Local Guides, 2023 Album of Star Photos

[AdamGT]

Caption: Sunrise at Palm Cove (Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max)

1 - Introduction:
As Local Guides, it's often amazing which of all of our great photos that we've added to Google Maps is the one that attracts the most views.  I call this photo our star photo and this post is about such stars.  It is place to post your star photo through 2023 and follows on from the Local Guides 2022 Star Photos post. 

We all have a star photo and this post is a place where Local Guides can share their star photo so if you'd like to share yours then jump on board because, regardless of how many views it has or how good a photo it is, regardless on what Local Guide level you are at, and regardless of where in the world you are, we'd all love to see your star photo!  Together we can build a photo album of stars in every corner of the world 🙂 

As well as adding your star photo in this album, if you wish, you can also have more fun and learn a lot more about star photos by joining the Top 100 Local Guides Star Photos leaderboards, and details on this are provided below.

2 - Questions:

Because we want this post to very much look like a photo album, if you have any questions or wish to comment about star photos generally, the specific star photos in this album or how to participate here or on the star photos leaderboards, then please don't add them in comments in this post. Instead, ask them in a comment on the Discussion on the Local Guides, 2023 Star Photos post, a post specifically setup for this. Please note that any such comments added here will be moved to the special discussion post.

3 - Steps to add your star photo:
To participate, you need to take a screenshot of your star photo and add it in a comment on this post.  Because we want a consistent format of entries in this album, please follow the basic formatting criteria as outlined below.  A good idea is to use the steps mentioned as a checklist and make sure you cover each step.  Your screenshot should:

1. [20 points] include only one image of your star photo, clearly showing the current star views overlaid over it. Larger screenshots are best but do not over enlarge your screenshot at the expense of quality/resolution;
2. [20 points] only be of your star photo and not show any Maps details that are not overlaid over your star photo itself on Maps;
3. [10 points] preferably be taken in landscape (more wide than tall) layout as these photos look better than portrait or vertical layout (more tall than wide),
4. [10 points] be posted centered,
5. [5 points] have only one blank line (i.e. no text) at the top between the screenshot itself and your Connect avatar and post date details,
6. [20 points] include a caption using the following format
   
   Caption: Star photo by @YourConnectUsername of [name of the place] uploaded onto Google Maps on [include date uploaded] and showing star views of [enter star views] as at [include star views date]
   
   Notes:
   * If you're participating in the star photo leaderboards, the caption to be used will be automatically generated for you 😉  Just copy and paste it with your screenshot;
   * If you're adding your screenshot on a desktop PC then add the caption as part of the Insert Photos process ( 📷 ) so that it is better integrated with the screenshot itself.
   
   
7. [10 points] The caption shows the correct star date & star views (screenshot) date.
8. [10 points] The star views shown on your caption must be the same as that shown on your screenshot and if you're a Top 100 Local Guides leaderboard participant, it must also be equal to the star views you have entered for your star photo on the Top 100 System!
   
   
9. [5 point] Add one blank after your image and caption but not before!
   
   Note: The Connect editor at times adds extra blank lines and for best readability on mobile devices we don't want these extra blank lines, thank you! So after you save your screenshot post, check it and if you see too many blank lines, delete them. In my own screenshot post here, for better readability I have also added one blank line at the end of my screenshot post 😉
   
   
10. [20 points] Add the name of the place, city and country as a heading and that heading must be the shared link of your star photo on Maps. Interested Local Guides can then simply select your heading to visit and view your star photo on Maps.
    
    
11. [20 points] Immediately under the heading (no blank lines before) tell the story about your star photo or the place or meal etc. This is important so make it interesting so others, including Search Engine robots, will enjoy reading and like your story and you just never know your star photo might be featured in other places on Connect as well as the Web and thus build on its impact 😚 
    
    Things you could mention include:
    (a) Is this your best photo?
    (b) Was this just a point and click shot?
    (c) The camera you used. Mention the brand name and model (e.g. Canon, EOS 7D or Google Pixel 6a ) so for example, don't just say "I took this photo using my smartphone", be specific.

Important Notes:

1. After adding your star photo screenshot, you should check it on both mobile and a PC for formatting and consistency (especially line spacing). Compare yours with others in the album;
2. The points shown in red against each of the above requirements (maximum 150), are used to measure how well your star photo screenshot fits in with the specified formatting criteria and is explained in more detail in the Discussion on Star Photos & Videos post.
3. Why did I say use your imagination and make the story about your star photo or the place or meal etc interesting so others, including Search Engine robots, will enjoy reading it? It's because our star photos are not only shown in this album on Connect, they are also shown in the public domain and therefore end up on general Google Search Results Pages (SERPs). If we make our descriptions interesting, this will help generate generic "hits" to our photos which means more views 😉  So when writing your description for your star photo screenshot, think of it as a mini post of it's own. Give it some thought, make it interesting but there's no need to go overboard!!!

4 Examples of star photo screenshots

Two examples that help explain the screenshot formatting criteria are shown below.  The first is an example showing how best to present a screenshot taken on mobile and the second is for desktop.  Also listed below are links to actual examples added in this album by participating Local Guides from all over the world. 

4.1 Example of star photo screenshot taken on mobile

4.2 Example of star photo screenshot taken on desktop PC

4.3 Further examples

Hit any of the following links to see examples of well presented star photo screenshots.

Local Guide	Example Link
@katydarhel	PC example
@LightRich	PC example
@PennyChristie	PC example
@Trail_blazer	Mobile example
@Mo-TravelleerX	PC example
@JustJake	PC example
@EvaBar	Mobile example
@LDiamond	Mobile example
@RooksieN	PC example
@LuisMGonzalez	Mobile example
@GigiR	PC example

5 - Updating your star photo:

From time to time you might wish to edit or update your star photo.  For example, you have made a mistake in your post or the star views may have increased or you might even have a new star photo!  Simple! There are two different scenarios here, (a) editing or updating your existing star photo and (b) adding a new star photo!

1. when editing or updating your existing star photo, you simply re-visit your existing entry in this post, and update your star photo using either of the two procedures mentioned in Sections 5.1 and 5.2 below which as you can see, depends on whether you are or are not currently participating on the Top 100 Local Guides leaderboards.
   
   ** It's important to note that when editing or updating your existing star photo you must not start a new comment and add an updated screenshot showing the new star views, 
   
   
2. when adding a new star photo, you add it in a new comment on this post following the steps detailed in Section #3 above and a good example on how this is done can be seen in @IzzyOz's star photo here. 

5.1 Participant on the Top 100 Local Guides leaderboards

1. Take a new screenshot of your new or current star photo showing the current star views that is compliant with points 1 to 3 of the formatting criteria in section 3 above.
2. Update your star photo details on the Top 100 Local Guides system.
3. Copy caption suggested on the Top 100 Local Guides system
4. If you're adding a new star photo then you add this in a new comment in this post following the steps detailed in Section 3 above. If you are adding a new star photo as described in point 5(b) above then go to step 16.
   
   
5. If editing or updating your existing star photo (see point 5(a) above) then continue on withthe following steps.
6. Find your previous star photo in this album.
7. Select the ellipsis menu (3 blue dots)
8. Select Edit Reply
9. Select the screenshot of your star photo
10. Select the pencil icon to activate the edit function
11. Delete your old star photo screenshot
12. Add the new screenshot showing the updated star photo views
13. Paste the caption copied at step 3 above.
14. Select Done
15. You could add in your description a brief mention of the change in star views for example:
    Date       Star views
    Feb 2023  540,000
    Mar 2033  765,000
    Apr 2023   867,050
16. Select Save Changes
17. Job done! Grab a coffee!! 

5.2 Non-participant on the Top 100 Local Guides leaderboards

1. Take a new screenshot of your new or current star photo showing the current star views that is compliant with points 1 to 3 of the formatting criteria in section 3 above.
2. Find your previous star photo in this album.
3. Select the ellipsis menu (3 blue dots)
4. Select Edit Reply
5. Select the screenshot of your star photo
6. Select the pencil icon to activate the edit function
7. Take a copy of the current caption
8. Delete your old star photo screenshot
9. Add the new screenshot showing the new or updated star photo views
10. Paste back the old caption
11. Update the star views and star views date on the caption
12. Select Done
13. Select Save Changes
14. Job done! Grab a coffee

6 - The Top 100 Local Guides Star Photos leaderboards:

As mentioned in the introduction above, as well as adding your star photo in this album, if you wish, you can also join the Top 100 Local Guides Star Photos leaderboards and you can see the latest of this by hitting the Star Photos link shown in the signature below.  If you wish to join this fun, motivational and educational adjunct to this post, then hit this link.  As well as the Star Photos leaderboards, you will also see how you can join other Top 100 Local Guides leaderboard, namely the Points, Photo Views and Countries focused leaderboards which are described here.

[AdamGT]

Caption: @AdamGT's Star Photo of Target uploaded onto Google Maps on 2018-07-07 and showing star views of 7,773,754 as at 2023-12-31

Target, Cheltenham, Melbourne, Australia

Not so long ago, this storefront photo of a Melbourne Target department store took over from my previous, long time star photo, a rather unimpressive photo of a car park at a hardware store which had turned into being somewhat like a red star in space, which are dying stars in the final stages of stellar evolution. Now sadly, it seems this new star is turning has turned into a red star 😞

[katydarhel]

Caption: @katydarhel's Star Photo of Burrito Boyz uploaded onto Google Maps on 2021-02-03 and showing star views of 7,026,756 as at 2022-12-15

Burrito Boyz, Mexican restaurant, Toronto, ON, Canada
This photo of a Mexican restaurant was taken almost 2 years ago. And unfortunately, almost a year ago it became a red star. But so far, no other photograph is able to surpass this result.

[LightRich]

Caption: @LightRich's Star Photo of Los Cocuyos uploaded onto Google Maps on 2022-12-19 and showing star views of 3,885,044 as at 2023-12-28

Los Cocuyos, Historic Center, Mexico City 🇲🇽 

This taco shop is quite popular in the city and it was included in the Netflix´s series "Taco´s  Chronicles" that portraits the most popular varieties of tacos and the spots where you can enjoy it. This "taquería" is very antique and inhabitants and tourists form lanes to try the tacos. At the end of 2022 Los Cocuyos opened a new space with tables, opposite to a long tradition where customers ate the tacos just standing up in the street. So, this photo of the new internat seat area was a novelty for this place, an up to now is the feature photo of Los Cocuyos.

[PennyChristie]

Caption: @PennyChristie's Star Photo of Myer uploaded onto Google Maps on 2019-03-12 and showing star views of 18,613,763 as at 2022-12-16

Myer Sydney Australia 
I took this photo of one of the entrances of the Myer Sydney department store over three years ago while I was shopping.  It is definitely not my best photo but remained the star photo for three years, gaining me millions of views.  It is now no longer the hero photo of the department store but sill remains my most viewed Star Photo.

[OliverKIWI]

Caption: Star Photo by @OliverLeeKiwi uploaded in April 2017, and showing the star view as on 16th December, 2022 

Zara, Sylvia Park, Aukland

This is a screenshot of the photo I took outside Zara, Sylvia Park branch. It was taken with iPhone 6+. 

Thank you @AdamGT  Always a privilege to tap into this best-of-the-best showcase!

[Trail_blazer]

Caption: @Trail_blazer's Star Photo of AIIMS CENTRAL LAWN uploaded onto Google Maps on 2022-09-08 and showing star views of 2,590,693 as at 2023-12-30

AIIMS, New Delhi

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is one of the oldest and finest hospital in India. Hospital handles crowd from all over the India. This photo is generating more than 4k views a day and I clicked it with my ordinary realme 7 device. The hospital has expanded over time and become quite big so constant mapping is needed . Right direction and exact location is important to reach the desired place for the patients. I mapped, corrected some places and added this star photo as well during my visit in October 2022. I also added many balanced and well shot photos too but this one turned out to be my star photo. By the way this central park is very iconic. 

[Mo-TravelleerX]

Caption: @Mo-TravelleerX's Star Photo of Great Mosque Of Xian uploaded onto Google Maps on 2023-01-15 and showing star views of 3,152,684 as at 2023-12-30

Great Mosque Of Xi'an, Lianhu District, Xi'an, China.

The Great Mosque of Xi'an is a remarkable architectural masterpiece combining traditional Chinese and Islamic styles. Built during the Tang Dynasty in the 8th century, it has a rich history that spans over a thousand years. The mosque is a place of worship for the local Muslim community and a popular tourist attraction.

The mosque's entrance features an elegant gate with beautiful calligraphy, providing a sense of tranquility as you enter. Once inside, you'll find yourself immersed in a peaceful oasis filled with serene courtyards, well-manicured gardens, and exquisite traditional architecture. The complex covers a vast area and is divided into several sections, each with its own unique charm.

One of the highlights of the Great Mosque is its prayer hall, which is an architectural marvel. The hall showcases a perfect blend of Chinese and Islamic design elements. Intricately carved wooden beams, colorful motifs, and delicate Arabic inscriptions adorn the hall, creating a captivating atmosphere. The peaceful ambiance and spiritual aura make it a serene place for worship and reflection.

[JustJake]

Caption: @JustJake's Star Photo of Luna Park In Coney Island uploaded onto Google Maps on 2021-07-17 and showing star views of 10,913,654 as at 2024-01-28

Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York 

This was a photo I took with my old Moto X2 on a trip to visit family in Brooklyn, NY. We went to Coney Island and had to swing by Luna Park to ride the Wonder Wheel (big, old ferris wheel). I aligned my camera to peek through the metal cage of the ferris wheel car and started taking aerial pictures of the park.

I posted this in 2021. Several of the photos uploaded from Luna Park were lost among the thousands of pictures, but this one just took off.

[EvaBar]

Caption: @EvaBar's Star Photo of Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg uploaded onto Google Maps on 2020-10-25 and showing star views of 957,000 as at 2023-12-27

Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, FL, USA

This is a screenshot of my current star photo. It was taken with an iPhone 11 Pro (no edits). The photo shows the view from a VIP section at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, FL. I have no idea why it’s my (now red) star photo.