Friday, February 13, 2015

Geotagging for Photographers

More and more cameras are GPS enabled these days. But what if your camera isn't GPS enabled?

If your phone is GPS enabled, for instance the latest iPhone, all you need to do is download the free GPS Stone for iPhone application.

But what if you don’t have an iPhone?

Having looked into various options, I decided to go with the Bad Elf GPS Pro: http://goo.gl/rPBsjY

The Bad Elf, via a .gpx file, allows me to do Geotagging in the Lightroom map module; where I can update the image’s EXIF data with the latitude and longitude of the location where the photograph was taken.

The Bad Elf rechargeable battery usage is very good, allowing me to log about 100 hours at a time. It can be Bluetooth paired to my iPad or iPod, from where I can change various settings, ie the sample rate, which can go as fast as 10Hz.

The accuracy, is stated as to be within 8ft, and the Bad Elf can operate up to 66,000 ft and up to 1000mph :-)

Workflow is very simple (after downloading the free Bad Elf App):
  • Ensure the camera’s time is synced with the Bad Elf GPS time;
  • At the start of the journey, press the Bad Elf GPS button for 3s to initiate the data logging;
  • At the end of the photo session simply press the GPS button for 3s to stop data logging;
  • Pair the Bad Elf with your iPad or iPod and, using the Bad Elf App, download the journey, reviewing it in the Bad Elf App if you wish;
  • Email the .gpx file to yourself, thus allowing access on the PC where Lightroom sits;
  • In Lightroom ingest your images in the normal way;
  • In the LR Map Module load in the .gpx file and link the images to the journey, as recorded in the .gpx file.

Bottom line: the Bad Elf GPS Pro, at about $140, is a great tool for those who don’t have a geotagging capability in their Camera or in another device, eg an iPhone.

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