I though that command line examples would be the easiest. Some graphical GUI based programs have the possibility to show this info. Not all of them though.
For example:
ImageMagick also has a simple GUI variant. It has an Image Info button (right mouse click to access),
XnView has the Properties button. (This is freeware, not FOSS)
You can always try to load the jpg as xmp (that is assuming you use darktable, which I believe you do). Worst thing that can happen is that nothing happens
Asking about a more detailed description of a particular workflow might be the better question in my opinion.
EDIT: Did you by any chance look at the XMP tab in the properties window? You shouldn’t. If you load an image in darktable it will create an XMP, which holds its signature. This doesn’t have anything to do with the original image though. Look at the Properties tab (or the ExifTool tab).
I was looking at the EXIF info for the wrong image. I’m not real familiar with XnView. I was looking at lylejk’s image, and then I wasn’t. I’ve looked again; it does say GIMP.
I would also like to know what @lylejk’s workflow has been with Gimp, since it seems that he has used several filters and the result is different from how it looks with DT or with RT only.
You caught me; definitely used several filters since that’s what I do. I first used Filter Factory (User Filter) with Unplugged Effects Ink Rubber (set layer property to value on dupllicate layer) which tends to darken the blues. I then enhanced the details using G’MIC’s Freaky Details but forgot that it can lead to edge artifacts (if you look at the full rez, that’s obvious). I can clean up that, but have to head off to work soon (work weekends for my full time job).
Just as a side, I really like Ink Rubber preset since it does darken the sky the way I like it leaving other details the same. Just my laziness I suppose.
White-balance was a bit tricky. First I thought about using the white surface of the boat, but from which area? The cabin in the shadow or the side towards the water, which is probably illuminated by reflections from water, sky and street lighting? At the end I used the whole picture as area for the color picker in color calibration, and used the 4 ways tab in color balance rgb to compensate the color cast for different luminance levels.
I used tone equalizer to lift the shadows in the foreground, supported by a really low black relative exposure of -16 EV in filmic. This aims at giving the cabin a more “natural” visual experience, while the pier should remain just noticeable in the dark shadow.
Color grading is finalized again in the master tab of color balance rgb, by increasing global contrast and vibrance, and increasing linear chroma in highlights and a bit of brilliance in the midtones.
To increase the detail sharpness I use my preset in contrast equalizer, and added local contrast with a parametric mask on Jz input range to exclude shadows and highlights. Custom settings in denoise (profiled), especially scattering, central pixel weight and preserve shadows, also help increasing the separation of objects (boat, ropes) vs. smooth areas (water, sky).
First of all: The edit info is stored inside the jpg, unless you disable it (you did not), so if people want to have a look at your edit steps they can load the jpeg as sidecar file.
About not being able to find the xmp files: Does dartable actually create them? There’s an option in the preferences that takes care of this:
preferences -> storage -> XMP -> write sidecar for each image
It should be ticked (it is by default if I’m not mistaken).
Trying to get a handle on color grading; wanted to make the color of the waterfront go with the blues. Threw a lot of modules at it until I got what I wanted. Perhaps not as efficient as could be.
Made my color calibration on the light bulb showing in the oval window on the boat.