diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Layout.tsx b/frontend/src/components/Layout.tsx
index 488f4e4..80259c6 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Layout.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Layout.tsx
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ export default function Layout() {
   // Get page title based on route
   const getPageTitle = () => {
     const route = location.pathname
-    if (route === '/') return 'Home Page'
+    if (route === '/') return '🏠 Home Page'
     if (route === '/scan') return '🗂️ Scan Photos'
     if (route === '/process') return '⚙️ Process Faces'
     if (route === '/search') return '🔍 Search Photos'
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Login.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Login.tsx
index 15ea02b..3d50332 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Login.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Login.tsx
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ export default function Login() {
                 onChange={(e) => setUsername(e.target.value)}
                 required
                 className="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-gray-300 rounded-md shadow-sm focus:outline-none focus:ring-blue-500 focus:border-blue-500"
-                placeholder="admin"
               />
             </div>
 
@@ -106,7 +105,6 @@ export default function Login() {
                   onChange={(e) => setPassword(e.target.value)}
                   required
                   className="w-full px-3 py-2 pr-10 border border-gray-300 rounded-md shadow-sm focus:outline-none focus:ring-blue-500 focus:border-blue-500"
-                  placeholder="admin"
                 />
                 <button
                   type="button"
@@ -127,10 +125,6 @@ export default function Login() {
               {loading ? 'Logging in...' : 'Login'}
             </button>
           </form>
-
-          <div className="mt-6 text-center text-sm text-gray-500">
-            <p>Default credentials: admin / admin</p>
-          </div>
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Search.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Search.tsx
index aa2370e..8c2f3a7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Search.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Search.tsx
@@ -519,37 +519,76 @@ export default function Search() {
     return commonTags
   }, [photoTags, selectedPhotos])
 
+  const handleSelectExistingTag = async (tagName: string) => {
+    if (selectedPhotos.size === 0 || !tagName.trim()) {
+      return
+    }
+    
+    try {
+      // Add the selected tag to photos
+      await tagsApi.addToPhotos({
+        photo_ids: Array.from(selectedPhotos),
+        tag_names: [tagName.trim()],
+      })
+      
+      // Clear the dropdown selection
+      setSelectedTagName('')
+      // Reload tags for selected photos so the new tag appears in the Tags area
+      await loadPhotoTags()
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Error tagging photos:', error)
+      alert('Error tagging photos. Please try again.')
+    }
+  }
+
   const handleAddTag = async () => {
     if (selectedPhotos.size === 0) {
       alert('Please select photos to tag.')
       return
     }
     
-    // Determine which tag to use: new tag input or selected from dropdown
-    const tagToAdd = newTagName.trim() || selectedTagName.trim()
+    // Collect both tags: selected existing tag and new tag name
+    const tagsToAdd: string[] = []
     
-    if (!tagToAdd) {
+    if (selectedTagName.trim()) {
+      tagsToAdd.push(selectedTagName.trim())
+    }
+    
+    if (newTagName.trim()) {
+      tagsToAdd.push(newTagName.trim())
+    }
+    
+    if (tagsToAdd.length === 0) {
       alert('Please select a tag or enter a new tag name.')
       return
     }
     
     try {
-      // If it's a new tag (from input field), create it first
-      if (newTagName.trim()) {
-        await tagsApi.create(newTagName.trim())
-        // Refresh available tags list
-        await loadTags()
-        // Clear the new tag input
-        setNewTagName('')
+      // Create any new tags first
+      const newTags = tagsToAdd.filter(tag => 
+        !availableTags.some(availableTag => 
+          availableTag.tag_name.toLowerCase() === tag.toLowerCase()
+        )
+      )
+      
+      for (const newTag of newTags) {
+        await tagsApi.create(newTag)
       }
       
-      // Add tag to photos
+      // Refresh available tags list if we created any
+      if (newTags.length > 0) {
+        await loadTags()
+      }
+      
+      // Add all tags to photos in a single API call
       await tagsApi.addToPhotos({
         photo_ids: Array.from(selectedPhotos),
-        tag_names: [tagToAdd],
+        tag_names: tagsToAdd,
       })
       
+      // Clear inputs after successful tagging
       setSelectedTagName('')
+      setNewTagName('')
       // Reload tags for selected photos
       await loadPhotoTags()
     } catch (error) {
@@ -1480,10 +1519,10 @@ export default function Search() {
                 <select
                   value={selectedTagName}
                   onChange={(e) => {
-                    setSelectedTagName(e.target.value)
-                    // Clear new tag input when selecting from dropdown
-                    if (e.target.value) {
-                      setNewTagName('')
+                    const tagName = e.target.value
+                    if (tagName) {
+                      // Immediately add the tag and clear the dropdown
+                      handleSelectExistingTag(tagName)
                     }
                   }}
                   className="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-gray-300 rounded"
@@ -1495,20 +1534,19 @@ export default function Search() {
                     </option>
                   ))}
                 </select>
+                <p className="text-xs text-gray-500 mt-1">
+                  Selecting a tag will immediately add it to the photos. You can select multiple tags in a row.
+                </p>
               </div>
               <div className="mb-4">
                 <label className="block text-sm font-medium text-gray-700 mb-2">
-                  Or Enter New Tag Name:
+                  Enter New Tag Name:
                 </label>
                 <input
                   type="text"
                   value={newTagName}
                   onChange={(e) => {
                     setNewTagName(e.target.value)
-                    // Clear selected tag when typing new tag
-                    if (e.target.value) {
-                      setSelectedTagName('')
-                    }
                   }}
                   className="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-gray-300 rounded"
                   placeholder="Type new tag name..."
@@ -1519,7 +1557,7 @@ export default function Search() {
                   }}
                 />
                 <p className="text-xs text-gray-500 mt-1">
-                  New tags will be created in the database automatically.
+                  You can select an existing tag and enter a new tag name to add both at once. New tags will be created in the database automatically.
                 </p>
               </div>
               
diff --git a/src/web/services/tag_service.py b/src/web/services/tag_service.py
index 955d28e..c93f370 100644
--- a/src/web/services/tag_service.py
+++ b/src/web/services/tag_service.py
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ def get_photos_with_tags(db: Session) -> List[dict]:
     
     # Query 1: Get all photos with face counts using LEFT JOIN and GROUP BY
     # This gets face_count and unidentified_face_count in one query
+    # Note: Excludes excluded faces (Face.excluded == False) to match identify UI behavior
     photos_with_counts = (
         db.query(
             Photo.id,
@@ -238,14 +239,14 @@ def get_photos_with_tags(db: Session) -> List[dict]:
             Photo.date_taken,
             Photo.date_added,
             Photo.media_type,
-            # Face count (all faces)
+            # Face count (non-excluded faces only)
             func.count(distinct(Face.id)).label('face_count'),
-            # Unidentified face count (faces with person_id IS NULL)
+            # Unidentified face count (non-excluded faces with person_id IS NULL)
             func.sum(
                 case((Face.person_id.is_(None), 1), else_=0)
             ).label('unidentified_face_count'),
         )
-        .outerjoin(Face, Photo.id == Face.photo_id)
+        .outerjoin(Face, (Photo.id == Face.photo_id) & (Face.excluded == False))
         .group_by(
             Photo.id,
             Photo.filename,
@@ -292,6 +293,7 @@ def get_photos_with_tags(db: Session) -> List[dict]:
     
     # Query 3: Get all people for all photos in one query
     # Get distinct people per photo, then format names in Python
+    # Note: Excludes excluded faces to match face count behavior
     people_data = (
         db.query(
             Face.photo_id,
@@ -304,6 +306,7 @@ def get_photos_with_tags(db: Session) -> List[dict]:
         .join(Person, Face.person_id == Person.id)
         .filter(Face.photo_id.in_(photo_ids))
         .filter(Face.person_id.isnot(None))
+        .filter(Face.excluded == False)
         .distinct()
         .order_by(Face.photo_id, Person.last_name, Person.first_name)
         .all()