All my travel photos on world map

[feppe]

I set up a Google Maps interface on my website. Almost done, but it's work-in-progress, and would appreciate feedback on it.

I noticed some popup windows are too small for the photos, which is something I have to fix. Any further feedback and critique on the interface is most welcome!

[cmi]

Hi feppe,

technically it works flawless for me. Maybe Im just missing the proper way to use it, if this is the case please tell me. But I find that this interface doesn't suit your presentation. That is because the maps interface is (when I think about it) about exploring, exploring is what makes the map interface experience fun. You on the other hand do not have the amount of data that you can really start exploring so it doesn't become fun for me. I have to click many times, I have very few choices, and I land on essentially random images, random compared to the view of the whole world. It raises expectations wich wont be fullfilled. (Not really since the dots always indicate whats there but you get my point.) So thats my honest thoughts about it. But then maybe Im just missing something obvious.

Best regards,

Christian

[feppe]

Hi feppe,

technically it works flawless for me. Maybe Im just missing the proper way to use it, if this is the case please tell me. But I find that this interface doesn't suit your presentation. That is because the maps interface is (when I think about it) about exploring, exploring is what makes the map interface experience fun. You on the other hand do not have the amount of data that you can really start exploring so it doesn't become fun for me. I have to click many times, I have very few choices, and I land on essentially random images, random compared to the view of the whole world. It raises expectations wich wont be fullfilled. (Not really since the dots always indicate whats there but you get my point.) So thats my honest thoughts about it. But then maybe Im just missing something obvious.

Best regards,

Christian

I guess I'll have to do some more traveling, then...

[cmi]

I dont think its a question of you providing too less images, I didnt wanted to suggest that. For you its more the question of presenting well what you have, not to shoot images to suit the presentation. I think its a general thing, the maps default navigation works only decent with the globe or at least a region fully covered with imagery. So the maps interface is about exploration, you on the other hand want to provide an intuitive geographical context. (Just my guess.) This would mean the navigating needs to be more finetuned to your images. I dont know what the interface permits, but if I where to use it, I would try to switch off this multiple zooming in (12 clicks to see the two Brooklyn bridge images, thats just not gonna work.) So maybe restrict it to max two levels and ensure that the recipient has always something meaningful under its mouse.

Christian


//Edit: In short, minimize the number of clicks to get to your actual images to the absolute minimum, preferably not more than 2. 4 is already too much.

[shutterpup]

Hi feppe,

. I have to click many times, I have very few choices, and I land on essentially random images, random compared to the view of the whole world.
Best regards,

Christian

Christian wrote exactly what I experienced; I clicked, and then had to click again, and again. I was either hoping for a heavier density of points to choose from, or more photos of a better size(you already knew this about the size of the photos). More data is needed, much more data.

[feppe]

Christian wrote exactly what I experienced; I clicked, and then had to click again, and again. I was either hoping for a heavier density of points to choose from, or more photos of a better size(you already knew this about the size of the photos). More data is needed, much more data.

Ah, I see. Yeah, I'll check out if the # of levels can be adjusted.