Hi everyone 
,
I’m new as a Local Guide and I have one question:
Do you usually edit your photos before uploading them to Google Maps, or do you just upload them “raw” directly from your phone?
Thanks in advance for sharing your experience!
Greetings from Stockholm 
,
Dekor Jadran
Most of the times it’s raw and sometimes edited if it’s too dark photo or image is bit blur etc
Its depending on the situation we post it accordingly @Jadro
Dear @Jadro ,
It depends on the content in the photos. Adding filter is ok but photo should be well lighted & clear. We can edit faces/number plates to blur when uploading to Google Maps to respect privacy.
Please see this Tips for uploading media to Google Maps.
I would upload raw images to Google Maps but I have to make sure lighting is good, no privacy is violated, angle is ok, etc.
Hi @Jadro , @DivyaAnu as well as @Rahul001 ..
@Jadro I think a lot were say on the topic up there by seniors ( @DivyaAnu and @Rahul001 )
But I’d add that following the main purpose which is # quality over quantity # I think we as LG should check well our uploads for both reasons:
✓ The fact it should follow the guidelines!
✓ and at the same time explain our desire ( our mood, our experience of the place we are sharing..)
What makes edits less , upload as shoot I think !
What I mostly do .
I would invite you to check this “Photos ! “ An earlier topic with some useful tips!
Thanks!
#LG.
Hello @Jadro,
to avoid confusion, I would not use the term “raw”. For users of digital cameras it means a different format, you cannot upload to Maps. In this context, I’d suggest to use the term “edited” or “not edited”.
Having said that, I do the same as @Rahul001 and edit very rarely only if
I addition, I never upload from Smartphone and rather copy all photos from mobile and those made with DSLR to my PC first and then select, what might need an edit (rarely) and what to upload to Google Maps. Then I also record the permalink with each photo to allow future tracking and avoids to post duplicate and redundant images.
cc @DivyaAnu @Rahul001
Hej Stockholm
In my opinion the answer is YES. If you want to have a lot of people see your photos on Maps, you need to improve them. Sucking up to the AI photo selection algorithm will get you a lot more featured photos = a lot more views.
See
https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t/storefront-photography-series-index/387319
And in particular
https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t/make-your-shots-look-brighter-and-better/387754
And more recently:
https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t/make-your-photos-pop-lets-discuss/394737
Morten
I changed your tag from Connect forum to Photography that fits better.
Hi @Jadro
I confirm what Wilfried says: the term ‘raw’ is a specific format of an image file and normal photos are in .jpg format (jp compresses data that the sensor of the camera has captured). It’s better to talk about non-edited images. Images you take with a phone tend to be a bit darker and not so vibrant, so it’s good to edit them a bit before posting them. When you want to add an image to a location, Google suggests you’d edit it before posting. You can make it brighter, add some contrast and turn up the saturation. It’s quick and easy. You can also add a caption that will appear above the image. Experiment with it, it can change the mood of an image. Depending on the version of your phone system, Google Photos has different AI features as well. In theory, you can get rid of unwanted objects like a garbage ban or so, but in that case you’re altering the image. It’s possible that in that case, the algorithms of Google would decide not to publish it. I myself, I delete posted images from my Google Photos app afterwards because it uses space that I want to use for personal things. Happy testing.
Hi @Jadro
I wanted to share a positive experience regarding my photo uploads. After reviewing the articles and tips from the seniors here on the Connect Forum, I began editing my photos for brightness, contrast and angle etc., before uploading them. Since making these adjustments, I have seen an increase in the number of photos being featured.
Thanks to all the seniors here 
Thanks for guidance 
will try this method in future days
@DivyaAnu . Hi
I’ve just taken a look at the image you posted. Please, do not post 50 similar photos of the sea because that’s not helpful for others (cf national park Mu Ko Ang) . Taking photos of 10 products to show the price is not really helpful either. You’ve also posted many selfies which do not belong on Maps but in your personal Photo album. Please take them away because they are violating the guidelines.
Have a look what Google is actually promoting. Maps User Generated Content Policy Help
Good luck
I rarely upload photos, but when I do, I try to edit them slightly - cropping, improving colors, white balance, etc.