[orangepeel]

(There's quite a few images so a mod may want to break the img tags... dunno if you're bothered. I'm using my bandwidth so hoping it's ok)

This is going to be a long explanation but it's worth it for what is quite possibly one of the coolest things... EVER

Ok, hyped buildup over what I want to do is show you how to get your images into Google Earth.


http://www.orangepeels.nildram.co.uk...oooooooool.jpg

Even cooler, you can set pins to near or on the place you where standing when you took the shot!

http://www.orangepeels.nildram.co.uk...ramio/em_2.jpg
&
http://www.orangepeels.nildram.co.uk...ramio/em_1.jpg

Interested? Read on: -

I'm gonna assume you've got Google Earth (GE) installed and working. The next step is to sign up for a Panoramio account which you can do here: -
http://www.panoramio.com/]Panoramio - Photos of the World

Next you need to upload and geo-locate your images using Panoramio. There's extensive help available for you on Panoramio but you shouldn't need it as it's a fairly simple process.
Note: Panoramio doesn't care about image sizes. It auto sizes them down for GE but be aware that the full size image is STILL publicly available to anyone that wants it.

Once you are finished uploading your images to Panoramio, go to your photos page. Click the orange KML box (Opera users may have to assign the filetype to GE or open the link in IE). This should then load GE, if it's not running already, and add a list of your images in the Temporary Places in the Places sidebar within GE.

Because this is in Temporary Places it'll be removed when you quit GE. So drag yours to your My Places folder. GE will now remember your Panoramio images after you quit.

This is mine for example: -
http://www.panoramio.com/userkml/87282.kml
Note that you can share that link with anyone you want to have access to all your Panoramio uploaded pics. Likewise the RSS feed.


IMPORTANT!
GE seems to be a bit weird with the images it shows from Panoramio at any given time. It seems only to show the pictures within a certain area around the center of the current view. If an image is located outside this view it won't be visible.

To get round this I recommend creating your own placemarks for for each of your Panoramio images.

To see the difference, this shot shows the placemarks of all my images to date: -
http://www.orangepeels.nildram.co.uk...oooooooool.jpg

While this one shows them via the Panoramio KML feed - as I say it's a lottery which pics will be shown at any given time.
http://www.orangepeels.nildram.co.uk...oooooooool.jpg



Ok so to create placemarks from your Panoramio feed I recommend firstly creating a new folder to store them in.
Right click "My Places" and select "Add", then "Folder". Give it a logical name.

Here's how my places sidebar looks: -


As you can see, "orangepeel's images" is the Panoramio KML feed and "Landscapes by orangepeel" is the folder I created.

Next, drag any images from your Panoramio feed to your folder. Move your GE view around where your images are located (geographically), right click your Panoramio feed and select refresh to update the list of visible images. You may have to do this a few times.

Once you've copied all your images from the Panoramio feed into your folder you've now got a permanant copy.


The next cool part (and the reason why I got you to create copies) is you can change details of the placemarks in the folder you created. I personally find the small resized "icons" Panoramio creates quite distracting so in all my placemarks I change from the small Panoramio generated icon to a simple camera picture.
To do this you right click the placemark, select properties. At the top right of the dialog you should see the small icon of your picture.

Click it and select and alternative.



The next uber cool part is to change the default view. switch to the View tab.
Move the dialog out the way a bit then using your normal GE navigation methods, move the current point of view so it's in, rough, position from where you took the shot. Once you are happy with the positioning click the "Snapshot View" button. It'll then remember this view.



Repeat that for each of your placemarks.




Note. DON'T waste your time doing that adjusting to the Panoramio placemarks as the next time they refresh you'll loose those settings.


any questions?

[VinnyP]

I occasionally (when I can be bothered) use this which can automate the whole process including writing the metadata if you have a handheld GPS (or in my case smartphone and bluetooth GPS).