The Establishing Shot is now GPS

Typically I like to have an establishing shot when I am shooting pictures. Even if I decide not to use it, I file the picture away. The establishing shot helps people understand the context of the picture series they are looking at. However, today I look at the establishing shot at an even higher level. A satellite level!  I try to have a least one picture GEO tagged and visible on a map. I discussed in a previous blog that I use SmugMug as my photo site because one of the key requirements was the ability to place my pictures onto a map via GEO tags. I have the Nikon GP-1 GPS (Global Positioning System) unit on my D90 and it works pretty good. I told you I am a gadget freak. Sometimes it is a bit slow to pick up a location, but when it does, it really helps to see where in the world I waswhen I took the photo. That was fantastic for my photo shoot at Kruger Park in 2009. It also came in handy when I hired a driver to take me to Navsari, India from Mumbai. It was a 6 hour journey and a few hundred pictures, but what a great experience capturing life along the highway from the moving vehicle. Many of the pictures have a GEO tag and by using the map I am able to tell the photo story as I pass through each area.  I highly recommend that one of your establishing shots be the Earth location of the picture. I recommend even more that you consider getting a GPS unit for your camera. It adds a new dimension to your picture taking.

The entrance to Gervasi Vineyard is GEO tagged and on my photo website. I use both manual tagging and my Nikon GP-1 GPS device to make sure I get the establishing satellite position.

Nikon GP-1
Nikon GP-1
The Establishing Shot is now GPS

The above picture is GEO tagged, and on my photo website you can see on a map exactly where the picture was taken by clicking on this link.I have also marked it on the map below.

 



GPS
View From Our Hotel

In addition to my photo website mapping individual photographs, I have also mapped my photo galleries to a world map,  and my individual blog posts to a Google map as well.

I enjoy looking at my travel map and realizing that although I have had the good fortune of seeing many places on Earth, it is too big to see everything it has to offer. Still more to see!