I was looking through my photo contributions on Google Maps for a suitable entry for this #CommunityPhotoChallenge and I was trying to pick something that was different from all the entries so far. Most of the submissions have been showing stunning vistas which naturally makes them super attractive! But I wanted to go for a photo which is a little bit more ‘educational’.
This photo shows the front counter of Coffee Code, a cafe in Kuching, Malaysia. Can you tell from the photo what sort of cafe this is?
- Is it old or new?
- Is it modern or traditional?
- What sort of food/drinks are available here?
- Do they follow any safety precautions for Covid-19?
- Do they have good service?
- Is it clean?
- Is it busy?
- Do they have accessible toilets or entrance?
- Do they have accessible parking bays?
- Do they accept contactless payment?
- Do they do takeaways?
Some of these questions can be answered from just this one photo. It is new and modern. The menu above the counter and the cake counter gives you an idea of the food/drinks served. They are wearing facial masks so they are most likely following safety procedures. There are quite a number of staff in the photo so hopefully service would be quick and good. It looks clean and not too busy but hard to say for sure. As for accessible features, we can’t tell here. And there’s no way to know the payment system or if they offer takeouts.
Anyway, the point is that if you compose your shot properly and take into consideration all the various elements that you can show in your photo, you may find that a picture is worth a thousand words! This photo challenge is not just about who has the prettiest photos out there (although that is super cool too) but to get you all to look at the photos that you’ve uploaded to Google Maps and to analyse them for their worthiness/usefulness.
Do you really need to add so photos of the same subject but taken from different angles? Do you really need to add a selfie shot? Does your photo of the front of the building capture the operating hours? Does it show what the entrance is like? Or the layout of the space? A helpful photo is able to give viewers a sense of what’s there, what they can expect and whether it’s worth a visit! 
So the next time you take a photo to add to Google Maps… take a pause and think about what sort of useful information is being captured in your photo that would be of good use to others! Share your thoughts on this challenge in the comments below and I highly encourage you all to take part too! For more details on the challenge, read the post here! 
Well, I try anyway! Rubric! What a word!! I’m always learning something new from you! Always!!