Geocoding photos serves two main purposes:
- Geotags provide extra information that can be used to catalog and find photos. Years from now, you may not remember when you took the photo you are looking for. But you will remember roughly where you took it
- Geotags add to the “story” of a photo. With the photo pinned to a map, you can see the exact spot where it was taken. Add a GPS track log to see how you got there
One way to view and show geotagged photos is to create a Google Earth file with both the photos and the GPS track log. Now you have a bird’s eye view of your trip and the spots where you stopped to take photos.
Imagine returning from a Safari. You have driven across wide plains to find wild animals. You brought home some great pictures. But you really don’t know where you have been. How close one spot was to the other. How often you crossed your own path. With photos attached to a GPS track log, you can relive the trip and see the surroundings of where you took those pictures.
HoudahGeo makes easy it create a Google Earth KML or KMZ file from your photos and GPS track logs.
Drag your photos into a HoudahGeo project. Add a GPS track log to the project. HoudahGeo will automatically geocode your photos. Switch to the Process tab. Validate and adjust locations using the built-in map.
Switch to Output tab. You will find 2 options for publishing to Google Earth:
- Google Earth Export creates a KMZ file. This single file contains all the information Google Earth needs to show your photos. Including copies of the image files. You can pass this file on to friends and family
- KML Export creates a folder that contains a KML file as well as copies of your photos. This folder can be hosted on your web site. Link to the KML file. Google Earth will download the image files as needed. Caveat: You will need to tell HoudahGeo where the folder will be hosted and upload the folder as is to that location