I’m Amila a level 8 Local Guide and a Trusted Photographer from Sri Lanka. By profession I’m a Photographer ( a tech geek too), so I travel a lot it’s a part of my job description, where ever I get a photography job in the country whether it’s in the cold hill part, down south coastal area or in the northern part I travel… travel… travel…
I love my job being a photographer because I’m kind of a time keeper. I record someone else precious moment so it could be cherished as photographs, not only the moments of people places as well. While the acid rains and environmental effects slowly decays ancient ruins (archeological sites) I capture them and preserve them as they were so in many years someone else will see how it was back then, through the photographs.
Google as a whole package helps me to improve my life and it helps me to improve and support others lives as well through their products and services. Google maps play a vital role in my life, my wife and even some of my friends teases me as I’m addicted to maps whenever I go somewhere I use Google maps for easy navigation since some of my work is so time sensitive sometimes I have photography jobs with narrow window of time apart so knowing about the real-time information on the road traffic condition ahead and reaching the destination using the most convenient way at the moment is important (since, sometimes the shortest way is not the best way).
Then come the Local Guides part. Few years back while using Google maps the app here n there pops up messages saying add a new place I visited add a photograph I taken of a place I visited to maps. So my journey with the local guides journey started, for a while it was a solo ride adding photos adding places n all. Then I meet the fellow members of the Sri Lanka Local Guides community through social media channels. Some of my friends too already were on the program. So connecting with them was a breeze. Then we had some quality time attending and hosting several meetups. The best part about is that some of the participants we met for the first time, they had good ideas for us to work on as a community. And all of us “We connect” most accurate word is we connected with each other.
Few Meetups I Hosted and Joined
Kite Season in Sri Lanka with Local Guides
Sri Lanka Photo Walk - March 2019
Colombo Meetup : “When SriLankan Local Guides met a Pakistani Local Guide”
Kalutara Map Editing Meetup April 2019
Now the interesting part - 360⁰ images or the VR content is where my passion is. As for the knowledge I gained as a photographer I loved where we learned about panoramic images and spherical images or 360⁰ images. Working on such work was the best time of my life.
I have used the Streetview mode on Google Maps to visit places I haven’t visited or a place I want to visit. Some places had the Virtual walk through ability and some only had the 2D photos only. Some places didn’t have either. I learnt how the Streetview Car captures the data and process for us to see it in high quality. Then I wanted to know whether I could help or could we as Local guides help adding such awesome 360⁰ Images to Google maps. Then I got to know about the Trusted Photographer Program. Within few weeks time I became a Trusted Photographer. First I used the Android app and mobile camera to capture and then I had the chance to get my hands on a LG 360 Camera. But was not happy with the quality which the standalone LG 360⁰ cam produced and the Stitching errors which visible when using the android app. For me it is the Quality is the most important when looking at a Photograph. So I geared up with the Trusted Photographer Verified Gears to create 360⁰ images.
I Googled about 360⁰ images and how to create a high quality image using whatever the gear I use, whether it is a standalone 360⁰ camera or Professional Assembly. How to capture and how to post process, to obtain a high quality image. That’s what always in my mind. So I tried to master it. Every day I learn.
The Best ever meetup I hosted was the “360° Photography MeetUp Kandy” which we talked about the whole process from capturing a 360 image to post process and publish to Maps Using Streetview App using standalone camera and professional assembly.
360° images unlock a whole new part in technology. The VR technology is the future to all. Learning about it is keeps getting more and more interesting day by day. Our lives may end some day but the learning curve never ends.
There are few people I need to mentioned here @IlankovanT @IsurangaD @AnuradhaP since they helped me in the Local Guides community to become the Local Guide I am today. Thank you all
So in short this is my story
Happy Guiding Guys….!!!
#letsguide #localguides #connectlive
