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Mac 101: Geodata copying in iPhoto

by Aron Trimble May 16th 2009 at 3:00PM

The most recent update of iPhoto to version 8.0.2 included a couple of new features around the Faces functionality for identifying people in photos. Apple, however, was kind enough to throw in another feature; one which I was hoping would show up from the day iPhoto '09 was announced.

It is now possible to copy geodata from one photo and paste it into another photo. While this feature might sound useless at first glance, the reality is that it can be very applicable. Consider this: you have a tried-and-true digital camera that you've had for years. Along comes iPhoto '09 and it's fancy-schmancy geotagging chops make you feel old and outdated. Well, fear not dear friends, your trusty iPhone 3G has GPS built right in.

The process goes like this: wherever you are out taking pictures, snap an additional photo using your iPhone 3G then copy the geodata from the iPhone picture to all of your other pictures taken at the same locale. This process will work with any photo that has location information, not just an iPhone 3G's photos.

To do this, select the photo with the geotag information that you took with your iPhone 3G. Right-click (or command-click) the photo and choose "Copy." Next, select the photo(s) that are missing said geotag information and right-/command-click the photos then choose "Paste Location."

Now, you too can take part in all of the GPS-y goodness of those new-fangled cameras without having to buy any new gear.

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iLife Mac 101

The most recent update of iPhoto to version 8.0.2 included a couple of new features around the Faces functionality for identifying people...
 

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Tim

Thanks for posting this - I had actually looked for this functionality (via menus and various right-clicking on the source photo) and not found it.

fyi - first-gen iPhones also geo-tag, and quite well (via cell + wifi location) - my iPhone photos are often accurate to within 20 feet or so. I often take a photo just to take note of where I was.

May 18 2009 at 2:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rego

What are the main benefits of geotagging?

May 17 2009 at 11:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
greenldr

Any way to do geotagging stuff in Aperture yet?

May 17 2009 at 9:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dP

Do the 3g iPhones add geo tags automatically?

May 17 2009 at 3:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to dP's comment
Josh

Yes, 3G iPhones add geo tags automatically. I was happily surprised when I imported 1300 iPhone pictures into iPhoto last week and all of the 3G photos had map info within them... It was fascinating to see where I was taking most of my pictures, and even seemed to work in remote places. (ie - a few of my photos were correctly tagged on a remote island off the coast of Puerto Rico)

As long as there was a signal, the geo tagging seems to work.

May 17 2009 at 3:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Nic

If you export the picture the location information is added to the exported file.

May 17 2009 at 3:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Wojtek

Unfortunately it is an internal database, since no geotagging information is transmited to flickr for example - which makes the whole geotagging in iPhoto pretty much useless.

May 17 2009 at 2:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Wojtek's comment
Curtis

The geotag info is transmitted to flickr when you use iPhoto '09's flickr export functionality.

May 18 2009 at 11:54 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Graybaby

Does anybody know if iPhoto adds the location data to the original photos themselves, or if it just creates a database with the location information inside iPhoto?

Enjoy..........G

May 17 2009 at 9:53 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Thijs Poorthuis

This already worked in previous versions of iPhoto, though not as nicely as this.
With the previous iPhoto you could copy a photo over another photo and it would only copy the geo information.

Nevertheless, it's good that apple changed this.

May 17 2009 at 7:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Drew

Right click is control click not cammand click.

May 16 2009 at 11:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Herm

I use an iPhone app (GeoLogTag) similar to PlaceTagger, but it only costs $5 and it doesn't require a separate app on my Mac. GeoLogTag tracks my position while I take photos and afterwards it geotags my photos on my Mac over WiFi. If you have an iPhone and you want to use the Places functionality of iPhoto, give it a try.

http://www.galarina.eu/GeoLogTag/Home.html

May 16 2009 at 5:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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