diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..397b4a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.log
diff --git a/photos-metadata.sh b/photos-metadata.sh
index 35c40fc..62e86e5 100755
--- a/photos-metadata.sh
+++ b/photos-metadata.sh
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ for year_dir in "$base_dir"/*/; do
         # Extract the date from the photo metadata
         photo_date=$(exiftool -DateTimeOriginal -d "%Y:%m:%d %H:%M:%S" "$photo" | awk -F': ' '{print $2}')
 
-        if [ -z "$photo_date" ]; then
-          # Scenario 2: No date metadata
+        if [ -z "$photo_date" ] || [[ "$photo_date" == "0000:00:00 00:00:00" ]] || [[ "$photo_date" == "1970:01:01 00:00:00" ]] || [[ "$photo_date" == "1979:12:31 21:00:00" ]]; then
+          # Scenario 2: No date metadata or invalid date
           filename_datetime=$(extract_datetime_from_filename "$photo")
 
           if [ -n "$filename_datetime" ]; then
@@ -130,10 +130,12 @@ for year_dir in "$base_dir"/*/; do
                 echo "  Suggested action: Update photo metadata to match filename date."
               fi
             else
+              new_date="$year:$month:01 00:00:00"
+              log_change "$photo" "$photo_date" "$new_date"
               echo "Mismatch found: $photo"
               echo "  Directory date: $year/$month"
               echo "  Photo date: $photo_date"
-              echo "  No valid date found in filename."
+              echo "  No valid date found in filename. Defaulting to directory date."
             fi
           fi
         fi