How to Convert Your Photo Library to PhotoKML for Easy Mapping

python
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#!/usr/bin/env python3
# make_photokml.py — simple PhotoKML generator
import os import sys from xml.sax.saxutils import escape import subprocess import json 
def get_exif(filepath):
try:
        out = subprocess.check_output([‘exiftool’, ’-j’, ’-GPSLatitude’, ’-GPSLongitude’, ’-Title’, filepath], stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL)
        data = json.loads(out)[0]
        lat = data.get(‘GPSLatitude’)
        lon = data.get(‘GPSLongitude’)
        title = data.get(‘Title’) or os.path.basename(filepath)
        return lat, lon, title     except Exception:
        return None, None, os.path.basename(filepath)

def to_decimal(gps):
    if gps is None: return None
    # exiftool returns decimal degrees or like “12 deg 34’ 56.00” N”
    try:
        return float(gps)
    except:
        # crude parser for D M S format
        parts = gps.replace(‘deg’,“).replace(”‘”,“).replace(’”’,“).split()
        if len(parts) >= 3:
            d,m,s = parts[:3]
            return float(d) + float(m)/60 + float(s)/3600
    return None

def build_kml(entries, outname=‘photos.kml’):
    header = ”‘<?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“UTF-8”?> 
PhotoKML”’
    footer = ‘’
    placemarks = []
    for lat,lon,title,href in entries:
        if lat is None or lon is None: continue
        pm = f”’   
    {escape(title)}
    <![CDATA[{escape(href)}” width=“640”/>]]>
    {lon},{lat},0
  ”’
        placemarks.append(pm)
    with open(outname,‘w’,encoding=‘utf-8’) as f:
        f.write(header + ’ ‘.join(placemarks) + footer)
    print(“Wrote”, outname)

def main(folder):
    files = [f for f in os.listdir(folder) if f.lower().endswith((’.jpg’,’.jpeg’,’.png’))]
    entries = []
    for fn in files:
        path = os.path.join(folder,fn)
        lat,lon,title = get_exif(path)
        lat = to_decimal(lat); lon = to_decimal(lon)
        entries.append((lat,lon,title,fn))
    build_kml(entries)

if name == ‘main’:
    folder = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv)>1 else ’.’
    main(folder)

• Requirements: exiftool installed and on PATH. The script embeds image filenames as relative links—if you later move photos, update paths accordingly.

Step 5 — Host photos or use embedded thumbnails

• For Google Earth desktop, local relative paths work. For web-based viewers, host images on a web server or cloud (same folder structure) and edit the KML to use full HTTPS URLs in the src.
• Optionally create small thumbnails and reference those in the KML to speed loading.

Step 6 — Load and review in Google Earth

1. Open Google Earth Pro or Google Earth Web.
2. Import the generated KML/KMZ.
3. Check placemark positions and click thumbnails to confirm images display correctly. Adjust any incorrect geotags and regenerate if needed.

Step 7 — Package as KMZ (optional)

• KMZ is a zipped KML plus image files for portability.
• On macOS/Linux:

bash
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zip -r photos.kmz photos.kml *.jpg *.png 

• On Windows: select files, Send to → Compressed (zipped) folder, rename .zip to .kmz.

Tips & best practices

• Backup originals before batch editing EXIF.
• Use thumbnails for large libraries to avoid heavy KMZ files.
• Include useful placemark names (date, location) in EXIF Title or use a CSV-to-KML step for richer metadata.
• For automated recurring exports, script the process and include timestamp normalization.

If you’d like, I can generate a tailored script for Windows-only, macOS-only, or a version that uploads images to a cloud host and outputs HTTPS links for web KML.