We recently announced the launch of our newly refreshed Street View website, featuring the first generation of Street View ready cameras and publishing tools. These products are optimized for creating and publishing 360 imagery on Google Maps. We’re excited to see that some Local Guide photographers have already started making the most of these new tools.
Ready to join them? Here are a few tips to help you get started.
1. Be the first person to put your hometown on Street View.
If you live in an area where Street View is limited, you can now be the first to put 360 photos of your town, city, or country on the map!
Caption: Street View of a residential area in Nova Sloboda, Ukraine. (Local Guide @NickolayOmelchenko )
Tip: Be aware of the lighting of your environment. For example, avoid taking photos during sunrise and sunset and be sure to adjust your exposure for bright conditions. If your camera supports a real-time preview, you can use signs and storefronts to verify proper exposure.
2. Capture scenic places that are inaccessible by car.
If you’re a nature lover who spends a lot of time outdoors, take your camera with you on your next hiking or biking adventure and publish your favorite retreats on Street View.
Caption: Street View of ski slopes in the Austrian Alps*. (Local Guide @360tyworld *)
Tip**:** If frame rate (frames per second) is an available option in your camera’s functions, consider setting the frame rate to five frames per second for biking or driving speeds and to one frame per second for walking speed.
3. Add up-to-date Street View to Maps.
Street View ready cameras are great for capturing in-motion and publishing at scale. They’re particularly useful to keep up with the changes that happen in your local area.
Caption: Street View of a lot under construction in Montpellier, France, collected by Google in August 2017.
Caption: Street View of the same area in Montpellier, France taken in April 2018 that shows a new building has been built. (Local Guide @user_not_found
)
Tip: To ensure GPS data is properly collected, shoot in areas with open sky. Avoid trees, buildings, tunnels and similar obstructions overhead, especially at the start and at the end of your shooting path.
For more tips, check out our Help Center. If you’re a Street View trusted photographer, be sure to also check out the Street View ready FAQ. In the comments below, tell us what places you hope to capture 360 images of!