Recently Google have launched a new product which I am very excited about. If you know Google Streetview then this new venture brings ‘streetview’ inside a building or business. A natural progression from Google in my opinion as this really allows you to explore the interiors as if you were there.
I have recently been awarded Google Business Photos status for Leicestershire & Rutland after meeting their strict criteria and passing a multitude of tests and I will be pursuing this great new service with many commercial clients as for wedding venues, pubs, salons etc where it will greatly improve their marketing potential.
You can see an example of a London Hotel below – click icon top right to see full screen view and get the full effect!
I can see great interest for this service to be used in heritage sites, and of course even churches. Of course we have to think a bout security and what we actually show – but with some common sense and forward planning I think this would be great and achievable. It does take time however, a visit and the specialized photography would take 1-2 hours per church and then there is the actual working of creating and checking the panoramas before they go live with Google (another 3-4 hours). I have built and maintained this site for 3 years and I complete all the visits and photography for free – as individuals cannot gain funding it seems. To add this great new feature would not be possible unless it was funded. However I cannot see this happening in the near future so unless individual churches pay for the service it will not occur. A shame in my opinion as I know of many churches where it would be a real benefit. Perhaps it’s time this project became a Trust or part of a group where it could receive funding. I think it is the only way if we want to add these exciting new features in the future.
If you are interested then please get in touch.
June 7, 2012
Congratulations on getting a gig with Google Chris.
I am not so sure this would be a Good Thing for churches. I fear we are getting to the stage of having everything documented on-line and so it raises the question of way bother to visit anything in person if you can see it from your armchair. There are enough locked church doors as it is – this would only give even more excuse for keeping them locked.
I can, however, see it being very useful for large churches on the well-beaten tourist trail where the advantages of using this technology would outweigh disadvantages.
June 20, 2012
Hello there.
Well it seems that Google will not be completing this service for churches at the present time. Although there may well be a project at some point to complete them, I expect longer term they will be included.
As to the problem of having ‘too much info on-line’ which negates having to actually visit the sites I am not so sure. Buit at this point ‘virtual walk-throughs’ are not going to happen.