How to Geotag your photographs automatically

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Well, almost. Unless you want to pay a LOT of money for the latest camera gear, you’ll have to put up with a few simple manual steps after each shoot.

This article is intended to give you a walkthrough of the process that I use, and the types of software that are needed, in order for you to find specific hardware and software solutions that work for you.

What is this geotagging?

Adding location data to your photos is a great way to show people where a shot was taken, or remind yourself where you took your favourite photographs!

Geotagging your shots doesn’t need to involve tagging each individual shot, you just need the right kit and a few bits of software to get the photos linked to a location.

What you’ll need

  • A camera, any type will do
  • A GPS device, or a phone with GPS (ideally one that uses the .gpx format)
  • A computer (and preferably the internet)

Here’s a list of what I use:

I’ll talk you through the method that I use, this method can be adjusted to be used with other GPS track loggers, cameras and software. The process should always be the same.

 

The “How to”

Step 1 – Do you have the time?

The way that the location data is stored against your photo is by the time that the photo was taken. The only way that this can be done accurately is if the various devices know what time is it, so:

Set the correct time on your camera, AND your phone/gps device!

Get them as close as possible to get accurate results.

 

Step 2 – Get the GPS up and running

If you have a dedicated GPS device then you can skip this step as it’s a simple as turning it on.

Otherwise, we need to get some software on your phone to track your position. The best one that I’ve found so far for my Windows Mobile phone to get an accurate track is GPSed. You sign up for an account and this can be used as a way of accessing your data online if you’d rather sync via a data connection than a cable.

They offer software for several types of phone, the downside is that it’s quite power hungry. I can only get a few hours use before the phone complains that it’s out of power – not ideal if you’re in the middle of nowhere and need a way to contact others! I’d recommend taking a spare phone or battery if you’re going anywhere risky.

Get the software installed, check the settings to make sure that it’s found your GPS receiver, and start a track, if you decide to use GPSed then there’s no need to sync to any services for now unless you want to, just let it track where you are and save a bit of battery life.

 

Step 3 – Shoot

Get shooting, there’s no need to tell the GPS device when you’re taking shots, it’ll remember where you are at that time and use this information later to add the locations to the photographs.

 

Step 4 – Upload the GPS data

If you’re using GPSed, then now is the time to sync your track to the web. Go to the list of tracks from the menu and tell it to upload it to the website, you can choose public or private depending on who you want to see it.

 

Step 5 – Get it all on the hard drive

Once you’re at a computer, get the photos copied off your camera, and get the GPS track stored with them. I personally put the GPS track file in the same folder as that batch of photos just in case I need to use it again.

If you decided to use GPSed then you can simply go to their website, log in, click My Tracks, and then be able to download the .GPX file of your track. This is what the software will use to merge the GPS data with your photos.

If you’re using a dedicated GPS device, then download the GPS track from it. The software options that link the location to the photograph seems to use .GPX files as a standard, but a lot are compatible with other formats.

 

Step 6 – Merge the data

Now that you have all of the elements organised, you can get the location information added to the photos.

I personally use a plugin obviously named “Jeffrey’s GPS-Support Geoencoding” for Adobe Lightroom 2 that allows me to select the batch of photos, point it to the GPX file and click “go”, and it tags the photos all in one go, all within my library interface.

There are several other programs such as Geosetter that do the same task of batch processing photos to a single GPS track, however I found geosetter a bit overwhelming with it’s options compared to some other alternatives, just take some test shots to play with the settings first.

 

You’re done!

Your photographs now have the location taken stored in their metadata, and this can be used by many services such as Flickr, Google Earth, Picasa etc to show you exactly where you’re shot was taken. As seen from my pictures on Flickr.

Enjoy.

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Canon’s new 70-200mm lens with new Image Stabilization Technology! Why?

Friday, January 29th, 2010

Canon have improved their image stabilization (IS) system in one of their latest lenses:

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

EF_70-200mm_f2.8_L_IS_II_USM_w200_tcm14-701541[1]

This lens offers a “4 stop Image Stabilizer”, meaning that you can increase the time that the shutter is open by 4 stops before you’d start to see camera shake due to the camera being held in your hand.

You can get this great feature for just £1000 more that the same lens with the standard IS (currently priced at around £1300), and £1200ish more than the same lens without any stabilizations.

“Great” you might shout, but wait… lets think about what this lens might be used for…

Firstly, it’s a zoom lens, up to 200mm, so you’ll probably be shooting something that’s a decent distance away: birds, cars, sport, your next victim (depending on your hobbies), and all of these subjects are likely to be moving fairly quickly.

Generally the lens wouldn’t be used for more stationary objects such as landscapes or buildings.

Which makes me wonder:

Is leaving the shutter open longer a good thing for this lens?

In order to get a crisp image of these subjects, ideally you’d have a fast shutter speed to freeze any motion and get a sharp, well defined image!

Image stabilization version 2 would be perfect on a wide angle or kit lens, allowing you to take great landscapes or architecture shots where the subject doesn’t move, so why bring it out on this zoom lens?

So, dear Canon, please develop “Subject Stabilization” technology, allowing the photographer to freeze their subject motionless until the photo has been taken.
If only because football matches would be much more humorous.

It seems that you’re paying a lot more for a feature that would be rarely used on this lens.

Just my thoughts, comment away with your “well actually…”’s….

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Should I (multi) touch that laptop?

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

If you’re like me and looking for a stylish new laptop at minute, then you too might be having a difficult time too.

Multi touch technology seems to be getting to the point where it’s finally useful, as software makers build in features that utilise it. Also manufacture processes have meant that good looking, well designed laptops are just about affordable.

I’d like a nice laptop, by nice I mean sexy (should I use that word about a laptop?), with as much tech crammed in as possible!
Budget, I can keep saving if I need to, so I’m just looking for something that’s well built and hasn’t got a stupid mark-up on it.

So, let’s look at the options:

The first multi touch laptop to make it onto the scene was the hp touchsmart tx2. On paper, amazing! (Especially the latest 13xx series with Windows 7, 2.3GHz, and up to 8Gb memory.)
- A specification that would probably stay current and speedy for some time.
So I go to my local electronics store to give it a try, and it seems very, unimpressive…

 hp_tx2[1]

Yes it has a nice design on the plastic, but there’s problem one, it’s very plastic! I know, it IS plastic, but for around £800 it’d be nice to add a bit of quality and sleekness rather than the generic-cool-concentric-circle tattoos that it has plastered on it.

Still, £800 for a laptop with the features of the hp tx2 isn’t bad, but not quite right for that amount of money.

Next, I considered the Asus T91MT.

 asus_t91mt

It’s a multi touch netbook, nice and small, nice and cheap(ish) at an approx. £550.
I’ve not had chance to get my hands on one yet, but based on some videos on youtube it looks fairly well built and portable.

The problem with this is the power. It comes with Windows 7, and by the sounds of things, it only just copes. This might not be a massive concern as more and more applications move into the cloud and the computer as we know it becomes more of a terminal; but if I want to boot up fireworks, illustrator and an IDE to do a bit of work on the go, I can see the laptop running slow, me getting gradually angrier, and a T91MT being thrown from a train window.

Just thrown into the mix – the Acer 1820PTZ

 acer_1820

Around the same price as the Asus, and more power! Great you might think, but – look at it.
I spend a lot of time online, and I really don’t find this laptop good looking enough to stare at it as long as I’d need to.
I know that Acer are great at the budget market, but I guess I’ve got to the stage where the details and quality of a product are a deal-breaker for me, and this laptop doesn’t seem to have much quality about it.

The search continues…

So I look to the future, there are several slate or tablet devices coming early next year that might fit the bill.

The Apple Tablet (Slate) is due for general release in the second quarter of 2010, and if it can be set up to boot into Windows (or Chrome OS) then we could have a winner!

apple_tablet

The price is yet to be announced however, and knowing Apple and the Apple tax that gets attached to all of their devices, it’ll be around the £900+ mark.

Next up, the Microsoft Courier, an interesting idea and nice concept – more like a book, good for doing a bit of browsing or reading on the go, but not really great for much else.

 microsoft_courier

And, the joojoo, great name, but it’s obviously not impressed me enough to make me want to research.

The problem with all of these: can I live without a keyboard? My phone took some getting used to and that’s just using my thumbs, and losing half of a 10 inch screen due to it changing into an on-screen keyboard seems a bit mad!

In conclusion, slates seem like a nice idea as a book or perhaps browser if the need to type is reduced, but as a day-to-day laptop, not yet.

This got me thinking, tablets are cool and all, but if I got a nice machine with a good multi touch track pad, would that do the job?

I’d be able to get a smaller machine and zoom easily to read, and I’d probably end up with a more robust machine if the screen had 2 hinges!

So, the non-tablet, nicely designed, multi touch track pad, not too overpriced laptop search begins:

The Asus UL30

The UL stands for unlimited, apparently – I give it about 4-5 years before the limits start to show. The UX30 is a similar but ever so slightly different machine, not sure which I prefer.

asus-ul30

This is an interesting one, nice brushed aluminium lid, nice and slim, alright specification.
I’ve not had chance to view one in the “flesh” yet, my only concern is that it might look nice at a glance but end up being a brushed aluminium coat on a cheap plastic laptop. I’ll hunt one down soon!

At about £450 it could be a sensible option that still looks quite good though. Cnet have good things to say too, although do admit it’s a bit “plasticy” below the lid.

To guarantee a nice laptop I could go for the hp envy 13.

 hp_envy_13

This is the rather good looking laptop from hp that seems extremely well built, with a good spec, and a set of good looking accessories to match…

…if you’re loaded!

I get that you have to pay for quality, but at £1500 base price, it seems a bit excessive. One day maybe, until then:

A good friend of mine recently pointed me to the Dell Vostro V13

site_3[1]

This is another rather good looking laptop, with gesture inputs on the track pad, and looking at the Dell site here it says its only £350! Sold.

Lets just check the options, ok, I’d rather have it with a processor that can handle windows so I’ll have the dual core one.
Plus I’ll want about 3Gb of RAM, only option is 4. OK.
I don’t want Microsoft Works, no option.
I definitely don’t want 15 months of Norton, no option.
Plus VAT and delivery, ok the price doubled, more like £650.

Still, not a bad option, I’ll need to find some figures on the built-in battery, I’ve heard it’s not great.

We get to the final option, and I still haven’t decided if it’s an option, the Macbook pro 13.

macbookpro

I’ve never owned a mac, and I’ve always considered them to be locked down, full of drm, un-upgradable and expensive.
However, looking at what the apple website says, it looks more promising that my initial thoughts, boot camp to boot windows with an option to add a right click to the multi touch track pad, nicely designed, good specification.

I still need some clarification about upgrading bits and pieces like hard drive and RAM, then it could be one of the main contenders.

So, in conclusion: I have no idea!

I need swaying, and the internet is meant to be good at crowd sourcing, so: testimonials, reviews, thoughts, hit me…

UPDATE:

I went with the Asus!

The UL30, and it’s great, compact, about A4 sized and as thick as a couple of magazines, plus it actually is getting 10 to 12 hours of battery life (lets hope it lasts).

I went with this option because tablets just aren’t ready yet, the software needs a few more years to develop (if it does), and *if* the tablets are still about then, then they should be on everyone’s coffee table.

I’m still tempted by a device for reading, but even with the release of the apple ipad, the device that Steve wants to revolutionise the tablet market, it doesn’t seem to be suited enough to reading; something that I see as a primary reason for getting a tablet. 

What do I need in a tablet?

  • A good battery life, at least 40 hours so that it’d last a couple of weeks worth of reading on the road
  •  A great screen that’s easy on the eyes
  • Thin, something that could slot into a bag next to a laptop, about the size of a magazine
  • Colour and Video, to give magazines and graphical books the same appeal, plus the ability to embed videos in books to demonstrate methods if needed

Is that too much to ask? I’ll be watching the rumours…

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