SmugMug Ties User Photos to Google Maps

August 22, 2005 By Geoff Duncan

Online photo-sharing site SmugMug now lets users tie their photos to Google Maps by entering a street address or GPS coordinates.

Online photo-sharing service SmugMug has announced that subscribers can now associate their photos with global locations using Google Maps. Users can enter an address associated with any photo, or upload data embedded in EXIF data from Global Positioning System (GPS) devices integrated into some cameras, phones, and camcorders. Visitors viewing photos with mapped locations will be able to zoom in on those locations using Google Maps.

SmugMug integrates with Google Maps using Google’s published API (Application Programming Interface). Google does not currently charge other companies for tying into Google Maps using the API, but reserves for itself the right to put advertising on the maps accessed through the services by third parties.

SmugMug says it got the idea for tying into Google Maps by reading the captions users associate with photos: some users would write enormous captions trying to describe the locations where some photos were taken, rather than describing the significance of the photo.

Showing 2 comments

Geoff Duncan at 11:48am 9th April 2008 That's such a glowing recommendation, one might almost suspect you were being paid to give it.

Oh, wait: did I fail to mention SmugMug's affliate program? And that users participating in the affiliate program can offer a $5 discount on signups? And how SmugMug affiliate codes look just like that code you pasted into your comment?

Silly me!
Will Kimball at 8:03am 26th August 2005 I have been using smugmug for quite a while now. Besides the fact that the service is incredibly user friendly and completely customizable (is that even a word!?) their support is awesome. You get answers to all questions almost immediately. This company really values its customers. The google map integration is just one of the many features that smugmug has added and is planning on adding to their service. I highly recommend that you use this for all your picture hosting and sharing needs. By the way, if you are going to sign up for it, you can save $5 off the yearly subscription if you use this code: x4PLYsslC2qUo