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Geolocation from Images/Videos
When you have a photo or video and need to determine where it was taken.
Prioritized Sources & Techniques
1st
ExifToolG6
Extract EXIF GPS coordinates, camera model, timestamp
2nd
Google Earth ProG1
Match visual landmarks to satellite/street-level imagery
3rd
SunCalcG2
Calculate sun position from shadows to verify location + time
4th
Overpass Turbo / OSMG7
Query OpenStreetMap for specific features visible in image
5th
Sentinel HubG5
Compare satellite imagery over time for change detection
6th
Google Street ViewG1
Ground-truth candidate locations identified via other methods
7th
Snapchat Snap MapG3
Check for user-submitted snaps at candidate location
Recommended Workflow
Always start with ExifTool — if GPS data exists, the problem is solved. If not, identify visual clues: language on signs, vegetation, road markings, architecture, sun angle. Use SunCalc to validate shadow direction against claimed date/time.