What the EXIF?

There are many software tools available for geotagging pictures but once you add all the different ways to do it and multiply it by all the GPS log synchronization methods, they are very technical programs. Of them all GeoSetter seems the most complete and capable. However, after tinkering for a while and narrowing the method to synchronizing a directory of pictures to a Garmin GPX log file, it was easier done with the ExifTool by Phil Harvey.

The ExifTool is used by GeoSetter and many other geotagging software tools - it's a very capable command line program by itself. With a little reading of the well documented functionality on the web site , I did the following:

1. Created a directory with copies of my pictures. 
2. Created a copy of my GPX file "tracks.gpx"  in the same directory. 
3. Copied the downloaded "exiftool.exe" there also.
4. Then created a "Geotag.bat" file with the line below and geotagged all my images.

REM ##########################################################################
exiftool -geotag tracks.gpx -geosync=+00:56 -City="Boone" -Sub-Location="Appalachian State University" -Province-State="North Carolina" -Country-PrimaryLocationName="USA" *.jpg

pause
REM ##########################################################################

ExifTool even allows for exporting a Google KML file using a template but this diverged from my simplistic theme. The exported KML file still needs to have the images read from a Web site to work in Google Earth. GeoSetter has the best KML export capability but it still seemed best to have the original image on a Web site.

There are a lot of web portal options for geotagged images. GeoSetter has built in publishing support for LocRMaps (http://www.locr.com) but I didn't feel like a new sign up. I knew my EveryTrail ( http://www.everytrail.com) web site would work but had read in passing that Microsoft SkyDrive and Google Picasa both supported geotagged images without making any new accounts.

All the sites were relatively easy to upload files but Google Picasa handled the 261 geotagged photos the best. EveryTrail is suited strictly for trails with photos as a feature but SkyDrive and Picasa are for pictures with maps as a  feature. SkyDrive is more graphically refined but Picasa has more mapping features. For map production from geotagged pictures Picasa wins hands down.

As you navigate to the project folder in Picasa's web album, you immediately know the photos are geotagged because of an overview map on a right side panel. The overview map can be zoomed and basemap changed to satellite or terrain. Immediately below the overview map are two additional mapping options - View map and View in Google Earth. Others options include web links, RSS feed, album sharing and embedded code for an animated web album.

This isn't the end of it though - still have to pull it all together in a GIS system. I'm sure it will provide a few more options:-)