In this video, I give a quick overview of Lightroom's Map Module, and I demo how to enter GPS info on a photo that was taken on a camera that doesn't have GPS capability. Here is the website for GeoTag Photos Pro (I am not affiliated with them): www.geotagphotos.net/ Please subscribe to my newsletter! anthonymorganti.substack.com/subscribe Check out one of my newer websites - The Best in Photography: bestinphotography.com/ Please help support my KZfaq channel - consider purchasing my Lightroom Presets: www.anthonymorganti.com/ To get more info about Lightroom, go here: prf.hn/l/lGnjDBl Here is the list of my recommended software, along with any discount codes I might have: wp.me/P9QUvD-ozx Here is a list of my current cameras, lenses, etc.: wp.me/P9QUvD-ozG Help me help others learn photography. You can quickly offer your support here, where I receive 100% of your kind gift: ko-fi.com/anthonymorganti You can change the default amount to the amount you want to donate.

As a travel photographer the map module is just as important to me as the develop module because, at its core, Lightroom is still a photo database manager and location data is critical for me. I use a GPS module or a phone app or even landmarks and manual placement on the map using landmark references if necessary in order to geocode all the photos from a trip.

If precision isn’t required, you can always take a couple of photos with your phone while out taking pictures. Load them into Lightroom along with the “normal” ones. Just sync settings and include GPS data. It won’t be precise but you will have geo-location data for all your photos.

I have a Sony A7III and use the Sony app (Imaging Edge Mobile) to sync my phone's GPS to the metadata of a picture. It's easy to set up and once that is done when the camera is turned on the GPS coordinates are automatically synced to the photo. I use it ALL the time. The current revision, 7.7.2, is very reliable. 2:33

By the way the map module has a lot of cool features that can help with organizing and retrieving your photos. I use it all the time as part of my picture management schema. The Navigator and Saved Locations tabs to the left of the map window are a huge help in cataloging and finding photos taken as specific locations, especially if they are spaced out over large bands of time.

The tracklog is an important and useful feature, and its indeed less known. Setting offset is important if you were in another country / time zone, camera was set to a local time, and you want to sync when you come back home. The camera only keep local time, the phone actually store it as GMT and display it at your home time zone when your home, so you need to define the offset.

One of my latest camera purchase requirement was "integrated GPS". Mapping is important to me.

I use the map module extensively. I use the Sony apps on my phone to add geotags. I find this essential when photographing new places, as I can't remember all the detail of where I took each shot. You mention that you will being doing a video on the Web module. I used to use this a lot, but since Adobe launched Portfolio I find that more convenient for personal photos. I would be interested in your views of how these 2 compare.

We love the map module. My wife and I have been travelling for many years. Long ago I bought add on GPS modules for our Nikon cameras. Now years later as we look back on photos, we ask " where was that at exactly" and Lightroom quickly answers that. Yes there are other ways, but this is so quick. I wish Luminar Neo would add that capability. Thanks for all your great videos !!!

Since I don’t care about exact location, I shoot at airshows, I just select all and then right click on the map and chose add coordinates. That’s how I use it.

I use the map module quite a bit, especially for our trips. I used to have an external GPS receiver to mount on the hot shoe but it is a pain to use. Now I try to take an iPhone photo at what ever spot I am shooting and then use it to locate all my DSLR photos from there. I then just move all of them to that spot on the map and let LR add the iPhone coordinates to that group.

I am using the map module regularly. It is a great help when I go back to a place to review the pictures I took before. To plan for repeating a shot in different light or to decide on a different composition.

One key detail needs to be stressed: for the photos to properly sync to the track log imported into the map module the clock in your camera (which is what tags your photos with the date/time) needs to be set to the same date/time as the clock in your phone, and this needs to happen when you take the photos unless you want to manually correct the date/time on each photo before you sync them to the track log.

I created a smart list of photos without gps too easily select all photos that need to be located. Then move them manually onto the map. Positioning is not always accurate though. I like your tracking import idea. Will try it

The map module is a very important module to me. I use it often to quickly find fotos I know I took at a certain place. In my travel photography I mostly use an external GPS (Garmin Oregon 700) and synchronize the tracks when importing the fotos day by day with the GPS-track of the respective day. This is relatively smooth and done quite quickly.

I frequently used the map function. I take a lot of travel pictures and find it very useful to know exactly where I was, so I can reference other images and things off interest.

I have cataloged all the images I ever shot, as well as the thousands of prints I inherited from family. Those I cataloged in LR using my normal folder structure Year Month Day Event (say a wedding on a day when other pics were shot as well or multiple photoshoots on the same day) My Lr catalog encompasses images from the 1920's to yesterday. All are keyworded and using the Map Module all are geo-tagged, with the more recent being exact and oldies being general. Before shooting anywhere with a camera, we just shoot one pic on a phone to get the geotag then sync all in Lr. So easy! Weddings and events (even pre-gps) are location tagged to the exact location. That effort was pure fun and makes image review so enjoyable. Also, if you have the ram and computing power, you can be at the top level encompassing all photos (hundreds of thousands of them) on all drives, pick an area on the map and see images taken there years apart. Learning how to use the Map Module is very rewarding. Nowadays, Google Photo does it extremely well too, but given its frequent feature and storage changes and incompatibility with other programs' tags (keywords), I feel Lr is superior and more dependable.

Thanks for all of the great videos that you continue to share on LRC. I don't use the map module, but you did mention the web module which I use almost every day.

I've used the Geotag Photos app for years to create the tracklog to import into the map module. Works great and relatively painless.

That is so helpful, thank you! I knew about the module but didn't know about the GeoTag app.

Very clear and useful information. Thanks as always Anthony.

I do use Map all the time. As I travel a lot, it helps me a lot. Requires the photos are tagged because it is quite difficult to take them after the shoot.

That is an interesting trick. Of course, your IPhone and my Android have GPS data and i see it in maps, except when I turned off save geolocation because Google Maps was getting too snoopy. You remind me to turn tracking back on when I travel.

I have been using Jeffrey Friedl's Geoencoding LR plugin for years and love it. It works great. I am only interested in geotagging down to the city or town not to the foot. I don't need that kind or accuracy. Take one image with your smart phone and the plugin will pull the latitude and longitude from that photo then copy it to all the rest taken in that area. You can name the location and call it up later by name. I sometimes use the map module to see all the photos taken in that area.

Thanks for posting. I use the map module a lot. Helps me keep track/remember places I have visited during a trip. Unfortunately, the map module (May 28, 2024) is not working properly. It no longer performs address searches. Many folks complaining. Hoping Adobe will fix the issue soon. Problem started with the release of LCR 13. Current version is 13.3 with no cure in sight.

Thank you, I have been using Panasonic´s Image App for GPS tracking on longer journeys for a long time, which ectually embeds the co-ordinates in the EXIF information of the file itself, not just the LR database. But this video for the first time made me ralize there is actually a way to import other GPS track data directly in LR. Thanks for showing pointing out that feature, might come in useful when using other cameras like rentals or loaners.

I used to use it a lot, especially for travel pics shout in unfamiliar locations that I might not immediately recognize from the photo itself. Then I switched to C1 as my raw developer (because I’m a Fuji shooter). Love the C1 IQ, but I do miss the mapping function.

I use the map module frequently. For exmple I use it to show the name of the general area where my camera geotags the images. County, city, province, etc. Until the Z9 I used a geotag app as you describe. Itis built into the Z9. The Z9 does tracking as well, but I havn't used that feature.

Yes, I have use the map module to add GPS coordinates to all all images that I know where it was taken for all scanned images and images taken with cameras without GPS.

I didn't know what the map module was for, but I don't need it (that I know of yet). I mostly take photos where I live so I know where I took them. But it's really interesting to see that so many people do use and what they use it for.

You can also buy an external GPS unit that sits on hot-shoe and puts information GPS coordinate information on to each photo in the metadata showing where photo was shot.

I use the map module constantly. I use different app for recording my trip, but other than that, I do as you showed, with the tracklog file. To be honest it is the only thing I have Lightroom installed for 😁For all other things I use Bridge & Photoshop. Of course I have to remember about invoking saving metadata in order for Bridge to see the coordinates.

I do... everyday.... An app called Geotagr is on my phone. Whenever I leave my phone it is started and when I come back I stop it and then upload the track to Dropbox and then GPX file is loaded to Lightroom. It works like a charm.

I use the map function all the time. It helps in sorting and organizing.

I use both the Sony A1 and A7rv and each has an app that allows the camera, neither of which has GPS built in, to talk to my cell phone in real time and the camera takes that info and adds to the EXIF file when taking the image so when I get home and import the image to LIghtroom the GPS is there and the map shows me where I was within a couple of feet if the phone is not in my pocket but in a bag, etc. I enjoy wildlife photography and the ability to go back in the woods to basically the same spot is worth the effort.

It certainly is used as its a great way to pin down the location of a shot

I have the Nikon Z9, so I really like this Map Module!

YES! I use the map module all the time. My Canon 6D has the GPS built in and the lack of internal GPS is the main reason I will not upgrade my camera.

I have a GPS receiver that I put in the USB connector, fits nice into the left side of my Z6 camera. I often use it when I'm out sailing in the Swedish archipelago, i Lightroom I can pinpoint where I took the picture. It takes some extra battery but so far I haven't had any issues with that.

I use the Sony Imaging App on my phone which connects to my camera. GPS coordinates are added to every photo I take automatically. I can see the coordinates on the back of my camera when view the photo.

Canon can use the Canon app to sync the geotags with the Camera so I don’t have to import it extra

I use a tiny GPS device (di-GPS PS-2DC) which is plugged into the accessory terminal of my Nikon D750. The camera writes the GPS values into the EXIF data. Lightroom loads the data immediately in the Map Module.

I use it a lot to add GPS information. Either by loading GPX from a tracking device or by hand.

I use it all the time, since I post a lot of pictures to iNaturalist. I like to have the photos geotagged before putting them in to iNat.

Slideshow and Web I never use, and have removed from the menu. Map and Book I use all the time 😊

Work flow: Library/keyword Map Develop Sometimes Print If Map ever went away, so would I (from Lightroom).

Manual use is quite usefull, but pay attention to your screen resolution: I got issues with a WDQHD 2560*1440 and positioning was not accurate - OK on a 1920*1080.

My camera has a GPS receiver in it and I use it from time to time. I don't use it all the time because it drains the battery faster. If I am going back to a previous location I can see what I have taken photos of or I can manually place new photos on old locations.

Yes, I, permanently 😊. It’s awesome.

I often go hiking in areas where my phone GPS (which is actually based on cell towers) is inaccurate or nonfunctional. So I just locate my photos by hand, as you described at the end of your video.

I use for my Nikon Z6II the app Snapbridge from Nikon

I never use the Slideshow module preferring to use third party software but I do use the map module on a regular basis, I have the Nikon GPS attachment which is very accurate, however should I forget to take it with me Snapbridge works quite will but with not the same accuracy.

I love the Map Module and use it for most of my photography except for some portraits. Finding a camera with GPS is getting harder now so the smart phone app seems an option. I'm wondering if it's viable if the tracking in the smart phone is in aeroplane mode. I hike and long battery life is invaluable on longer hikes. Using GPS in camera takes too long to lock into GPS satellites when you want to make a mile.

For my Nikon Z 5 and Z fc, I use Snapbridge to geotag the photos as I take them. Otherwise, I will use my Garmin watch to track my walk activity then export the GPX file to sync with. I also have the same app that you use. Been using the Map module for as long as it was added to Lightroom ( I think it was version 4 around 2012 or so). It is fun to see where photos were taken. In some instances where I don't remember exact location, I drop it in the city it was taken. For me that is close enough in many cases.

I use it for some drone flights. One of my drones does not display GPS of take off point. By law I need to record this in my logs. It is easy to pull GPS values in LR map.

I have used PS print module for a long time and decided to look at LR's. It seems a lot different and I am not sure that I like the clumsy way of setting up the prints. Could you do a video on this? You may have already done one, but I was hoping to see a quick video with the current release. Thanks

I have been using GeoTag Photos Pro for some time now and find it really handy. If traveling between Time zones you will have to manually adjust the time within a track occasionally. I am curious, what time increment do you use for the App to create a new datapoint. The more frequently you update the log, the more your battery in the phone will get used, but the more accurate the geotagging. I think I have mine set to update every minute. What do you use as a time increment.

I always use it, I have gps in camera. I like to know the location within a few yards. I like to shoot seasonal photos at the same location.

YES, I use it!

Great for keywording

I used to use the GPS in my Canon 7D2 and 5D4 a lot. Particularly since it would sync the time up. But I sold the 7D2 and now an R5 is my main camera. No GPS. I could do the tracklog thing, but found that most of the time I don't need location. If I do, I do a cell phone shot and get the coordinates from it for the big camera images.

I use it a lot.

I would think that having the GPS turned on with the Z9 will run the battery down faster?

Would be neat if Adobe added Open Street Map as google maps is useless, I've updated and improved the local map, so I know it's quite accurate, but when I use google maps it's too vague, especially in a forest area. So I have to use Geosetter instead as it has a proper map, where I see the trails.

Do any mainstream cameras have built in GPS? Like any camera less than $2000?

Yes, all the time. It really annoyed me when Canon dropped GPS from their high end cameras - relying on a connection via an app from a mobile phone is not very reliable, and utterly useless if conditions are such that you would not want to risk taking your mobile with you

If you're just using a .gpx file, can't I just use any external GPS device and do the same thing? (I have one for another hobby.) In either case, sure...I have to remember to turn it on and start tracking, then save the file. But assuming I did this, any reason why I need a dedicated phone app??

Yes - I do!

I used it regularly

I’ve successfully used this app for years, but now it has stopped working. In addition to this it has disappeared from my iPhone 12 Mini and it cannot be reinstalled. Tried to contact the assistance, but I had no answer. Any suggestion?

Yes I do.

I shoot with a Z7 and all my photos has gps attached to each photo because camera is paired to my phone using the SnapBridge app.

I have GPS in my Nikon camera body but I'm scared about using it because Nikon themselves have warned me that it will drain my battery like crazy. I wonder what peoples' experiences are?

I use the map with my gps and Nikon d500

I'd use it a lot more if camera manufacturers could ever come up with a decent ap. I know Sony has the Imaging Edge application that has a geo tagging function. It needs to establish a blue tooth connection to your phone to do so. This should be automatic, and theoretically it is, when you turn on that function, but unfortunately, I have personally never been able to get it to work seamlessly more than once or twice. Then it's back to the app for a bunch of faffing around to get it to reconnect. This shouldn't be rocket science.A while back, almost all manufacturers were putting tracking ability into at least a few of their cameras, then suddenly, poof! All gone. Pretty sure the chips are cheap, so they should be in every camera that could be considered a travel camera. Maybe there is something I'm not aware of, (I know, hard to believe).

Great video! But as answer on the title; no I don't use the map module ;-)

I geotag all of my pictures and use the Map module.

Yes, I use the map module.

I use it everytime becuase I'd like all my photos have right GPS location.

This will only work as long as Adobe continues to pay the license fee to Google. I spent hundreds of hours marking scanned slide film with geotag information only to find,in a previous version of Lightroom, that the feature was disabled. Who is to say Adobe will not do this again. This is why I stopped using all Adobe products.

Nope, never even looked at it.

Nope