How to take a photo of your GPS when your GPS is also your camera...

[+byatis]

Don't know if this has been raised an an issue before (apologies if it has) but many caches require you to take a photo of your GPSr (with or without you in the photo) at a given location - the problem I have with this is that I use a Nokia N95 for geocaching which is also my camera.

 

So, do I need to carry around a mirror and somehow take a photo of myself and "GPSr" reflected or maybe put the camera on self-timer and hold the mirror so the Nokia is reflected and photographed in the mirror?

 

Has anyone else had the same problem and managed to get around it?

Edited August 12, 2009 by byatis

[+bittsen]

Don't know if this has been raised an an issue before (apologies if it has) but many caches require you to take a photo of your GPSr (with or without you in the photo) at a given location - the problem I have with this is that I use a Nokia N95 for geocaching which is also my camera.

 

So, do I need to carry around a mirror and somehow take a photo of myself and "GPSr" reflected or maybe put the camera on self-timer and hold the mirror so the Nokia is reflected and photographed in the mirror?

 

Has anyone else had the same problem and managed to get around it?

 

Two words...

 

Photo Shop.

 

Although any reflective surface could work for you. A cache owner with an ounce of integrity would allow just a picture of you if you explained that your GPSr was also your camera.

[+Puppy Dawg]

Get one of those disposable cameras, then scan the prints. But I like Bittsen's idea better, just photoshop a GPSr into the mix.

[+kunarion]

Edited August 12, 2009 by kunarion

[+kunarion]

many caches require you to take a photo of your GPSr (with or without you in the photo) at a given location -

 

I haven't encountered a cache like that. But now I'm gonna start leaving a picture of a GPSr as a signature Swag. Then people can have one handy

[+Jeep4two]

I can just see it now. Phone propped on a near by rock with mirror 1 balanced on a twig shoved in the ground to reflect the face of the GPS app on the phone back to you perfectly aligned to the 2nd mirror in your hand. *Bam!* you got your shot!

 

In all seriousness however - I think a shot of you at the proper location will get you your smiley. If you feel you need to you can include the elevation in an e-mail to the CO after you log as additional proof you were there, but I doubt that most CO's would give you any grief.

[+BlueDeuce]

Hmmm, caching requirements not keeping up with technology or vice-versa.

 

Carry a backup gps.

 

Carry a signature item and photograph that. Probably more of a valid item than a gps anyway.

Edited August 12, 2009 by BlueDeuce

[Skippermark]

Wouldn't that be an ALR, which is no longer allowed?

[+bittsen]

Wouldn't that be an ALR, which is no longer allowed?

 

For a traditional, it wouldn't be allowed but for a virtual, it is allowed.

 

I did everything to get the virtual on the top of Haleakala but never bothered to submit the info. Guess I'm down a smiley.

[AZcachemeister]

You can only plead your case with the cache owner.

I would suggest, however, acquiring either a REAL GPSr or a REAL camera for future expeditions.

Trust me, you will be much happier with the results either way.

[+bittsen]

You can only plead your case with the cache owner.

I would suggest, however, acquiring either a REAL GPSr or a REAL camera for future expeditions.

Trust me, you will be much happier with the results either way.

 

Yeah, I think I would go right out and spend $100+ to get a device for those few virtual caches...

 

It's JUST A SMILEY!!

[+mrbrit]

Many photos taken from smart phones such as iPhones have embedded gps coordinates within the image.

 

Try opening an image from an iPhone with Google Earth!

 

I did this and the photo is placed over the location of the image being taken.

 

Hmm... looks like proof of where the photo was taken to me.

 

Yes I am sure this can be hacked but if you are trying that hard to cheat I guess you have lost the plot anyway

 

MrBrit

[+mrbort]

You can only plead your case with the cache owner.

I would suggest, however, acquiring either a REAL GPSr or a REAL camera for future expeditions.

Trust me, you will be much happier with the results either way.

 

Yeah, I think I would go right out and spend $100+ to get a device for those few virtual caches...

 

It's JUST A SMILEY!!

 

I don't think that the spirit of that post was to advocate spending a bunch of money to get a smiley but instead to highlight the fact that multipurpose devices like the iphone (I LOVE mine... favorite piece of consumer electronics of all time... if I were told I could only have one piece of electronics that would be it) aren't optimized for either photos or GPS navigation to the standards of caching. I think the point was that if you get a real camera, you'll be MUCH happier with the quality of the photos since the entire hardware and software of the camera is absolutely optimized to be a camera. Similarly, if you get a dedicated GPSr you'll likely be much happier with the quality of the navigation as the time and effort put into the hardware and software is entirely dedicated to GPS navigation.

 

That being said, on principle, I agree with you Bitttsen: don't feel like you have to go out and buy either A smartphone will work just fine and I would say just either put half your face in the picture, your hand with a thumbs up in the picture, a piece of paper with your username in the picture etc... If the CO doesn't accept that then your issue of missing a smiley is dwarfed by whatever theirs is

[+Taoiseach]

You can only plead your case with the cache owner.

I would suggest, however, acquiring either a REAL GPSr or a REAL camera for future expeditions.

Trust me, you will be much happier with the results either way.

 

...But what if he was using an Oregon 550?

Edited August 12, 2009 by Taoiseach

[+mrbort]

You can only plead your case with the cache owner.

I would suggest, however, acquiring either a REAL GPSr or a REAL camera for future expeditions.

Trust me, you will be much happier with the results either way.

 

...But what if he was using an Oregon 550?

 

I still think using a piece of paper with your username on it and explaining in the log *should* have most owners happy... The vast majority of owners don't want to delete finds. If you run into someone who quibbles on that count despite your best efforts to comply with the request to show evidence that you were there then, again, the CO has a bigger issue than you do just missing a smiley

[+byatis]

Thanks for all you suggestions folks - must admit that the question was a bit "tongue in cheek" and that it was just to highlight an issue where cache owners are asking for such a photo. I do like Jeep4two's vision of the scenario though...

 

I can just see it now. Phone propped on a near by rock with mirror 1 balanced on a twig shoved in the ground to reflect the face of the GPS app on the phone back to you perfectly aligned to the 2nd mirror in your hand. *Bam!* you got your shot!

I'm guessing that cache owners will issue a smiley happily enough based on an explanation as to why it's logistically impossible - if not I'll link them to this post!

 

Must admit to being quite happy with the N95 (loaded with Geocache Navigator, Trekbuddy + 1:25000 maps, SmartGPX and Locify) - it's found me 100+ caches (almost paperless!) in 6 months and taken a few reasonable pics to add to logs along the way...

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Wouldn't that be an ALR, which is no longer allowed?

 

For a traditional, it wouldn't be allowed but for a virtual, it is allowed.

 

I did everything to get the virtual on the top of Haleakala but never bothered to submit the info. Guess I'm down a smiley.

 

Many earthcaches cwners will ask that a photo be taken with you and you're GPS at ground zero. I think that most of the earthcaches I've done (about 20, I think) have had that requirement.

[+Castle Mischief]

I've never looked for it, but I'm sure you could find a non-functional store demo model of a GPSr on eBay...

 

I think that most virtual and earthcache owners would accept alternatives. Something that shows it's not a vacation picture from 1993.

 

I recently had to work some exceptions to a couple of earthcaches that I found- but could not get all the required information due to areas not being open or objects not labeled. Both owners were very reasonable.

[+sbell111]

Just contact the cache owner(s) and ask. None of us are going to be able to answer this question as it relates to caches that we don't own.

[Dinoprophet]

Get one of those disposable cameras, then scan the prints. But I like Bittsen's idea better, just photoshop a GPSr into the mix.

The first uproar over armchair cachers that I recall was when someone posted finds on a bunch of virtuals using Photoshopped pictures. All the photos had the same hand and GPS in the corner of the shot. Torches and pitchforks came out, and the cacher admitted it was some kind of experiment with a friend. I saw the thread recently while looking through some old stuff. The cacher is still quite active and, I think, well-regarded, but for a short time, many years ago, people were very angry at him.

 

So in short, even if you've legitimately found the cache, trying to fool the owner with Photoshop may make you a reluctant forum celebrity.

[+sbell111]

Get one of those disposable cameras, then scan the prints. But I like Bittsen's idea better, just photoshop a GPSr into the mix.

The first uproar over armchair cachers that I recall was when someone posted finds on a bunch of virtuals using Photoshopped pictures. All the photos had the same hand and GPS in the corner of the shot. Torches and pitchforks came out, and the cacher admitted it was some kind of experiment with a friend. I saw the thread recently while looking through some old stuff. The cacher is still quite active and, I think, well-regarded by some, but for a short time, many years ago, people were very angry at him.

 

So in short, even if you've legitimately found the cache, trying to fool the owner with Photoshop may make you a reluctant forum celebrity.

I fixed it for you.

[Skippermark]

Many earthcaches cwners will ask that a photo be taken with you and you're GPS at ground zero. I think that most of the earthcaches I've done (about 20, I think) have had that requirement.

Yes, I forgot about earthcaches and virtuals. It was after 9 p.m. and my mind wasn't thinking clearly.

 

I would suggest, however, acquiring either a REAL GPSr or a REAL camera for future expeditions.

Trust me, you will be much happier with the results either way.

If I'm finding the more I use my iPhone, the more I like carrying just one device. I find that I leave my 60CSx home about half the time now. Obviously, with limited battery life, the phone isn't great for an all day multi-mile hike with lots of caches along the way.

[Dinoprophet]

Get one of those disposable cameras, then scan the prints. But I like Bittsen's idea better, just photoshop a GPSr into the mix.

The first uproar over armchair cachers that I recall was when someone posted finds on a bunch of virtuals using Photoshopped pictures. All the photos had the same hand and GPS in the corner of the shot. Torches and pitchforks came out, and the cacher admitted it was some kind of experiment with a friend. I saw the thread recently while looking through some old stuff. The cacher is still quite active and, I think, well-regarded by some, but for a short time, many years ago, people were very angry at him.

 

So in short, even if you've legitimately found the cache, trying to fool the owner with Photoshop may make you a reluctant forum celebrity.

I fixed it for you.

Fair enough. When I saw it again, I was surprised by who it was, even though I don't currently remember.

[+rob3k]

I think using your GPSr to take a picture of yourself holding your camera should be an acceptable alternative.

[+Wooden Cyclist]

You can only plead your case with the cache owner.

I would suggest, however, acquiring either a REAL GPSr or a REAL camera for future expeditions.

Trust me, you will be much happier with the results either way.

 

Lets see. I have found over 600 caches during my first 6 months of Geocaching using only my BlackBerry. The pictures that I take while caching are also taken with the BlackBerry. The pictures have been posted to cache listings and these forums with no complaints from the viewers. No CO of a virtual or Earthcache have ever deleted my find because my GPSr was not in the photo.

 

Why would I want to clutter up my Geobag with useless accessories? Keeping it simple is what makes smarphone user happy. No need to spend extra money on more devices to tote around.

[AZcachemeister]

You can only plead your case with the cache owner.

I would suggest, however, acquiring either a REAL GPSr or a REAL camera for future expeditions.

Trust me, you will be much happier with the results either way.

 

Yeah, I think I would go right out and spend $100+ to get a device for those few virtual caches...

 

It's JUST A SMILEY!!

 

$100 for a camera?

 

I was thinking more like a Nikon D3x.

 

 

$7,999.95 MSRP. Of course by the time you accessorize it with a couple of extra lenses and a good flash unit, you'll probably be well over $10,000.

 

Darn well going to get some nice photos with that!

 

Or you could get a disposable film camera for maybe $3, plus maybe another $3 for processing. Most of the processing places will even digitize the pictures and deliver them to your EMail if you want.

[+Renegade Knight]

Hmmm, caching requirements not keeping up with technology or vice-versa. ...

 

There you go. The problem is some of these rules were set before we had this ability.

 

The solution may be the gps tagging of the photo so you can see the coords in the photo. The point of the GPS in the photo was to show they were there. There is more than one way to skin that cat if an open minded owner is willing to solve the problem that convergence is creating on what used to be simple since a GPS and Camera didn't use to be the same thing.

[+Arrow42]

Get a real camera? Cell phone cameras suck.

[+chrisrayn]

Get a real camera? Cell phone cameras suck.

 

Yes, buy a camera.

[+sbell111]

Hmmm, caching requirements not keeping up with technology or vice-versa. ...

 

There you go. The problem is some of these rules were set before we had this ability.

 

The solution may be the gps tagging of the photo so you can see the coords in the photo. The point of the GPS in the photo was to show they were there. There is more than one way to skin that cat if an open minded owner is willing to solve the problem that convergence is creating on what used to be simple since a GPS and Camera didn't use to be the same thing.

He can just go 'old school'.