Displaying and Studying Photos
Do any of the following:
§ View photos in the photo viewer
§ Project photos on the terrain
Displaying Camera Symbols
Each photo’s camera position and orientation (if known) can be displayed on the terrain using camera symbols. The symbol’s color also indicates either the photo’s collection or its status (in original position, in calculated position, failed to calculate, or excluded by user). You can show all photos or you can filter which photos are displayed:
§ Display only the photos individually selected in the Photos list or the collections selected in the Collections list.
§ Display only photos that cover a selected point on the terrain.
§ Display only photos that were not excluded from the project.
To select specific photos for viewing on the terrain, do either of the following:
§ In the Project Tree, select the Photos group, and then in the Photos list, select the Visible check box of the required photos.
§ In the Project Tree, select the Photos group, and then in the Collections list, select the Visible check box of the required collections. All of the selected collections' photos will be displayed..
To select photos for viewing that cover a selected point on the terrain, do the following:
1. Do either of the following:
§ If you want to display all photos that intersect with a selected point based on original photo positions, in the Project Tree, select the photos group. Then in the Photos list, click Show Original Photos in Point 
.
§ If you want to display all photos that intersect with a selected point based on aerotriangulation calculations, in the Project Tree, select the group. Then in the Photos list, click Show Calculated Photos in Point 
.
2. In the 3D Window, click the point of interest. All intersecting photos are listed in the Photos list and the first photo in the list automatically opens in the Photo Viewer. See "Viewing Photos in the Photo Viewer" in the "Preparing the Project" chapter.
3. To display all photos, in the Photos list, click Show All Photos 
.
To display only photos that were not excluded from the project:
1. On the View tab, in the Photos group, select Do not show excluded. All excluded photos and photos outside the currently defined AT area are hidden. See "Excluding a Photo" in the "Photo Management" chapter for information about excluding photos.
2. To (re)display excluded photos, on the View tab, in the Photos group, select Show excluded.
Selecting Camera Symbol Size and Color Coding
To select a camera symbol size:
§ On the View tab, in the Photos group, in the Symbol size dropdown, select a size for the camera symbols that display for each photo.
To select a camera color coding option:
§ On the View tab, in the Photos group, in the Photo color dropdown, select either of the following:
§ Color by status – Camera symbols are color coded based on photo status (in original position, in calculated position, failed to calculate, or excluded by user), according to the colors defined in Options’ settings. See "Setting PhotoMesh Options" in the "Basic Concepts" chapter for more information.
§ Color by collection – Camera symbols are color coded according to collection, with a random color assigned to each collection’s camera symbol.
Navigating to a Photo
To fly or jump to a photo:
1. Select the required photo. See "Selecting Photos" in this chapter for information.
2. On the Photo tab, in the Navigation group, select Fly to/ Jump to.
Note: You can also fly to the selected photo by double-clicking it in the photo list.
Viewing Photos in the Photo Viewer
The photo viewer allows you to get a better view of a particular photo as well as highlights and provides a graphic display of the strength of each of the photo features, i.e., how many other photos contain each of the features that were automatically identified in this photo. You can display either the matched features identified in the preliminary match process of the AT step or the matched sparse point cloud features, whose match quality was validated and position calculated during the AT’s bundle adjustment process. This information is only available after the AT build step is complete.
In addition to a single docked viewer, multiple instances of a floating viewer can be opened simultaneously.
To view a photo in the Photo Viewer:
1. Select the required photo. See "Selecting Photos" in this chapter for information. Then on the ribbon's Photo tab, in the View group, click Photo Viewer. The Photo Viewer opens with the selected photo displayed. If a different photo is selected, then it replaces the previously displayed photo in the viewer. You can also click any camera symbol in the 3D Window to open the corresponding photo in the photo viewer.
Note: To open a photo in an additional floating photo viewer, without closing or replacing the photos in any currently open viewers, in the Project Tree, select the Photos group, and then in the Photos list, right-click the required photo, and select Open in a Floating Photo Viewer. A floating photo viewer opens with the selected photo displayed in a photo viewing window.
2. Use the Photo Viewer ribbon commands to zoom in 
and out 
.
3. If you want to highlight matched features in the photo and color-code them according to the number of times they were found in other photos, do the following:
a. Select which of the following matched features to show:
· Show Features from Match 
- Display all the matched features identified in the preliminary match process of the AT step.
· Show Features from Sparse 
- Display all matched sparse point cloud features, whose match quality was validated and position calculated during the AT’s bundle adjustment process.
b. Click Show Features 
. A photos panel is added to the Photo Viewer with all the photos which have features in common with the selected photo based on the AT build step. In the photo viewing window, the photo’s features are color coded according to the number of other photos in which they appear:
· Gray – Feature wasn’t found in any other photo (no match)
· Yellow – Feature was found in one other photo
· Green – Feature was found in two or more photos
Color-Coded Features
c. Select a viewing format for the photos panel:
· 
– View as thumbnails
· 
– View in table format with information about name, collection, and number of matches for each photo.
d. In the photos panel, select which features to display in the photo viewing window:
· All features in the selected photo (including "gray" features that weren’t found in other photos)
· All features in the selected photo that were found in at least one more photo
· Only the matched features between the photo selected in the photo panel and the main photo. Double-click a photo in the Photos panel to select this photo as the main photo in the viewer.
Note: This information is only available in Review mode after aerotriangulation was completed. See "Setting Build Steps, Parameters, and Outputs" in the "Building" chapter. Build steps after aerotriangulation do not need to be completed to view this information.
Show Features
e. To darken the image so that the feature markers are more noticeable, click Dim mode 
.
f. If you want to identify all photos that contain a specific feature, click Select 
, and select a feature in the photo viewing window. The photo panel displays all photos that include this feature. In thumbnail mode, the thumbnails are zoomed in to the point of interest and display a red plus + sign where the feature is located. Click Select to toggle the selection mode off.
Show Photos Connected to Selected Feature
Projecting a Photo on the Terrain
A photo can be projected on the terrain (including LiDAR) to see if it fits the terrain imagery or to better understand the position of the photo. The projection of the photo can be based either on its original position or its calculated position. Only photos that have positioning (XY coordinates and altitude) and orientation (Omega, Phi, and Kappa) information can be projected based on original positions.
To project a photo on the terrain in its original camera position:
1. In the Project Tree, select the Photos group, and then in the Photos list, select the required photo. The Photo (contextual) ribbon tab is displayed.
2. On the Photo tab, in the View group, select Project Original. The photo is shown on the terrain. You can also project the photo by selecting the photo's Project Original check box in the photo list.
To project a photo on the terrain from the camera position calculated through aerotriangulation:
1. In the Project Tree, select the AT Tiles group, and then in the Tiles list, select the required tile. The Tile (contextual) ribbon tab is displayed.
2. On the Tile tab, in the Calculated Photos group, toggle on Calculated.
3. In the 3D Window, select the required photo. The Photo (contextual) tab is displayed.
4. On the Photo tab, in the View group, select Project Calculated. The photo is shown on the terrain. You can also project the photo by selecting the photo's Project Calculated check box in the photo list.
Clearing Review Data from the Terrain
To clear review data:
§ On the Home tab, in the Review group, click Clean Review Data. This clears any photo projections from the terrain.
Showing the Directions Map
The directions map displays the directional coverage in every point of the defined AT area. Each point in the defined AT area is color coded based on the number of directions from which it was captured in the photos whose frustum intersects with the point. This enables you to identify which areas of the project have coverage from sufficient directions, and which require more. The AT area can be defined to include all the project’s photos or restricted to only the photos within a specific area on the terrain. See "Setting the AT (Aerotriangulation) Area" in this chapter for more information.
When in Review mode, the map displays coverage based on the calculated positions of the project’s photos. Otherwise, the map displays coverage based on the original positions.
Note: The directions map may take some time to display the first time it is shown or after making changes to the project as PhotoMesh (re)calculates the photo coverage.
To show a directions map:
§ On the Home tab, in the Photos group, click the arrow next to Coverage Map. and select Directions Map.
Directions Map and Legend
In the directions map, the AT area is color coded based on directional coverage.
§ Green – Best coverage from all 5 directions: nadir and 4 oblique.
§ Yellow – Sufficient coverage of 4 directions.
§ Orange – Three coverage directions, the minimum required.
§ Red – Two coverage directions.
§ Purple – One coverage direction.
§ Black – No coverage.
Showing the Overlap Map
The overlap map represents the degree of overlap by indicating, for each point within the specified AT area, the number of photographs in which the point is visible. Each point in the defined AT area is color coded based on the number of photos whose frustum intersects with the point. This enables you to identify which areas of the project have sufficient overlap, and which require more. Generally, each point in the area of interest should be visible by at least, three cameras. In mobile photography, it is recommended that most points should appear in at least five photos. This provides PhotoMesh with the data to fill in holes in planes and facades that are partially obstructed by objects (such as trees and street furniture) which are closer to the camera. The AT area can be defined to include all the project’s photos or restricted to only the photos within a specific area on the terrain. See "Setting the AT (Aerotriangulation) Area" in this chapter for more information.
When in Review mode, the map displays overlap based on the calculated positions of the project’s photos. Otherwise, the map displays overlap based on the original positions.
Note: The overlap map may take some time to display the first time it is shown or after making changes to the project as PhotoMesh (re)calculates the photo coverage.
To show an overlap map:
§ On the Home tab, in the Photos group, click the arrow next to Coverage Map. and select Overlap Map.
Overlap Map and Legend
In the overlap map, the AT area is color coded based on number of overlapping photos.
§ Green – 10-20+ photos.
§ Yellow – 5-10 photos.
§ Light Orange – Four photos.
§ Dark Orange – Three photos.
§ Red – Two photos.
§ Purple – One photo.
§ Black – Zero photos.
Showing the Connection Map
The connection map is a color-coded map that enables you to evaluate the quality of the calculated AT (this map is only available in Review mode). In the connection map, each point in the defined AT area is colored based on the level of interconnection of the photos that intersect with this point. A group of photos is considered interconnected if each photo in the group was directly or indirectly matched with every other photo. Even photos that do not precisely intersect with the point in the defined AT area can be used to create an indirect connection, as long as they come close to intersecting with the point (i.e., if photos A and D precisely intersect with the point in the AT area, and photos B and C nearly intersect with the point, photo A can be connected to photo D via photos B and C, where A intersects with B which intersects with C, which intersects with D).
§ Green – All of the photos that intersect with this point are interconnected.
§ Red – 50% of the photos that intersect with this point are interconnected
Each point in the defined AT area is colored on the gradient between green and red, based on the percentage of photos that intersect with the point.
If the connection map indicates that insufficient photo matches were generated for certain points in the AT area, tie points can be used to manually create matches for these points. See "About Control Points" in the "Control Points" chapter for information.
You can also display the number of matches for each photo by selecting Number of Matches as the color coding option for the photos. See "Displaying Calculated Camera Positions for Tiles" in the "Reviewing Your Build" chapter for more information.
To show a connection map:
§ On the Home tab, in the Photos group, click the arrow next to Coverage Map. and select Connection Map from Calculated.