1. A digital image search and retrieval system, comprising: a query parser for parsing a query submitted by a user through a client computer, said query including at least one metadata criterion relating to a first type of recorded metadata and said query is void of any reference to a second type of recorded metadata different than the first type of recorded metadata; said query parser having access to a metadata database for searching the metadata database for one or more digital images satisfying said metadata criterion; and a response composer communicatively coupled to the query parser for receiving from the parser a notification of metadata results responsive to the query; said response composer having access to the metadata database and a digital image database storing images identified by metadata stored in the metadata database wherein the response composer composes a response including one or more digital images from said digital image database corresponding to the metadata results from the query, the metadata for these images which corresponds to the first type of recorded metadata, and other metadata for these images which corresponds to the second type of recorded metadata, from said metadata database; and said response composer being communicatively coupled to said client computer for sending the response to the client computer for display to said user.