Public Plant Image Metadata Proof
Validated a privacy-preserving public derivative from one canonical plant photo while retaining source integrity and provenance.
Tags: Abbey Root
Public Plant Image Metadata Proof
Summary
Abbey Root now has a one-image proof that canonical plant photography can remain unchanged while a separate public derivative is safely normalized and stripped of private embedded metadata. The test used a real Martha My Dear photo containing precise location and device information.
Accomplishments
- Preserved the canonical source and verified its SHA-256 hash before and after processing.
- Applied the source’s EXIF orientation before re-encoding an sRGB public JPEG.
- Verified that the derivative contains no EXIF tags, GPS data, device fields, comments, XMP, or embedded color profile.
- Recorded source and derivative fingerprints plus the transformation and verification results in a provenance manifest without copying private values.
- Kept the proof derivative unreferenced and outside the existing plant publish workflow.
- Passed plant validation and a 142-page Astro production build.
Lessons Learned
- Orientation is itself metadata, so it must be applied before metadata is discarded.
- Re-encoding a new derivative creates a simpler and more auditable privacy boundary than editing selected location tags in place.
- Provenance can prove source integrity without reproducing sensitive source metadata.
Next Steps
- Turn the proven transformation and verification contract into an Abbey image publication profile in a separate session.
- Add publisher enforcement only after the one-image workflow and desired policy are reviewed.