The Risks and Rewards of Geotagging

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People who use GPS to tag their images love it. Most who don’t are probably wondering why there is such a cult following behind the oft-ignored camera feature. There are some clear benefits to geotagging if you are someone who loves tracking data to guide your imaging. However, regardless of where you stand, it is worth discussing the potential risks that accompany this digital function.

We should begin by talking about why you would want to geotag your photos. It is an interesting question. Most people will gain nothing from having geotagged photos, beyond an extra couple of lines of metadata when they pull up the file in Lightroom. These would be people who shoot portraits or work mostly in a studio. Why would you need to know that this image was taken in the studio you work in daily? However, landscape, travel, and street photographers may be able to find some great benefits in having this data available.

Among the best examples of location data being beneficial is when you are traveling and want to figure out exactly where you snapped a photo. When I traveled to Iceland, being able to look at the information when I got home to figure out that yes, that is in fact Háifoss waterfall, made it so that I didn’t have to worry about tracking every image and its location in a written journal or document on my laptop every night. Not that those aren’t still good practices to follow. It is a way to double-check or confirm your information in case of a mistake because GPS should be more accurate.

Travelers may want this information to recall awesome restaurants they visited, or scenic locations that they stumbled upon. We’ve all been in a conversation where we try to recommend… that place over by… that street. Now you’ll be able to figure it out with relative ease. Street photographers and photojournalists may want this information for more practical reasons: simply, they work quickly and need to know where a shot was taken so that proper context can be provided.

Another reason to start geotagging is that it can help improve your rank in search results. If someone is searching for images of the Grand Canyon, tagging your image as having been taken there can help boost your photo’s chances of being seen. It also makes it possible to be placed on online maps, such as Google Maps.

Because geotagging is a relatively simple and sometimes automatic procedure, many people do it without even thinking. Most smartphone cameras embed location data by default. This is where the initial problem lies, since many photographers unwittingly reveal sensitive information without even knowing it. Now, uploading random photos from a concert or other public event and tagging it with the location isn’t going to hurt. Where you may have problems is if you unfortunately upload information about where you live.

Since this is Adventure Week and, assuming readers will be interested in going out and exploring nature, we want to highlight a specific issue. Social media has a tendency to bring out both the best and worst in people. And there are people who do things just for the likes. One thing we want to warn photographers about is that geotagging a photogenic spot in a delicate ecosystem may draw unwanted foot traffic to a previously little-touched location. Individuals simply trying to “get the shot” can inadvertently draw crowds that can cause irreversible damage to foliage and wildlife in the area.

An example of this is Horseshoe Bend, in Arizona. It’s an insane location with an abundance of beautiful imagery around. Once a relatively quiet spot, it now draws major crowds all the time. This has led to the National Park Service getting involved to manage the crowds, clean up trash, and erect fences for people’s safety. Added traffic can easily damage delicate ecosystems, and social media geotagging is an easy way for people to find these places.

It can be dangerous, as well. Photographers and hikers who are well-equipped to visit some off-the-beaten-path trails follow principles such as Leave No Trace, which ensure they don’t inadvertently cause damage to the locations they visit. A weekend visitor wanting to get that cliché photo may not be ready, or may take unnecessary risks that could lead to harm.

Basically, just be careful about location data. To avoid geotagging a specific hidden gem you found on an exploratory hike could save it from future damage, and keep it unique for photographers willing to get out there and discover it for themselves. We have all seen that image of Horseshoe Bend, specifically because social media tagging has led so many people there. What we need now is a wider variety of images, and to protect the environment where we still can.

Do you geotag your images? Are you careful about posting location data with your images online? Tell us how you feel about location data, and how it is used on social media, in the Comments section!

Be sure to check back on B&H Explora for more of Adventure Week—and don't forget to follow B&H on Twitter @BHPhotoVideo for up-to-the-minute #adventureweek news.

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