Derivative Image: Localize Your Flickr Images and Search for Others

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Localize Your Flickr Images and Search for Others

Loc.alize.us is an easily installed, free bookmarklet "that enables mapping, geocoding and geotagging directly in your Flickr photo page." A bookmarklet is a small program you can keep in your browser's bookmarks or post in a Web page. Geocoding is providing geographic data, such as latitude and longitude or place names, to maps and other items. Geotagging is assigning these kinds of data to files like photographs and videos. Loc.a.lize.us combines these technologies with Google Maps' API (application program interface) to let you geotag your images so that others can see where the photographs were taken. The localize bookmarklet is available here. Once you have saved the bookmarklet to your browser, simply:

1) open one of your Flickr photos
2) click on the bookmarklet in your browser menu
3) click on "Search Place"
4) enter a location and voilà, your image is geotagged.

You can also search for everyone's geotagged images in a Google Maps interface at the loc.alize.us Web site.

From the developer, here are the key features of the bookmarklet:

Place Search: Find your places all around the world.
Address Search: Street-level accuracy for US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan.
Fast Google Map Interface: Smooth zoom, large controls, map/satellite/hybrid mode.
Fullscreen mode: Explore our world with maximum browser space.
Link in Description: Let others see where your pictures were taken.
Remember location: Your last saved view will be stored for later geotagging.
Map everyone's photos: Run the bookmarklet on geotagged photos from your friends.
Shortcut GeoCoder: Try searching for "nyc" or "10101".
Longitude/Latatide input: Map values like "N 40°45', W 73°59'" or "40.75, -73.98".
EXIF data extraction: Auto transform of GPS injected data.