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🗺 Places

LibrePhotos can display your photos on an interactive map based on their GPS coordinates. This page explains how geolocation works and how to get the most out of the Places feature.

How It Works​

1. GPS Coordinates from Photos​

When you take a photo with a GPS-enabled device (smartphone, camera with GPS, etc.), the location is stored in the photo's EXIF metadata as latitude and longitude coordinates. LibrePhotos reads these coordinates during the scan process:

  • Composite:GPSLatitude - The latitude coordinate
  • Composite:GPSLongitude - The longitude coordinate

2. Reverse Geocoding​

GPS coordinates alone are just numbers. To show meaningful place names (like "Paris, France" or "Central Park, New York"), LibrePhotos uses reverse geocoding - a process that converts coordinates into human-readable addresses.

You can configure your preferred geocoding provider in Admin Area → Site Settings:

ProviderAPI Key RequiredNotes
Nominatim (OpenStreetMap)NoFree and open source, default option
MapboxYesCommercial service with free tier
MapTilerYesCommercial service with free tier
OpenCageYesCommercial service with free tier
TomTomYesCommercial service with free tier
Recommended Setup

Nominatim is the recommended option as it's completely free and doesn't require an API key. It uses OpenStreetMap data and works well for most use cases.

3. Map Display​

LibrePhotos uses MapLibre GL with vector tiles from PhotoPrism's free tile server. This provides:

  • Smooth, high-quality vector maps
  • Fast rendering and zooming
  • No API key required for map display
  • Works offline once tiles are cached

The Places Page​

The Places page (/album/places) shows all your geotagged photos on an interactive map:

  • Clustered markers: When zoomed out, nearby photos are grouped into clusters showing the count
  • Click to zoom: Click on a cluster to zoom in and see individual locations
  • Filtered albums: As you pan and zoom the map, the album grid below updates to show places visible in the current view
  • Navigation controls: Use the +/- buttons or scroll to zoom, drag to pan

Setting Up Places​

Step 1: Configure Geocoding Provider (Optional)​

  1. Go to Admin Area → Site Settings
  2. Select your preferred Map API Provider
  3. If using a commercial provider, enter your API Key
  4. Save the settings

Step 2: Scan Your Photos​

  1. Go to Settings → Scan Directory
  2. Run a full scan of your photo library
  3. The scan will extract GPS coordinates and perform reverse geocoding

Step 3: View Your Places​

Navigate to Albums → Places to see your photos on the map.

Features Enabled by Geolocation​

Once your photos have location data:

  • Search by location: Search for photos by place name (e.g., "Paris", "beach")
  • Auto-albums with places: Automatically created albums include location in their titles
  • Location timeline: See where you've been over time
  • Place tree: Hierarchical view of all your locations
  • Photo info: Individual photos show their location on a mini-map

Troubleshooting​

Places tab is empty​

  1. Check if photos have GPS data: Open a photo's info panel and look for GPS coordinates
  2. Run a rescan: If you recently added photos, run a new scan
  3. Check geocoding provider: Ensure your geocoding provider is configured correctly in Site Settings

Some photos don't show locations​

  • Not all devices embed GPS data in photos
  • Indoor photos may not have accurate GPS
  • Some cameras require GPS to be explicitly enabled
  • Check if location services were enabled when the photo was taken

Map tiles not loading​

  • Check your internet connection
  • The map uses PhotoPrism's tile server at cdn.photoprism.app and maps.photoprism.app
  • Ensure these domains aren't blocked by your firewall or ad blocker

Privacy Considerations​

  • GPS coordinates in photos can reveal sensitive location information
  • When sharing photos, consider stripping EXIF data if privacy is a concern
  • LibrePhotos keeps your location data private within your instance
  • The map tile server only receives tile requests, not your photo locations