Oakley, B.A.; Manzi, M.A.; Sumeersarnauth, B.J., and Boyle, S., 2017. The Block Island Bluff Image Project: Using Google Earth™, Spreadsheet Mapper, and Google Drive™ to build a database of spatially located field images of coastal bluffs.
Spatially located field photography provides a mechanism to gather and share images for the purposes of creating virtual fieldtrips, examining change, and conducting outreach. Uploading images to Google Earth™ or other commercial sites is a common way of sharing images; however, these images are not accessible in a central, organized location, and the spatial control is limited. This paper presents a method of providing quick access to spatially located images using standard equipment (i.e. camera and GPS) and then linking these images to Google Earth using Spreadsheet Mapper, a free tool developed by Google. This technique allows image locations to be shared via a single small >10 kB file, and individual images can be viewed and downloaded as needed. A systematic approach was developed to photograph and mosaic a large number of locations, but this technique could also be applied to individual images (to examine change at one site over time) or to images collected using unmanned aerial systems.