Google Photo Story

Post Summary: If you are looking for an easy way to share your photos and travels with friends and family consider using Google+. The Story feature makes it very easy, in fact it can even be completely automatic after your initial setup.My recent travels and geotagging episode on Lightroom has prompted me to consider ways to share my photos AND locations with the world. Truthfully this is something that is almost always on my mind, I crave a simple way to journal my travels, a mix of text, location information and of course my photos.  I have tried several sites, some that are no longer around and all have failed - either the friction on my end to setup a trip was high or the presentation on the viewers end was lacking, or I just didn't feel like setting up a new account and cajoling friends and family to come visit.  Google feels the same and has created a system that builds a "story" from your photos and travels into a simple but slick presentation that partially reminds me of the cut scenes in Indian Jones movies with the flying plane and dot dot dot from point to point.The photos come from your smart phone or photos uploaded to your Google Photos account with location data embedded in the photo. Again, if you want to know how to add location data buy episode 07 or Watch my free Youtube How-to on Geotagging.  If you have auto backup turned on, on your smartphone Google will automatically upload images you take with the smartphone AND any you transfer from wifi enabled camera to your smartphone.  This is all pulled into a story shown below -

Now this story is rough around the edges, this was a weekend of helping my mom move, lots of back and forth,  and some photos it decided to include are a little silly but overall it does a fair job of sharing SOME moments from the trip.   Additional moments captured with my Sony a7 Mark II haven't been geotagged and uploaded to Google yet, when I do I have the option of adding those by selecting EDIT on the story - here I can add or remove locations and photos.Removing photos does not delete the original, just removes it from the story. You can remove locations too.Here is an example of a story built from several cameras - still some gaps in locations, I am not sure why. The goodnews, it automatically picked most of my favorite images from the trip and built a lovely look at our recent travels out to the Olympic Peninsula.

  If you are looking for an easy way to share your photos and travels with friends and family consider using Google+. I suggest you turn on Auto Backup anyway, as an additional way to backup/keep your photos safe. Google offers some additional helpful tips to make sure this all worksStories will work best if you:

• Turn on Google Location History
• If you store photos on Google Drive, show your Drive photos & videos in your photo library
• Use Auto Backup on your mobile device or computer
• Make sure Auto Awesome is on
• Add your home & work addresses in Google Maps
• Take a lot of pictures

Based on your location and time of image taken you don't actually need to geotag all the photos but it will help build a more accurate story.Google has more info at Relive and share your adventures using StoriesCreate a story? Share a link to it in the comments

Canon GPS GP-E2 - Easy Geotagging for Canon DSLRS

I have had the little Canon GPS GP-E2 for a little over a month now, used it exclusively with my Canon 5D Mark III.  Tonight I realized it works perfectly with my Canon t4i too.   In both cameras you turn it on, slide it into the hot shoe and as soon as it has a satellite lock, and it often gets that lock quickly, it feeds the camera your precise location and altitude, UTC time too.  This can all be displayed on the LCD screen under the GPS Device Setting screen.  It also works  with the Canon 1Dx and 7D Cameras(needs USB cable connection when used with Canon 7D).  Can be used with any camera via the logging function but not recommended for use that way as there are cheaper options including using an app on your smartphone. My Original Review of the GP-E2 Unit

Traveling with the 5DM3, GPS, 24-70 f/2.8, Eye-Fi Card and rambling on. . . .

I recently returned from 8 days in Costa Rica/Panama and I wanted to share some thoughts- Here are the "highlights" of my ramblings in this video1.  Dual Card slots in the 5D Mark III are really nice - I shot Full RAW to 32GB CF cards (SanDisk Extreme) and small JPEG to the Eye-Fi card (16GB X2).  Using the Eye-fi's direct mode I was able to easily and without issue share selected images via the rate function to a Nexus 7.  Previous eye-fi cards/firmware I found direct mode to be buggy but it was really solid this trip.  On the Nexus I used PhotoGrid HD to create collages of 3-4 images and shared those to Facebook. 2. The Nexus and my 5D Mark III fit snuggly in a Vanguard 18 Bag.  I didn't always carry the nexus with me and if I wanted to keep the GPS logger attached to the camera I can remove the internal padding in the Vanguard and it fits.  Because I use a lens hood instead of a UV filter I can put the camera lens down in the bag and not get the end of the lens covered in sandy bits.   I didn't even bring a camera strap (confession I forgot it at home) but using the Vanguard was preferable.  The camera was out of site unless I was holding it.  The top zipper seam on the Vanguard makes it very easy to "drop" the camera into the bag and ZIP. . it's gone.3. I enjoy the quality and value you can get with a prime lens - said another way I have never been a fan of "do-it-all" lenses like the 18-200.  This trip has changed my opinion. . . some.   I certainly wanted nice photos but I was not willing to carry a ton of gear, either because I didn't want to look like a walking target for theives or I just didn't want to lug around a ton of gear, mostly the last.  I spent most of my time shooting with the 24-70 f/2.8 Mark II and brought along the 70-300 IS USM for longer wildlife shots.   I have since played with the new 24-70 F/4 IS with Macro mode and I would have rather taken that - the f/2.8 is only marginally useful for vacation type shots and the IS plus the macro mode would have been a welcome addition in several instances.  Another option for me would be the 24-105 - quite a nice range.  For crop sensor shooters using cameras like the T4i (650D) the 18-135 would have been a fantastic lens.  4. I used the GPS logger from Canon (GP-E2) and it worked VERY well.  95% of my photos are already tagged.  Battery life of the unit was excellent and it was quick to get a lock.   There does seem to be an invisible action that causes the camera battery to drain. I often leave my camera on overnight and on this trip I would find the battery dead in the morning IF I had also left the GPS logger on.  The simple solution is to turn the GPS and or the camera off when you are not using it.