GPS Tagging Photos
April 5, 2013
This post documents my approach to tagging my photos with GPS co-ordinates.
I use:
You must also ensure:
- The date, time and timezone on your camera are correct.
Logger
The Holux logger is a small box, small enough to keep in a pocket or camera bag. Once switched on, it will record a GPS track for 20 hours and can be recharged via USB. The logging is configurable, I log once every 10 seconds.
I have recently used the logger on a trip to Australia, and after 20 days or so of logging, the 4Mb of memory is 37% full.
In conjunction with the supplied software, recorded tracks can be downloaded in the Holux ezTour software and the track is then displayed on a Google map. Tracks should be exported to GPX files - the software asks if you want to simplify the file, I have never done this.
I export GPX files into the same folder as my photos from that day, and I name the file after the date. For example, for today I would create 2013-04-05.gpx.
Lightroom
Once I have a GPX file and my photos, I go into Lightroom. I'm using version 4.2.
Find all the photos from a given day, and then select them in the Library. Next, move to the Map tab.
Click the squiggle next to the padlock and select the Load Tracklog option. Find the GPX track file from the same date as you selected photos for and click open.
Click the squiggle again, and then select Auto-Tag Selected Photos. This will automatically add GPS co-ordinates the all the photos, where the dates and times match.
Timezones
If your photos are in a different timezone, then you'll need to tell Lightroom what the offset is. Use the Set Timezone Offset option on the squiggle menu.
The easiest way to do this is to find a photo that you know where it was taken. Note the time on the photo - this is local time. Hover over the track on the map at that location, and you'll get a time that it was logged (this is GMT). Use this offset in hours.
