Getting the straight shot

Straight shots are when all 4 the edges (the 2 sides + the top + the bottom) of the storefront or building are parallel to the sides of your photo. The perspective looks flat and does not reveal the 3-dimensional reality of the building or store. There is no perspective distortion in straight shots. This perspective is the fastest and easiest to read for Maps users.

Also, Google Maps seems to favor straight shots. You can glance over how Google rates the quality of photos here.

So take straight shots if you can.

Practice finding the Sweet Spot

Learn how to move your phone to take perfect straight shots of storefronts and houses. There are 2 quizzes. If you are already familiar with finding the sweet spot, then please skip ahead.

After clicking Submit in the quizzes, please click View score to see how many correct answers you got. Under View score, you can also find comments on each of your answers.

Beware of your reflection

When you are trying to find the sweet spot to get the straight shot, you also need to keep an eye out for reflective surfaces. This is important if you don't want to be included in your photo on Google Maps. Avoiding this mistake is not super important - but most photographers would be embarrassed to make this petite error.

Some tips on hiding your reflection include:

Another great trick is to move far back so your reflection becomes too small to be noticeable.

Are you ready for another quiz? Spot the reflection of the local guides who are taking these 15 pictures. If you already know how to avoid your reflection in your shots or if you don't mind being seen in your shots, please skip ahead.

If you can answer them all correctly, you will be immune to making this embarrassing mistake in your future Google Maps photos. Good luck.

Sometimes it is impossible to reach the sweet spot. Be safe and don't step into traffic where cars or bikes can hit you. Getting the straight shot is not that valuable! In front of taller buildings, the sweet spot can be way up in the air. Using a selfie-stick, walking backward, stepping onto a bench, or using a drone could help you out. Or you can use software to eliminate perspective distortion. This is discussed in more detail in the module Plumb vertical lines.

If getting a straight shot is not possible, the next best solution is to take the shot from the left of the storefront or building.

Hit "Suggested next page" to learn why shots From the left are the second-best perspective. Turn the page!