how to get GPS unit to 'translate coordinates' into human-friendly locations?

not sure if this is possible, but i'm just asking. the GPS unit (be it from an accessory, the DSLR itself, or our phones) always supplies the long/lat coordinates and tags it to the EXIF of our files.

I'm wondering, it is possible to geotag the location name BASED on the coordinates supplied automatically? I understand that i can do it manually in lightroom, but it's pretty redundant, given that the GPS unit is supposed to simplify our lives and let us know where we took the photos.

we can view the photos on the map, but sometimes i don't want to launch a separate application. i just want to right click > properties > see what is the location tagged. e.g. The Eiffel Tower, instead of giving me numbers which has to be parsed through the map anyway.

i know the name tagging might not be accurate, but i just need an approximation - it's better than nothing anyway.

all software/solutions welcome!


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as usual, i have a side question. if the above is not possible at all, i'd like to know if there is an app for the android tablet, that does something similar to the "Places" app on the iPhone. i.e. I will be able to see my geotagged photos visually on the map, instead of the usual gallery style.

I don't think that's possible yet, but google has done some scary things lately.

I don't know how your camera could really know what you're taking a photo of. For example, you can take a photo of the Eiffel Tower from underneath, and maybe it would recognize it, but most photos of the tower are probably taken from down the street or fairly far away to get the full tower in a more landscape type shot. The GPS in that case not only would have to know where you are (coordinates) but add in the direction you're pointing the lens as well as focus distance to really tell what's in your photo.
I think that's a little beyond the scope of today's camera GPS units. The memory would have to be expanded with waypoints and everything else. Probably not what most people want camera GPS for. You mentioned phones, well, their GPS units are used more for a->b navigation, and not just static locations. They also have data connections to load data about surrounding areas, something dslr cameras cannot yet do. Maybe someone will come up with a wifi or bluetooth camera connection to a cellphone that will do what you want in the future, but I don't think it currently exists on-camera.

There is probably software out there that can do it. I know there are programs that can automatically give you basic info like a city (exif may say something like : Chicago), but I'm unaware of anything that can tag specific landmarks or locations.

I have used a bit of software that will do a lookup of the place name from the gps data and stick that place name in the Exif. But I'm darned if I can remember what it was. It may have been GeoSetter.


A quicj Google found this that may help - LINK.

The search term you need is 'reverse geocoding'.

Downloader Pro will apply a reverse geocode lookup, based on geonames.org, when you download your files (assuming an Internet connection). I wouldn't expect it to be as precise as "The Eiffel Tower", though "Paris, France" is well within scope.

Here is the problem with automation based upon GPS position and compass heading of the direction that the camera faces...

If I stand on the Marin County Headlands, and I take a picture with the Golden Gate Bridge and the Transamerica Pyramid and Alcatraz in the shot, do I label the photo

1. "Marin County Headlands",
   
2. "Golden Gate Bridge",
   
3. "Transamerical Pyramid", or
   
4. "Alcatraz Island"
   

Lightroom 4 does this automatically. I tags all my iPhone pics with locations based on lat Lon.

Edit. Noticed u used Lightroom. It does the tagging automatically. Not sure what u mean by manually? I don't press anything and it already shows me the name of the location

Xyclopx wrote in post #15453130
Lightroom 4 does this automatically. I tags all my iPhone pics with locations based on lat Lon.

Edit. Noticed u used Lightroom. It does the tagging automatically. Not sure what u mean by manually? I don't press anything and it already shows me the name of the location

not sure if it's only my copy, but i do have the long/lat embedded in the exif. as for the 'sublocation', it may display 'Paris', but the field is in GREY - which means it is not hardcoded into the RAW file, and hence not tagged along when i recode it to a JPG.

to all : yup i do understand the difficulties in tagging an accurate location/landmark, which is why i did not ask for precision in this aspect. it's just for basic reference, so at least it gives me some retrieval cue on where about this happened.

found a very relevant adobe LR thread on the exact same issue i'm facing :
http://forums.adobe.co​m/message/4252744

if anyone finds a solution to it (within LR, not using external plugins), please list it here. thanks!