PhotoLog User Guide Everything You Need to Know to Get Started

By Eldon Beix A BESTAPP Digital product – photolog.ca

You’ve downloaded PhotoLog. This guide walks you through everything from your first capture to exporting a complete field report so you get the most out of the app from day one.

The Big Picture

PhotoLog is built around one idea: a photo without context is just a picture. A photo with a timestamp, GPS coordinates, a session key, and your notes is a record.

Every feature in PhotoLog exists to make that record as complete and retrievable as possible, with as few taps as possible.

Your First Capture

When you open PhotoLog for the first time you’ll land on the main capture screen. Here’s what to do:

1 Tap Capture Photo – That will take you to the camera orientation page, Select how you intend holding the camera and then tap the Take button. PhotoLog captures the image along with the current GPS coordinates and a precise timestamp automatically. You don’t need to do anything extra, location and time are attached at capture.

2 Add your notes
After capture you can type notes directly or tap the microphone to dictate. Add as much or as little as you need. You can also come back later and add or edit notes when reviewing your images.

3 Add A Session/Image Key
Once set, this key stays active for every photo you take until you change it or close the app. You don’t have to re-enter it for every shot.

4 Save the photo
Tap Save. The image, its GPS data, timestamp, session key and notes are stored together as a single record on your device.

That’s one complete capture. Repeat for every photo in the session the key stays active so every image is automatically linked.

Understanding the Session Key

The session key is arguably the most powerful feature in PhotoLog and the one that saves the most time in real use.

Think of it as a label for a working session. At a car show, your key might be the show name. On a property inspection, it might be the address. On a trail survey, it might be the route number.

Every photo taken while that key is active shares it. Later, when you search by that key, you get the complete set, every image from that session, in order, with all their data attached.

Changing the key: When you move to a new subject, location, or project, just type a new key. Everything from that point forward is tagged with the new key.

Tip: Choose keys you’ll recognise weeks later. Vague keys like “photos1” are hard to search. Specific keys like “RuralRoute7-May24” make retrieval instant. If you forget a key try searching by date in format MM/DD.

GPS and Maps

Every capture automatically records your GPS coordinates. No action required, it happens in the background as part of every save.

To see where a photo was taken, open the image in your capture list and tap View on Google Maps. The map opens showing the exact location of that capture.

GPS privacy: If you’re photographing something where location data is sensitive, you can switch GPS off in using the Deactivate GPS switch below the take photo button, before capturing. The photo saves without coordinates. Switch it back on when you need location data again.

Typed and Dictated Notes

PhotoLog supports both typed and voice notes, and they work together in the same notes field.

Typed notes are good for precise details, measurements, reference numbers, names, dates, specific observations you want to record accurately.

Dictated notes are good for speed , when your hands are full, conditions are moving quickly, or you need to capture context before it disappears. Tap the microphone, speak naturally, and the transcription appears in the notes field.

You can use both on the same photo. Dictate a quick summary at capture, then add typed details later when you have time.

Searching Your Captures

PhotoLog lets you search your image library by session key or by date.

Search by key: Type the session key into the search field. Every photo tagged with that key appears as a set. This is how you retrieve a complete session, an inspection, a survey run, a car show visit all in one search.

Search by date: Select a date in format MM/DD to see every capture from that day, regardless of key. Useful when you know roughly when something was photographed but can’t remember the key.

Reviewing and Editing Captures

Open any capture from your library using the Search function to see the full record, image, timestamp, GPS coordinates, session key, and notes.

From this screen you can:

Edit notes – tap the Edit Notes button to add, change, or expand your notes at any time
Map button – opens the capture location in Google Maps
Share – sends the image and its data via any app on your phone
Delete Image – is done on the Manage Images Screen

Sharing Individual Captures

To share a single capture, open it from your library and tap Share. This opens your phone’s standard share sheet, you can send via email, messaging apps, WhatsApp, cloud storage, or any other app installed on your device.

The shared image includes the photo itself along with its associated data. Useful for sending a specific finding to a colleague, client, or reference file without exporting a full report.

Exporting a Field Report

The export feature is where PhotoLog earns its place in serious documentation workflows. When you’re ready to share or archive a set of captures, export creates a complete package.

How to export:

In the Manage Images Screen run a search to find the captures you want to export, by key or by date.
Select the images you want to include
Tap Export
PhotoLog packages everything into a ZIP file

What’s in the ZIP:

All selected images
A CSV data file with every capture’s key, timestamp, GPS coordinates, and notes
A formatted HTML field report with images and data laid out for easy reading and sharing

The ZIP can be shared via email, saved to cloud storage, or filed directly from your phone. It’s designed to move cleanly into whatever the next step is be it a client report, an insurance file, a project archive, or a personal record.

Free tier note: The free version of PhotoLog supports up to 24 total captures. all App features are fully available within that limit. Upgrade to Monthly or Annual for unlimited captures. If you bump into the 24 image limit you will only lose the ability to take additional photos. All other App features remain active.

Upgrading Your Plan

PhotoLog is free to download with full access to all features up to 24 captures.

When you’re ready to remove the capture limit, upgrade from within the app. Go to Settings and select your preferred plan:

Monthly – $2.99 per month, approximately 10¢ per day
Annual – $19.99 per year, approximately 5½¢ per day, saving 44% versus monthly

Payment is handled securely through Google Pay. Your upgrade activates immediately after payment confirmation.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of PhotoLog

Try to use a memorable key for the session . It takes five seconds and means every photo in the session is automatically organised under that key.

Dictate first, type later. In the field, speed matters. Dictate a quick note at capture to preserve context, then refine with typed or additional dictated detail when you’re back at base. If dictation stops while you’re collecting your thoughts tap the microphone and continue.

Export regularly. Don’t wait until your capture library is full to export. Export after each significant session so records are backed up and ready to share while the details are fresh.

GPS off for sensitive locations. If location data could create privacy or security concerns, turn GPS off before capturing. The rest of the app works normally, you just won’t have coordinates on those images.

Search before you export. Use the search function to confirm you have the right set of images before starting an export. It’s faster to verify first than to re-export after finding a missing capture.

Getting Help

Questions about PhotoLog? Email bestappdigital@gmail.com with the subject line “PhotoLog Question” and you’ll get a personal response.

For the latest version of the app, visit photolog.ca.

PhotoLog is developed by BESTAPP Digital. Built with MIT App Inventor and real-world field experience.