Photos that pop allow us to see the details of a place of interest (POI, for short) more clearly. It also makes the photo more dramatic, and draws our attention to focus on the main subject POI. I especially love using this technique for photos of landscapes and parks on Google Maps.
On my way to visit Bartlett Lake Marina recently in Scottsdale, Arizona- I saw there was a side road called Horseshoe Dam Road which leads to Horseshoe Lake. Curious, I decided to check it out. Even though this road quickly became a bumpy dirt road where low clearance vehicles weren’t recommended, in the 2 mile stretch of concrete before that- I was treated to captivating views. The lighting and timing were both just right!
1.) Light source behind you shining onto POI and ideally darker behind POI
The sun was shining behind me, and in front, storm clouds were brewing. The sunlight cast a light onto the mountains, making them pop. This in turn helped make the details easier to see. I could clearly spot the contours of the mountain and tiny specks of vegetation that dot its surface. Photos that are clearer and more detailed are also more impactful to viewers of Google Maps, so it’s a win-win.
2.) Darker colors in the background to provide contrast with light-shaded POI, or vice versa
Contrasting colors help your POI stand out more clearly, as it directs the viewers’ attention there. In the photo, the grayish-black hue of the cloud contrasts with the light sandy face of the mountain. The lighter-shaded mountain is accentuated against the dark backdrop. Our eyes are drawn there.
This can also be applied to other Google Maps photos. Ensuring the user can quickly identify the POI through a photo instead of having to search can make a better user experience.
While I’m just an amateur “n00b” phone photographer, I was inspired by all the tips and tricks other Guides were sharing around photography, and I hope you enjoyed my short photo tip fellow Local Guides.
@AZ_2021 I appreciate your photographic skills, the way you used contrasting colors to make the scene visually striking, timing to capture the photo. It’s truly a master piece. Thank you for sharing beautiful photos and some photographic tips and tricks. I love your post and photos.
@AZ_2021 Your photography tip is pure gold! I love how you break down the techniques to make those photos really ‘pop’ on Google Maps. The way you described capturing the play of light and dark to emphasize the main subject is fantastic . Your adventure to Horseshoe Dam Road sounds like quite the journey, and your attention to detail in capturing the mountains and stormy skies is impressive.
Aw thank you so much @Rednewt74 . You are too kind. I am just n00b photographer. You are the photography wizard.
I use Samsung Galaxy 9. The nice thing is with the camera, there’s a Scene Optimizer setting where it auto-adjusts the contrast, lighting, etc based on what the camera detects through its lens. This way it makes the image more sharp. In this case, I took this while seated in a car and the front window had 3 small water stains on it at the top (which appeared on the photo as white dots on the clouds), so I used the Retouch Spot featured on this website https://pixlr.com/x/. This way, the water stains I had were erased.
Your post should be helpful for all of us. You have explained very nicely. Thank you very much for sharing with us your your beautiful photo and photo tip @AZ_2021
. Your adventure to Horseshoe Dam Road sounds like quite the journey, and your attention to detail in capturing the mountains and stormy skies is impressive. 
