Local Guides' 2024 Album of Star Photos

[AZ_2021]

DeFalco’s Italian Deli & Grocery at Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

This photo was taken with my Samsung 9 camera during a weekend morning plaza walk in mid 2019. This views on this photo is usually almost neck to neck with my storefront photo of Weinerschnitzel. However, in this month, my photo taken of the storefront of DeFalco’s Italian Deli & Grocery won by a hundred thousand views. My thought is maybe with the holidays, there is more foot traffic to stores; people want to buy gifts and food for gatherings. I’m happy to see the impact these storefront photos can have.

[tamilisa]

Los Garcia Mexican Restaurant, Sandy, Utah, USA

I took this quick shot with my iPhone as we walked away from a great meal, carefully showing the entrance, the restaurant name sign, and the accessibility parking signs. I was careful not to include any car license plates. I wanted to take a photo also to remember the fun outing we had at this restaurant. While you were waiting to be seated, you could stand by cardboard cutouts and put your head into face holes so that it looked like you were a mariachi band member! Lol. I had no idea that this storefront photo would be so viewed! I feel like I have helped this restaurant get more visibility.

[SyedR10]

Sultan’s Dine, Dhaka

This is my most viewed Star Photo. I took this photo while dining there with my wife that evening. Recently this photo view has grown and defeated my previous mostly viewed photo of Sher-E-Bangla Agricultural Varsity, Bangladesh, and BSMR Maritime University, Bangladesh

[WilfriedB]

Uhr der Ratstrinkstube, Marktpl. 2, 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

I was wondering for a long time, why this photo received so many views - in the beginning thousands each day, but after several weeks (until now) the daily increase was less than 10*. Furthermore, I did not find it at the place, where I posted it, even though it is still visible with increasing views under My Contributions with a link to that pin.

After some research, I did find it. Not at the original pin, but on the page of the city scrolling down a long way under All or My own. How did it get there? No idea! My guess is, this was probably done by some AI function or even Google employee. At the city page, I did not only find this image, but also several others, I did post to the same and other places in this (famous) town.

But not only that! Since I got curious, I also checked the page of the area (Mittelfranken), county (Landkreis Ansbach) and even the state (Bayern). At each level of the hierarchy around the original place, I found even more of my photos from several places and towns including the country - obviously impossible to find a particular one, since you have to scroll down forever…

*Why did the number of view not increase as much as before? I believe for a limited time, the photo was at the banner/featured of one of those pages, I mentioned above.

P.S. On February 6, 2024, before the counting of views quit working, the number of views was 1,997,909! Since I was curious when it would reach the two millions, I checked it daily and that is why I realized the issue with publishing the view count. So far, the number of views displayed under My Contributions, never increased between February and August. However, according to a takeout, it did exceed 2 millions (2,005,689 as of Dec 11. 2024 that is a little more than 6 more views daily).

Photo taken with Sony ILCA-77M2, Tamron 16–300 mm

Star Photo Views History

In the table below I have shown the recent views history of my Star Photo.

ID	Screenshot Date	Place Name	Star Photo Views
7296	2024-03-28	Uhr der Ratstrinkstube	1,982,879
7532	2024-04-28	Uhr der Ratstrinkstube	1,982,879
7769	2024-05-28	Uhr der Ratstrinkstube	1,982,879
7991	2024-06-28	Uhr der Ratstrinkstube	1,982,879
8211	2024-07-30	Uhr der Ratstrinkstube	1,982,879
8413	2024-08-28	Uhr der Ratstrinkstube	1,982,879
8622	2024-09-28	Uhr der Ratstrinkstube	1,982,879
8825	2024-09-28	Uhr der Ratstrinkstube	1,982,879
9028	2024-10-28	Uhr der Ratstrinkstube	1,982,879
9215	2024-12-28	Uhr der Ratstrinkstube	1,982,879

Caption: A tabular summary of the recent star views of my star Photo (LG: @WilfriedB)

 

[MarkAuchincloss]

O’Neills Irish Pub in Glasgow, Scotland

This is a screenshot of my current Star Photo. It’s of O’Neills Irish Pub in Glasgow, Scotland and was taken with a Huawei P20 Pro on my visit to the city of my birthplace just before the pandemic started in the Summer of 2019. My cousin who lives in Glasgow choose to meet there so we could have a pint of beer as they have a wise choice of beers. While I was waiting for her to arrive I took a sneaky photo to gain 5 points nothing more nothing less, which if you look closely enough you see another figure, my partner

Star Photo Views History

In the table below I have shown the recent views history of my Star Photo.

ID	Screenshot Date	Place Name	Star Photo Views
6772	2024-01-30	Oneills Merchant Sq Glasgow	3,647,160
7000	2024-02-21	Oneills Merchant Sq Glasgow	3,584,725
7236	2024-03-23	Oneills Merchant Sq Glasgow	3,647,306
7472	2024-04-23	Oneills Merchant Sq Glasgow	3,647,306
7709	2024-05-23	Oneills Merchant Sq Glasgow	3,647,306
7940	2024-06-26	Oneills Merchant Sq Glasgow	3,647,306
8160	2024-07-22	Oneills Merchant Sq Glasgow	3,647,306
8385	2024-08-26	Oneills Merchant Sq Glasgow	3,647,306
8586	2024-09-30	Oneills Merchant Sq Glasgow	3,647,306
9999	2024-10-29	Oneills Merchant Sq Glasgow	3,647,306
9999	2024-11-29	Oneills Merchant Sq Glasgow	3,647,306
9999	2024-12-29	Oneills Merchant Sq Glasgow	3,647,306

Caption: A 12-month tabular summary of the star views of my star Photo (LG: @MarkAuchincloss )

[safni]

Dutch Fort, Batticaloa, SrilankaThis is a rear view of the Dutch Fort in Batticaloa. I captured this image using my Realme C12 mobile device. I’m particularly impressed with the color correction in the photo. It showcases a stunning scene with a clear sky and the canal surrounding the fort.

[efcxp]

Australian Museum, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia

Considering Museums tours one of my best thing to be part of, I’m glad to share this Star Photo. One of my best images in google maps if not the one.

Really fascinating and interesting places to visit, I can definetely recommend this one in Sydney. Always having entertainment events. Image taken using a Google Pixel 6.

[Chef_Tris]

Caption: Star photo by** @Chef_Tris **of Doctolib (Corporate Office) uploaded onto Google Maps 4 years ago and showing star views of 140,160,587 views as at 27th of Feburary

[rosanabtl]

Frente de loja popular em Curitiba

Essa foto foi tirada em frente a loja “Safira Armarinhos” na cidade de Curitiba PR - Brasil. Essa loja comercializa vários produtos de linhas, lãs, agulhas e outros objetos de artesanato como crochet, tricot, costuras, entre outros. É uma loja bem popular que fica em frente a um calçadão com um local turístico, onde fica o SESC Paço da Liberdade, em meio a vários casarões de construção do século XIX.

Sempre que vou a passeio na cidade visito essa loja, pois geralmente de promoções de lãs e linhas para fazer croche que eu amo.

Quando tirei essa foto não imaginei que esta seria minha foto estrela. Acredito que ela sempre será minha foto estrela.

[snieckarz]

Carbone’s Pizza - Rosemount, Minnesota USA

Photo of Carbone’s Pizza in Rosemount, Minnesota taken January 2020 with a Google Pixel 4a.

[ig_shevchenko]

Caption: @ig_shevchenko’s Star Photo of Svyato-Troyitsʹkyy Ioninsʹkyy Monastyr Ukrayinsʹkoyi Pravoslavnoyi Tserkvy uploaded onto Google Maps on 2021-08-15 and showing star views of 24,158,863 as at 2024-12-29

Svyato-Troyitsʹkyy Ioninsʹkyy Monastyr Ukrayinsʹkoyi Pravoslavnoyi Tserkvy (The Holy Trinity Ioninsky Monastery), Kyiv, Ukraine

The Holy Trinity Ioninsky Monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is a male Orthodox monastery located in Kyiv, Ukraine. It is located in the historical part of Kyiv, in the Zvirynets district. The monastery was founded in 1866 by the Greek Ionian Order, and was named after the Holy Trinity. The monastery was closed during the Soviet era, but was reopened in 1992.The monastery complex includes a cathedral, a bell tower, a refectory, and a number of other buildings. The cathedral is the largest building in the complex, and is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The bell tower is 53 meters tall, and is one of the tallest buildings in Kyiv. The refectory is a large hall where monks and guests can eat together.

The Holy Trinity Ioninsky Monastery is a beautiful and historic site that is worth a visit if you are in Kyiv.

Date	Star Views	Delta Views
Dec 2024	24,158,863	0

[LudwigGermany]

Airport Terminal Two, Munich Germany

This is a screenshot of my all-time star photo. It is the airport terminal two in Munich Germany. I shot it on my flight back from Connect Live 2019 which will always be in my memories.

also have a look at my star video here

also have a look at my star 360 sphere here

[SvenJacobs]

Glittering Christmas Spectacle: Grand Central Terminal, New York City, NY

Amidst the hustle and bustle of New York City, Grand Central Terminal transforms into a dazzling wonderland during the holiday season. Sparkling lights, towering Christmas trees, and joyful decorations adorn every corner, spreading warmth and cheer to all who pass through. As trains come and go, the iconic architecture of the terminal serves as a timeless backdrop to the festive celebrations, inviting travelers and visitors alike to experience the magic of Christmas in the heart of the city that never sleeps.

Thanks chatgpt

Some information from past months:

Date	Star Views	Change in star view
3 Jan 2023	22,265,219	0
24 Jan 2023	23,380,319	1,115,100
24 Feb 2023	24,965,247	1,584,928
24 Mar 2024	26,527,031	1,561,784
25 Apr 2023	32,445,253	5,918,222
31 May 2023	40,795,731	8,350,478
26 Jun 2023	50,696,057	9,900,326
29 Jul 2023	68,557,144	17,861,087
25 Aug 2023	86,250,871	17,693,727
1 Oct 2023	115,242,320	28,991,449
1 Nov 2023	146,564,502	31,322,182
19 Dec 2023	172,800,000	26,235,498
7 Jan 2024	196,009,907	23,209,907
1 Feb 2024	207,564,262	11,554,355
12 Mar 2024	218,551,899	10,987,637

As for the top star image it is funny to see that in the summer/christmas time the views per “month” are higher.

[karora]

Caption: @karora 's Star Photo of The Brew Dock uploaded onto Google Maps on 2019-09-12 and showing star views of 2,236,783 as at 2024-03-14

The Brew Dock, Dublin, Ireland

A great spot to watch the world pass by, The Brew Dock is conveniently located between a tram stop and Dublin’s Conolly Station. On this particular evening I was having a solitary pint at one end of the pub with my Nikon D800 sitting on the table in front of me to take this shot looking directly down the pub with the longish exposure capturing the colour and movement of a busy bar.

While it’s far from being my best photo, it’s certainly one that I’m very proud of and likely the best I’ve taken in one of my favourite Dublin pubs (my current second-most-viewed photo on maps is the interior of another favourite). I’m OK that it’s eclipsed my old star photo of The Wonderful Barn, Leixlip, Ireland which stagnated around 1.4m views.

[chiefzero]

Caption: @chiefzero’s Star Photo of Cup noodles Museum uploaded onto Google Maps on 2022-10-02 and showing star views of 59,089,008 as at 2024-11-15

Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama, Japan

I took this photo of the Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama Japan, in October 2022 using iPhone 13 Pro. I think the other side of the building is more visually appealing, and I have a better photo of that side as well. However, the Google algorithm chose this photo as the main photo for the museum. I believe this is because this side of the building is more public and easier to see from the metro. I have been watching as my photo of this Museum overtakes my previous star photo. My previous star photo’s views have been stagnant for a while now, probably because it is no longer the main photo for that restaurant.

[MaxPlusFood]

My start photo at Kmart Richmond.

16,924,825 views

Caption: Star photo by** @MaxPlusFood **of Kmart Richmond uploaded onto Google Maps on August 2017 and showing star views of 16,924,825 as at 18 March 2024

[SergeySud]

Kazan-Bogoroditsky Monastery

This is an entrance to Kazan-Bogoroditsky Monastery, in city of Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation.

The Our Lady of Kazan Icon is in the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of Kazan’s Bogoroditsky Monastery. The Icon is considered to be one of the most iconic icons, which also served as the patron of Russia. In the church, daily services are held, and worshippers come from all over the world to bow to the shrine. November 4, 2023 is the feast of The Our Lady of Kazan Icon. Therefore, there was a lot of user interest for this object. As a result, the photo received more than 6 million views in a short period of time. The photo was taken in 2019, during my short visit to Kazan and the surrounding area, which I have already talked about earlier in my publications on the forum.

[AjitThite]

Caption: @AjitThite 's Star Photo of UNIQLO INDIA PVT LTD store uploaded onto Google Maps on 2021-11-06 and showing star views of 401,028 as at 2023-10-30

UNIQLO INDIA PVT LTD Liferstyle Store, DLF Mall of India, Noida

This photo was captured while having family time at UNIQLO INDIA Pvt LTD, DLF Mall of India, Noida, I was enjoying window-shopping and found a good, clean angle to click the photo of the storefront. Though this was my second-highest-viewed photo, suddenly it moved to number one and is currently featured.

[MarcoDavoli]

Hi there,

this is my first upload here.

My most viewed photos was taken 15 months ago in Sardinia. Exactly at La Maddalena and the place is the new small private port called Cala Balbiano.

We were waiting for decades to see this abandoned area become a port.

Picture was taken with my iPhone.

Take care

Marco

[claude_richard]

[Légende : Photo d’étoile d’Auxerre de @claude_richard téléchargée sur Google Maps le 27/02/2021 et montrant les vues d’étoiles de 5 889 435 au 31/12/2024]

Vue sur la ville d’Auxerre et la rivière de l’Yonne - Auxerre - France
Cette photo est devenue ma photo vedette au fil du temps. Je l’avais initialement ajoutée sous l’épingle de l’Abbaye Saint-Germain d’Auxerre. À ma surprise, Google l’a déplacée sous l’épingle Auxerre sans mon intervention. Elle met en lumière les éléments qui font d’Auxerre une ville si particulière, située dans la célèbre région de Bourgogne, mondialement reconnue pour ses vins et sa gastronomie. L’image met en valeur l’ancienne Abbaye Saint-Germain et la passerelle enjambant l’Yonne, reliant la ville haute à la ville basse. Cette rivière, qui a donné son nom au département, fait d’Auxerre sa ville principale avant de se jeter dans la Seine en direction de Paris.
Ce lieu est chargé d’histoire : c’est d’ici que partaient jadis les bateaux transportant des barriques de vin de Bourgogne vers la capitale française. Chaque année en mai, les quais de l’Yonne à Auxerre s’animent lors de l’événement « Fleurs de Vigne ». Les visiteurs peuvent y déguster des vins locaux en achetant un verre décoré, spécifique au millésime, qui donne accès aux stands des vignerons présentant leur production. La journée se clôture par une reconstitution symbolique : le chargement d’une barrique sur un bateau pour un départ fictif vers Paris.