Ensure exported photos/videos import correctly into Apple Photos

[veganstraightedge]

Goal

Exported photos and videos should import into Apple Photos with correct metadata — especially dates. Photos from 2006 should show up in 2006, not 2026.

Key requirements

• EXIF date metadata: Ensure DateTimeOriginal, CreateDate, and DateTimeDigitized are embedded in each photo/video file (not just in sidecar JSON/YAML). This is what Apple Photos uses to place items on the timeline.
• Camera info metadata: Retain all camera/lens/settings data (make, model, focal length, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc.) in the EXIF. Apple Photos displays this in the Info panel and uses it for search/filtering.
• GPS/location: Embed geo coordinates in EXIF so Apple Photos shows them on the map.
• Title/description: Check if Apple Photos reads IPTC or XMP fields for captions.
• File format compatibility: Confirm JPEG, PNG, MP4 all import correctly. Check if any Flickr-originated formats need transcoding.

Investigation needed

• Does drag-and-drop import work, or is there a better method?
• Are there batch size limits or recommendations?
• Can Photos handle nested folder structures on import, or does it flatten?
• Is there an Apple Photos API (PhotoKit) we could use from Swift for a more robust import?
• What EXIF writing tool to use? (exiftool is the gold standard, but there may be a Ruby gem)
• Which metadata fields does Apple Photos actually read on import vs ignore?

HOWTO

Write a guide when this is done — step-by-step instructions for importing a Flickarr archive into Apple Photos.