An electronic device, such as a digital camera, includes sensors to acquire subject data, such as an electro-optical image, as well as additional sensors to acquire meta-data such as temperature, humidity, the identification of the subject data, and the data and time. The electronic device further includes an image evaluator, to determine the best steganographic method to use to combine the meta-data and the subject data, and a steganographic engine, to combine the meta-data and the subject data in an undetectable manner. In this way, meta-data can be associated with the subject data when the subject data is acquired and in a manner that attaches the meta-data and the subject data without requiring generating and maintaining two, linked data sets.