Lots can be learned from a photo’s EXIF and metadata.
Here’s a detailed post about what and why.
Cars, Security and a Peek into my Life
Metadata and EXIF data – information and data attached to a photo.
This data can be used to make educated guesses about the sender / poster, and their behaviour.
1 – time stamps – is this a fresh photo or is it canned? How old is it then, hours or weeks?
If there is no time stamp, the photo could be a screenshot, so why send a screenshot instead of the original?
2 – what was used to take the photo, a camera or phone? What make and model?
3 – is it the original or was the photo edited? What part, and why?
4 – what image number is it? Check against the number of the last photo(s) posted.
5 – is geo-location on or off? Use the coordinates to map it. Confirm they are where they said they are. Can a pattern of movement be determined by mapping the posted photos? What about cross-referencing against the time stamps?
Important to remember – it’s a guide, not an exact science, because EXIF data can be altered, or technical glitches can happen.
This is good way to find patterns, not exact facts.