GPS to Google Maps (the easy way)

I wrote previously about how to extract GPS coordinates from an image and then re-format that data so that it works with Google Maps.

However, there is a much easier way to find the physical location in which a photo was taken if you are prepared to use a handy website instead of installing tools on your computer.

You can even use this technique to analyse a photo stored online, without downloading it!

1. Find an image that you want to assess. Either save it to your hard disk or determine its URL. We'll use a URL.

2. Visit Jeffery's Exif Viewer using a web browser.

3. Either upload the photo from your disk or enter its URL into the appropriate field.

4. Click the View Image button and wait a few seconds.

5. You should now see a resized version of the photo and a table of data. Look closely at the Location box in the table and you should see a list of mapping services, including Google, Yahoo and Bing. Click on the one you want or...

6. For Google Maps simply scroll down a little further and you'll see the image's physical location presented in Google Maps.

The actual GPS coordinates and other metadata appears at the very end of the page, should you need it.