Google: Helping you get where you need to go!

While the majority of this blog has been spent mentioning the features and applications that Google has to offer, I want to spend some time now focusing on the great tools that Google offers that allows you to explore the world while sitting in front of your computer.  Between Google Earth, Google Tour Builder, & Google Maps you can literally show your students the world and have them share theirs with you!

I love just the thought of Google Earth, the ability to zoom down on our planet and view areas from above in either 2D or 3D.  You can set project points so you can revisit an area and it's details, picking which view to save it in, and once you hit play it's like a tour hopping from one location to the next.  My favorite feature though is Street View, it allows you to view the area as if you were standing there!  A very handy feature if you are a photographer and want to view a location before you set out to photograph there. 

Entering & Exiting Street View is easy once you are in Google Maps.  Once you find the location you want to view (I suggest using the Search Option symbol 🔍 on the left side of the screen) you can click on the person on the bottom right of Google Earth and drag them to the map.  When you do this blue lines will appear letting you know where you can put your person for Street View.  Once there you can adjust by zooming in or out, rotating view, and even moving down the street as if you were walking or driving!  This is something I am going to have my students use so they research locations before they go take pictures.  I think this aspect of research will help them save time on location and help them plan for better photography sessions as well. 

Watch these videos on using Google Earth & Street View!

Google Earth Tips & Tricks

Google Earth Street View

Google Tour Builder is another great/fun feature to use with your students, or have them use.  With Tour Builder, I used it to showcase areas that I like to take Urban Ruin pictures at, feel free to view my tour, every spot has a Street View to really give you a good point of view!  Using Street View in Tour Builder is very similar to using it in Google Earth.  I thought this virtual tour would help give the students shooting location ideas, while at the same time give them general examples of what I am of looking for project wise.  It is also something that I could add to as students use Google Maps to help data base Urban Ruin shooting locations.  Google Tours is something that could be used for many Advanced Photo projects to help give students ideas of shooting locations in or around the local area.

Watch this video on creating your own Google Tour!

Google Maps is something that I will use in order to have the students help me make Tour Builders.  In Google Maps you can create a map and then share it with your students, like on Google Classroom with an assignment.  After granted access to it, they can add locations to it.  I will share location maps with my Advanced Students for each project, and then have them add photo locations to it, this will help future students as well as we data base optimal local shooting locations.  If you want to know where students went over the summer and have them compare, you could do something similar.  I like the ability to edit locations once you add them to the map, gives it a little personal touch.  While editing, students could also add tidbits to the location, maybe why it is important to them.

Watch this video on using Google Maps!

 

I hope you enjoyed the tidbits this week and use them to share your world with your students, and have them share their world with their friends and with you.  Now, get out there and work on your 📷Picture Perfect📷 opportunities!!!