have to alter our copies...

 

[gokenin]

I dont know if the person that wants the dates is willing to do this but all digital cameras keep the date and time as part of the exif (think thats whats its called) so she could simply write this info on the back of the pictures after they are printed that way you will have no stamp on yours and she wil have that info on hers?

 

[cryssi]

yeah, no, that wouldn't be an option. it's ok...we'll just photoshop/crop the ones we are going to use...we won't be using all 800 of their pics anyway...lol

 

[fitzperry]

I will never understand why anyone would want to defile their pictures with a big ole ugly date stamp. And most of the places I've used to print digital images put it on the back, so you've got it if you need it anyway (of course that doesn't help the op). Some of them (including Costco and Mpix I believe) will let you choose between the date the image was printed and the date it was taken.

For the offending pics already in existence, I'd probably try to crop it out where possible since that would be faster than cloning.

 

[donaldduck1967]

I will never understand why anyone would want to defile their pictures with a big ole ugly date stamp. And most of the places I've used to print digital images put it on the back, so you've got it if you need it anyway (of course that doesn't help the op). Some of them (including Costco and Mpix I believe) will let you choose between the date the image was printed and the date it was taken.

For the offending pics already in existence, I'd probably try to crop it out where possible since that would be faster than cloning.

Everyone has their own preferences. Alot of people like the date on pics so when they're looking @ them in albums they know when they were taken. Me personally I don't like the date on pics.

 

[fitzperry]

Everyone has their own preferences. Alot of people like the date on pics so when they're looking @ them in albums they know when they were taken.

I understand why people might want that information in an album. That's why they sell memo albums with room to record it. I just think that nasty digital clock in the corner really detracts from the image. Looks like something from a bomb to me. Besides, with a date stamp it's difficult to convince your rarely photographed third child that those pictures of your firstborn are really him.

 

[Code]

While we're on the topic.. digital cameras could at least make the color of the date configurable to something less.. umm.. ORANGE. Film relic that won't die, I guess.

 

[dpuck1998]

If you would like, post one of those bad boys and I'll see how long it takes me to get rid of it. I think with photoshop it shouldn't be a pretty quick edit...but of course 800 photos is another story

 

[cryssi]

lol, I'm going to search for a really difficult one tonight then...

 

[dpuck1998]

lol, I'm going to search for a really difficult one tonight then...

If you want to send me the image in it "full glory" then let me know and I'll PM you my email addy. I'll assume that any camera that puts a date stamp doesn't take photos in RAW format, but if it does thats my preffered format!

 

[cryssi]

lol, um, no RAW...actually, we didn't even shoot RAW with the D200...

pm please and I'll try to get one off tonight after work...

 

[cryssi]

well, it's slow going with removing that date stamp, but I'm pretty pleased with the way it's going. After this is over, I'll be a pro, and if anyone needs dates removed from pics, I'd be glad to help...lol

I'm about 1/2 way done, I think. My 13 y.o. cousin was helping out, too...I think she touched up about 10 pics and did a pretty good job!

 

[dpuck1998]

well, it's slow going with removing that date stamp, but I'm pretty pleased with the way it's going. After this is over, I'll be a pro, and if anyone needs dates removed from pics, I'd be glad to help...lol

I'm about 1/2 way done, I think. My 13 y.o. cousin was helping out, too...I think she touched up about 10 pics and did a pretty good job!

Good for you Think of all you will have learned now!

Just curious, whats your method? I used the clone tool...

 

[cryssi]

yup. clone stamp. DH is a big fan of the spot healing tool, but it doesn't really work well with complicated images. I use photoshop a lot at work, but I don't really touch up photos. I'm really pleased with some of the results I've been getting. The trick is to use different brush sizes...

sometimes, if I'm not getting a good result with the clone stamp, I'll cut and paste, then blend the edges...I'll try to post some examples sometime in the future...

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I'd keep trying on a solution that didn't include recording the date as part of the image.

Some possible compromises include using software that renames each file to include the date/time (lots of software does this) or maybe some software that can stick the date/time on the image after the fact. That way you can have copies without it and with it. It would also give you the ability to pick less obnoxious colors/fonts. I don't know of any software offhand that does that, but it must exist. If it doesn't, it wouldn't be hard to write.

 

[Groucho]

Some possible compromises include using software that renames each file to include the date/time (lots of software does this) or maybe some software that can stick the date/time on the image after the fact. That way you can have copies without it and with it. It would also give you the ability to pick less obnoxious colors/fonts. I don't know of any software offhand that does that, but it must exist. If it doesn't, it wouldn't be hard to write.

I was thinking that this would be the way to go, too. Date-stamps in digital photos are just about the most awful thing ever and really need to go the way of the floppy-disk digital cameras.

Irfanview can add the date stamp as described here - just go into batch, do advanced, and select overlay text. You can put any text you want, including a bunch of variables like date/time, in any color, any font, and any of the four corners, in varying distances from the corner. Pick your preference, add all your photos, and let 'er rip.

 

[cryssi]

I'm definitely going to have to keep that in mind. She said that on the next trip she'd only put the date on the first picture of the day...but if we could add something that's a bit more aesthetically pleasing then...