diff --git a/src/exif_data.py b/src/exif_data.py
index 86963d0..bdd3289 100644
--- a/src/exif_data.py
+++ b/src/exif_data.py
@@ -3,8 +3,14 @@ class ExifData:
   def __init__(self, data:dict) -> None:
     self.path:str = str(data['image_path'])
     self.name:str = str(data['image_name'])
-    self.day:int = int(data['day'])
-    self.month:int = int(data['month'])
-    self.year:int = int(data['year'])
+    self.day:str = str(data['day'])
+    self.month:str = str(data['month'])
+    self.year:str = str(data['year'])
     self.time:str = str(data['time'])
     self.make:str = str(data['make'])
+
+    # fix date strings so they are always 2 chars long
+    if len(self.day) < 2: self.day = "0" + self.day
+    if len(self.month) < 2: self.month = "0" + self.month
+    if len(self.year) < 2: self.year = "0" + self.year
+  
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_exif_data.py b/tests/test_exif_data.py
index 4810321..c8b4e7b 100644
--- a/tests/test_exif_data.py
+++ b/tests/test_exif_data.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ class TestExifData(unittest.TestCase):
     exif_data = ExifData(exif_data_dict)
 
     assert exif_data.make == "CAMERA"
-    assert exif_data.year == 2222
+    assert exif_data.year == "2222"
     assert exif_data.time == "10:10:10"
-
+    assert exif_data.day == "02"
+    assert exif_data.month == "02"
+    assert exif_data.year == "2222"
diff --git a/tests/test_with_real_data.py b/tests/test_with_real_data.py
index aeddb93..c633ddd 100644
--- a/tests/test_with_real_data.py
+++ b/tests/test_with_real_data.py
@@ -16,14 +16,14 @@ class TestSamsung(unittest.TestCase):
       assert image.make == "samsung"
 
     image = next((image for image in meta_data if image.name == "samsung_a54_001.jpg"), None)
-    assert image.day == 2
-    assert image.month == 12
-    assert image.year == 2023
+    assert image.day == "02"
+    assert image.month == "12"
+    assert image.year == "2023"
 
     image = next((image for image in meta_data if image.name == "samsung_a54_003.jpg"), None)
-    assert image.day == 8
-    assert image.month == 12
-    assert image.year == 2023
+    assert image.day == "08"
+    assert image.month == "12"
+    assert image.year == "2023"
 
   @unittest.skip("")
   def test_a52s(self):