Photo-mapping project seeks unusual images for novel city portraits

A new project is hoping to create incredibly detailed photo-maps of major world cities and events by asking residents and tourists to post unusual pictures of their favourite locations.

Big Ben – new photo mapping project wants unusual angles of iconic city landmarks. Image by Steve Parsons/PA Wire

PhotoSpotLand has started out in London, where it’s hoping to build a novel portrait of the city’s most famous locations, along with the places that hardly anybody knows about.

To encourage photographers – both amateur and professional – to upload their photos, they are offering weekly prizes for the best pictures.

‘We count on bloggers to spread the word and … [hopefully they] can help us to reach more Londoners,’ founder Mario Bucolo told Lonely Planet.

London is the first location for the PhotoSpotLand mapping project. Image by Paul Wilkinson / CC BY 2.0

He said that while the first stage of the project was focused on the UK capital, expansion was on the cards once the three month trial in London has ended.

‘I have met executives of [other] tourist boards and I introduced the idea to replicate the campaign in other cities and they liked it,’ he said.

‘We aren’t interested in a traditional photo of Big Ben or the Eiffel Tower … [we are looking for] a new way to view a landmark, or a monument, a hidden gem, or a fantastic panorama.’

Photo-sharing apps are quickly becoming the most popular of all social media with use of Instagram and Snapchat rising dramatically even as some more established networks like Twitter appear to have hit a plateau.

Events like the Carnival in Rio are next on the list for photo-mapping. Image by AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo.

PhotoSpotLand however, is also offering additional services including expert advice on how to take photos, where to take the perfect picture, and also opportunities to network with other photographers, be they professional or enthusiast.

As photos are uploaded, they can be tagged with exact geographic coordinates and also the equipment used, whether a high-end camera or a mobile phone.

Aside from expanding into other cities, the project wants to create intricate photographic records of specific events like Easter in Seville, the Carnivals of Rio and Venice, or simply once-in-a-lifetime events like eclipses and volcanic eruptions.