Map View

Screen Shot Tour of Photoshop Elements 5

Initially I thought this feature would only be useful if you had a camera with GPS capabilities, but this is not the case. To use it, all you need to do is select a group of photos, choose the "Place on map" command, and then type an address and click "Find." You don't even need a full address -- just the city is generally enough. The GPS (global positioning system) latitude and longitude coordinates are also saved to the metadata of the file.

Now when you open the map view, all the photos you have placed on the map will be represented with a push pin. You can click on a push-pin to see a mini-preview of all the photos taken at that location. The map view also has tools for you to zoom in and out, pan the map, and move photos. You can choose to view a street map, a satellite map, or a hybrid of both. You can also use the map as a search tool, to limit what is shown in the Organizer to only those photos connected to the current map view.

You can also share your mapped photos on the Web or on a CD. When you choose this option, Elements generates a Flash-based Web gallery showing a map with your photos represented as pushpins. When the gallery is viewed, users can click on the pins to see the mini-preview pop-up, then click on the thumbnail to see larger photos. They can pan and zoom the map, and switch between map and satellite views also.

An internet connection is required for this feature and it's only available in the English language version of Photoshop Elements 5. I found that the map loading could be very slow at times, even on a high-speed satellite Internet connection.

Check Prices for Photoshop Elements 5