HoudahGeo geocodes and geotags your photos and videos, embedding location information directly into the EXIF or XMP metadata—just like a GPS-enabled camera. If you’ve recorded a GPS track using a dedicated device or a smartphone app, HoudahGeo can precisely match your photos to locations along your route.
This makes it easy to see where each photo was taken and even export a Google Earth (KML) file to view your images placed along the recorded track.
But what if you didn’t record a GPS track?
These days, most of us rely on smartphones for photography. Fortunately, most modern phones automatically geotag your photos with location data. Even without a separate GPS track log, this metadata allows HoudahGeo to reconstruct a visual path of your journey.
Turn Geotagged Photos Into a Track Log
HoudahGeo can generate a track log from geotagged photos, linking them in the order they were taken. This creates a path that approximates your travels and places each photo at its location—perfect for viewing in Google Earth or mapping your trip retrospectively.
How to Create a Track Log from Geotagged Photos
Follow these steps to create a Google Earth export complete with an inferred track log:
1. Load Your Photos into HoudahGeo
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Start a new project and add your geotagged photos. Include all photos from the trip you want to visualize— good or bad.
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If some photos are missing location data, you can add it manually—for example, by dragging them onto the map.
2. Export a Track Log (GPX File)
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From the menu, choose: Output > GPX Export…
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Select:
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All Photos
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Create Track Log from Photos
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This generates a GPX file where the order and location of your photos form a path.
3. Load the Track Log Back Into Your Project
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Use Load > Import Track Logs and Waypoints from Files…
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In the GPS data geocoding settings, you may want disable track log and waypoint geocoding options. (You don’t want HoudahGeo to recalculate or change your photos’ locations.)
4. Export to Google Earth
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Choose: Output > Google Earth Export…
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Select the option to Include Track Log
Now you’ll have a KML or KMZ file that shows your photos placed along a visual route. Open it in Google Earth to relive your journey as a connected path of memories.
Why This Is Useful
Even without a dedicated GPS track, HoudahGeo lets you:
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Visualize trips you didn’t plan to map.
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Share photo journeys in an engaging, spatial way.
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Keep a digital archive of travel routes based solely on photos.
It’s a powerful way to turn simple snapshots into a cohesive story—especially when exploring past travels or documenting locations over time.