Capture imagery in the field
ArcGIS QuickCapture is an app that you can use to collect onsite photos using your phone or tablet device. You'll set up everything you need for the QuickCapture project and enable Oriented Imagery so you can incorporate photos that are taken from any angle into ArcGIS.
Create a feature layer
First, you'll create a feature layer. This feature layer will store photos submitted using the QuickCapture app. It'll also store image metadata that is needed by Oriented Imagery to accurately display the images on a map. You'll create the feature layer in ArcGIS Online.
- Sign in to your ArcGIS organizational account.
Note:
If you don't have an organizational account, see options for software access.
- On the ribbon, click Content.
- On the Content page, click New item.
- In the New item window, click Feature layer.
The Create a feature layer window appears. It prompts you to choose from a list of options for creating a feature layer. You can define your own layer, use an existing layer within your organization, use a template curated by Esri, or provide a URL to a layer on ArcGIS Server. You'll create a blank layer and configure it to your specifications.
- Confirm that Define your own layer is selected and click Next.
You're prompted to specify the name and type of the feature layer. The feature layer will store photos as points at the location where the photo was taken.
- For the name, delete the existing text, type Onsite Photos, and add your name or initials to ensure the name is unique within your organization. For the type, confirm that Point layer is selected.
You can also enable other options, such as GPS metadata fields and Z-values (3D). You won't need either of these options, so you'll leave them unchecked.
- Click Next.
The New item window appears. You can add more metadata to the feature layer, such as search tags and a summary of its contents.
- For Tags, type QuickCapture and Oriented Imagery, pressing Enter after each tag. For Summary, type A point layer used to store onsite observations.
Tip:
You can also choose to save the feature layer in a new or existing folder in your account.
- Click Save.
The feature layer is created. You are taken to its details page, which has more options to configure the layer.
Add fields
You created a blank feature layer, so it doesn't have any attribute fields other than default fields common to all feature layers. However, you want the photos to have attribute information that contains the name of the inspector who captured each photo, the name of the site where it was taken, and any comments the inspector may have. You'll add these fields to the layer.
First, you'll confirm that the layer can include attachments, such as image files, so it can store the photos.
- On the details page, under Layers, click Onsite Photos.
More information about the layer appears.
- Under Attachments, confirm that Enable Attachments is turned on.
Next, you'll add attribute fields to the data.
- On the ribbon, click the Data tab.
The Data tab displays the layer's attribute table. By default, it contains two fields: ObjectID, which automatically generates a unique ID for each record, and Photos and Files, which stores attached images and documents.
- Click the Fields button.
The fields are displayed as a list. You can modify existing fields or add new ones.
- Click the Add button.
The Add Field window appears. The first field you'll add will store information about the person performing the inspection.
Fields must have a name, which is stored in the data. It's best to use names that only use lowercase letters and have underscores instead of spaces. The display name can have capitals and spaces and is what is shown to users who access the table. Fields must also have a type, which determines whether the field stores a date, numbers, or a string of text.
- In the Add Field window, enter the following information:
- For Field Name, type inspector.
- For Display Name, type Inspector.
- For Type, confirm that String is chosen.
You can also change the maximum length of records in the field (the default is 256 characters) or populate it with a default value. You can also disallow null values, meaning that mobile workers must enter information for that field or they won't be able to submit the record. For the purposes of this tutorial, the default values for these parameters are fine.
- Click Add New Field.
The Inspector field is added to the list of fields. You'll add two more fields: One for the name of the site being inspected and one for any comments the inspector may have.
- Click the Add button. In the Add Field window, enter the following information:
- For Field Name, type site_name.
- For Display Name, type Site name.
- For Type, confirm that String is chosen.
- Click Add New Field.
- Click the Add button. In the Add Field window, enter the following information:
- For Field Name, type comments.
- For Display Name, type Comments.
- For Type, confirm that String is chosen.
- Click Add New Field.
The layer now contains five fields in total.
The layer is now configured to collect information and images of your site during an inspection.
Create a QuickCapture project
Next, you'll create an ArcGIS QuickCapture project using the feature layer you created. Workers can use this project to collect information about your site in the field and immediately add it to the feature layer so you can view and analyze the data in ArcGIS.
You can create a QuickCapture project using the QuickCapture Designer app, which you can access through ArcGIS Online as long as your account is enabled to use QuickCapture.
- In ArcGIS Online, on the ribbon, click the app launcher button and choose QuickCapture.
Note:
If you don't see QuickCapture in the app launcher, ask your organization administrator if you can have QuickCapture enabled for your account.
QuickCapture Designer appears in a new browser tab.
- Click New Project and choose Start from existing layers.
You're prompted to choose the layer you want to use to create the project.
- For Select feature layers, under My Layers, click the Onsite Photos layer.
Tip:
If you can't find the layer in the list, you can search for it.
The layer is selected. You can select other layers, but for this project, you only need the layer you created.
- At the bottom of the page, click Next.
You're prompted to choose the project title and set a data recovery email. By default, the title matches the layer name and the email is the same as the one associated with your ArcGIS account.
- Confirm that the Data recovery email parameter displays your email address.
You can also choose a folder to save the project in. The default folder is fine for this tutorial, but you can choose a different folder or create one if you want.
- Click Create.
The QuickCapture project is created. It shows a preview of the project, which looks similar to what mobile workers will see when they access the project using their mobile devices. The default project has only one option, which is to add a feature.
Enable oriented imagery
Using the default project, inspectors can add a feature to the layer by clicking the New Feature button. The feature will have geographic information based on the inspector's device's GPS.
The primary addition you want to make to the project is the ability for inspectors to capture photos of the inspection site. Because photos taken from the ground will be from many angles instead of the top-down angle that most ArcGIS imagery uses, you'll enable oriented imagery to ensure the proper metadata is collected with each photo so you can display the photos in ArcGIS.
- In the project preview, click the New Feature button.
The configuration pane changes to show parameters for configuring the button.
- In the configuration pane, click the Data tab.
- Turn on the Show camera option.
More options for taking photos (or video) are displayed. By default, the minimum and maximum number of photos that can be taken whenever an inspector clicks the New Feature button is 1. Oriented imagery only supports showing one photo at a time, so this configuration is appropriate.
You'll make sure the location where the photo was taken is used as the location for the new feature. This way, the photo's location data will be stored in the feature layer.
- Check Use photo location for captured record.
Now that you've enabled the ability to take photos, you'll enable oriented imagery for the layer. Enabling oriented imagery will add new fields to the layer that are necessary for displaying photos in ArcGIS.
- On the ribbon, click the Manage project layers button.
The Layers pane appears.
- For the Onsite Photos layer, click the options button and choose Enable oriented imagery (Classic).
A window appears, informing you that the project will be saved, new fields will be added to the feature layer, and an oriented imagery catalog will be created.
- In the Enable oriented imagery (Classic) window, click OK.
After a few moments, oriented imagery is enabled. Behind the scenes, QuickCapture did the following:
- Checked the project for errors. If errors are found, you must resolve them before enabling oriented imagery.
- Added fields to the feature layer. These fields will store image metadata that will later be used by the Oriented Imagery viewer in ArcGIS.
- Set device variables to the new oriented imagery fields so the fields are automatically populated when you take a photo with the QuickCapture app.
- Created a feature layer view based on the feature layer. This view is used for photo visualization.
- Created an oriented imagery catalog item. This item can be added to ArcGIS Pro (if you have the Oriented Imagery Classic Add-In) and Experience Builder web apps to explore oriented imagery.
- Saved the project.
Configure capture fields
You'll check the fields that were created when you enabled oriented imagery. Then, you'll configure some of the capture fields to make capturing more efficient.
- In the project preview, click the New Feature button. In the configuration pane, click the Data tab.
Under Capture fields, all fields that inspectors will capture data for are listed. The list includes the three fields you created (Inspector, Site name, and Comments) and nine fields created when you enabled oriented imagery. These nine fields collect information about the camera's location and orientation when a photo is taken.
Many of camera orientation fields use a device variable as their input. This means that instead of the inspector entering the information themselves, the data is taken directly from the device. You'll adjust the Inspector field to use a device variable too, so that the field is automatically populated by the inspector's username. This way, there's less chance of inspectors making errors or typos when entering information.
- For Inspector, click the menu and choose Device variable.
- For Inspector, click Select variable and in the User information group, choose Username.
Now, the field will be automatically populated with a username taken from the device.
For the Site name field, you'll use a project user input. A project user input allows mobile users to enter values prior to data collection. Because the inspectors will know the name of the site they're inspecting before they go, they can input the name in advance and save time in the field.
- For Site name, click the menu and choose Project user input.
- Click Select user input and choose Create new.
- In the New user input window, for Label, type Enter site name and check the box for This is a required user input.
- Click Create.
The user input is created and used as the input for the Site name field. The project preview also updates to display the Enter site name button. Inspectors can click this button to add the site name before they start taking photos.
For the Comments field, you'll add a button user input. When inspectors capture records, a button user input window will appear and prompt the inspector to enter additional information.
- In the configuration pane, for Comments, click the menu and choose Button user inputs.
- For Comments, click Select user input and choose Create new.
- In the New user input window, for Label, type Enter your comments. Leave the other parameters unchanged.
- Click Create.
The user input is created and used as the input for the Comments field.
- On the ribbon, click Save to save the project.
Customize the appearance
The project is configured. Before you share it, you'll customize its appearance and the appearance of its buttons to make it more visually appealing.
- In the project preview, click the New Feature button. In the configuration pane, click the Appearance tab.
First, you'll change how the button to collect features looks. Because inspectors will primarily be capturing photos, you'll use a label that reflects that.
- Under Label, for Text, replace the existing text with Photo. Change the text size to Large text.
The changes are automatically applied to the project preview. You'll also make the button larger and change its shape and color.
- Under Style, for Size, move the slider to the middle, between Smallest and Largest.
- For Shape, click the shape with rounded corners.
- Under Colors, for Fill, click the color swatch. For Hex, type F6F2D4.
The color of the button changes to a pale yellow.
- For Border, click the color swatch. For Hex, type F89960.
The border changes to an orange color that complements the yellow. Lastly, you'll change the image on the button from the default symbol to one that better represents photos.
- For Image, click Change and choose Browse gallery.
- In the Icon gallery window, click the Point of interest category. In the list of icons, click the camera icon.
The new icon is added to the button in the project preview. The button now more clearly communicates its purpose at a glance.
The button is currently in a group that has the same name as the feature layer. Groups can be collapsed and expanded. If you had other buttons, you could group them together in logical ways to improve usability. Because you only have one button, however, you always want it to appear. You'll remove the redundant group label and turn off the ability to collapse the group.
- In the project preview, click the Onsite Photos group (the box that surrounds the Photo button).
The configuration pane changes to provide options for the group.
- In the configuration pane, for Label, delete all of the text.
- Turn off Make group collapsible.
You'll also adjust the group's colors and the colors of the project background. You'll make the border and the background match so that the border doesn't appear.
- Under Colors, for Border, click the color swatch. For Hex, type 212121.
A dark gray border surrounds the group. Next, you'll adjust general settings for the project to change the background color.
- On the ribbon, click the General settings button.
The configuration pane changes to show general settings.
- For Background color, click the color swatch. For Hex, type 212121.
Now, the project has a dark gray background that matches the group border, so the group doesn't appear in the project.
Lastly, you'll add appropriate metadata to the project so users understand its purpose.
- On the ribbon, click the Additional settings button and choose Project details.
- In the configuration pane, for Title, remove your name or initials so the title is only Onsite Photos.
- Enter the following information:
- For Summary, type A project used to collect oriented imagery for onsite inspection.
- For Description, type Open the project to capture oriented imagery for onsite inspection. Click the Photo button in project and take a photo.
- Save the project.
Share the project
The project is finished. Now it's time to share it with the inspectors so they can access it from their mobile devices and capture photos in the field.
Note:
For the purposes of this exercise, only you'll be using the QuickCapture project, so you don't need to share it. However, if you want to collaborate with others to collect data, you must share the project, so this tutorial will show you how.
- On the ribbon, click Share.
The Sharing window appears. By default, the project is only shared with its owner (you). You can choose to share the project with your ArcGIS organization or with the public. You only want the inspectors to use the app, so in most cases, you'll share with your organization. If the inspectors had ArcGIS accounts in a different organization, you would share with everyone.
Note:
If you want to share a project with everyone, your organization must have ArcGIS Hub Premium enabled.
- For Sharing level, choose Your organization.
A window appears, prompting you to share the feature layer you created at the same sharing level as the project.
- In the Share items with your organization window, click Share.
The project and feature layer are shared. In the Sharing window, the Sharing options section appears. You can use this section to get a link or QR code that inspectors can use to download the project.
- At the bottom of the Sharing window, click Save project and share.
The project can now be downloaded in the QuickCapture mobile app.
Capture oriented imagery
Next, you'll take on the role of a field inspector and capture oriented imagery in the field using the QuickCapture app. First, you'll download and install QuickCapture on your phone or tablet device.
Note:
This section is optional. You'll be provided with a layer of oriented images to use in subsequent sections if you can't capture photos.
- Open ArcGIS QuickCapture on your mobile device.
Note:
If you don't have the ArcGIS QuickCapture mobile app, you can install it for free from the App Store or Google Play, depending on your device.
- Click Sign in with ArcGIS Online and sign in using your ArcGIS account.
Depending on your device settings, a prompt may appear asking you to allow QuickCapture to use your location. Because the photos you take need to use your phone's location data to accurately display them in ArcGIS, you must enable this setting.
- If asked to allow QuickCapture to use your location, click Allow While Using App (or equivalent option).
You may also be asked to allow QuickCapture to use your phone's camera.
- If asked to allow QuickCapture to access the camera, click OK (or equivalent option).
A list of projects on your device appears. If this is your first time using QuickCapture, you won't have any projects listed. To add projects, you can either browse projects that are shared with you or scan a QR code.
Note:
Depending on what version of QuickCapture you use, some of the buttons may have different names than used in the step instructions.
- Click the add button and click Scan QR Code.
- In a browser, in QuickCapture Designer, click Share. In the Sharing window, under Sharing options, click QR Code.
- Use your phone to scan the QR code.
The project is downloaded to your device and opens automatically.
First, you're prompted to enter the site name due to the project user input you created when you configured the project. For the purposes of this tutorial, you're only capturing dummy data, so you'll use a generic name.
- For Enter site name, type Site 1 and click Done.
The project opens with the same appearance you designed, including the button to capture photos.
- Click the Photo button. Take a photo of your surrounding area and click the check mark to confirm it.
You're prompted to enter a comment.
- For Enter your comments, type Test photo 1 and click Done.
Note:
Comments are optional; you can choose not to leave any.
The record is captured. An icon in the upper right corner of the app indicates that there is one pending record. After 30 seconds, the app sends your observations to the feature layer in ArcGIS Online, and the icon changes to no longer show any pending records.
- If possible, move around your current location and capture a few more photos of the area. Try taking photos from different angles and vantage points.
Tip:
If you take photos of multiple sites, you can change the site name by clicking it in the app and typing a new site name.
- After your records are sent to your feature layer, close the app.
You've created a feature layer and a QuickCapture project to capture photos of site inspections. You configured the project's functionality and appearance and shared it with your organization. Then, you downloaded the QuickCapture mobile app and captured photos. You now have photos of your site in an ArcGIS feature layer. Next, you'll use these photos to create a web map and app so you can visualize them on a map.
Inspect imagery in a web app
Now that inspectors have used the QuickCapture project to capture photos of the inspection site, you can use ArcGIS Experience Builder to build a web app with the Oriented Imagery widget. This widget will help you visualize the captured photos, no matter what angle they were taken from.
Create a web map
Most web apps require a web map. Before you create an app, you'll add the photos feature layer to a web map and change its style.
Note:
If you weren't able to test your QuickCapture project to capture site imagery, you can skip this section. You'll be provided with a premade web map with oriented imagery to use to create a web app.
- Sign in to your ArcGIS organizational account.
- On the ribbon, click Content.
The list of content contains several items associated with a QuickCapture project. It contains the project itself, the feature layer you created at the beginning of the tutorial, and an oriented imagery catalog and feature layer view that were created when you enabled oriented imagery for the project.
The feature layer view is the layer that allows you to visualize oriented images in ArcGIS.
- In the list of content, click the Onsite_Photos_0_OIC_VIEW layer.
The layer details page appears.
- Next to Open in Map Viewer Classic, click the drop-down menu and choose Open in Map Viewer.
Note:
Depending on your organization settings, Open in Map Viewer can be the default option. If so, click it.
The layer is added to a new web map.
- If necessary, zoom in on the map to the location of your captured photos.
Note:
The location of your photos will be different than the example image.
The photos appear as points at the location where each photo was taken.
- On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Save and open and choose Save as.
- In the Save map window, set the following parameters:
- For Title, type Onsite Inspection Map.
- For Tags, type Oriented imagery and QuickCapture, pressing Enter between each tag.
- For Summary, type A web map containing oriented imagery from the onsite inspection.
- Click Save map.
The map is saved and can now be used to create a web app.
Create a web app
Next, you'll use the map to create a web app in ArcGIS Experience Builder that uses the Oriented Imagery widget to display the photos.
Note:
If you weren't able to capture photos with QuickCapture, or if you want to create a web app with a larger variety of sample photos, you can use this web map showing a collection of sample oriented imagery of a building in the Esri campus in Redlands, California. The example images throughout the rest of the tutorial will use this map.
- In ArcGIS Online, on the ribbon, click the app launcher button and choose Experience Builder.
The Experience Builder app appears in a new browser tab. It contains a list of your web apps. If you haven't created an app with Experience Builder before, the list will be empty.
- Click Create new.
You're prompted to choose a template for the web app. You'll use the Launchpad template, a simple template that emphasizes the map and a small number of widgets. This template is appropriate for you because you want to feature the Oriented Imagery widget.
- Click the Web AppBuilder classic tab. For Launchpad, click Create.
A web app with the template you chose is created and displayed. Next, you'll choose the map to display in the app.
- If the Getting started window appears, click Skip.
- In the web app, click the map.
The Map pane appears with options to configure the map.
- In the Map pane, click Select map.
- At the bottom of the Select data pane, click Add new data.
The Add data window appears. By default, it shows all maps that you own. You can also search for maps in your organization or across ArcGIS Online. To create the web app, you'll use either the map you just made or a sample map with a large amount of oriented imagery.
- If you want to create an app using the photos you captured, click the Onsite Inspection Map to select it.
- If you instead want to create an app using a collection of sample photos, click the ArcGIS Online tab. Search for Esri Building E onsite photos owner:Learn_ArcGIS and click Esri Building E onsite photos to select it.
- Confirm that you have one selected map. Click Done.
You return to the web app. The map you selected is added to the Select data pane.
- In the Select data pane, click the web map you added.
The map is selected and added to the web app.
Note:
If you chose to add the map of your photos instead of the Esri Building E onsite photos web map, the map will look different than the example images.
You'll disable the map's pop-ups, as the primary information you want to show is the oriented imagery, which you'll do using a widget.
- In the Map 1 pane, scroll down to the bottom. Under Options, turn off Enable pop-up.
Configure widgets
Next, you'll configure the app's widgets. Widgets are configurable tools or functions that your audience can use to explore the app in unique ways. The Oriented Imagery widget, which is the one you'll configure, allows users to explore the oriented imagery of the site.
First, you'll remove some of the default widgets so that the Oriented Imagery widget is emphasized.
- At the bottom of the map, point to the Map Layers widget and click the close button to remove it.
- In the pop-up, click Delete.
- Point to and remove the Legend and Table widgets.
Now there are no widgets displayed at the bottom of the map. You'll add the Oriented Imagery widget.
- Click the Add widget button.
A list of widgets appears.
- Click Oriented Imagery.
The widget is added to the bottom of the map.
- At the bottom of the map, click the Oriented Imagery widget. In the Oriented Imagery pop-up, click Oriented Imagery.
The Oriented Imagery pane appears.
- In the Oriented Imagery pane, for Select map widget, choose Map.
Next, you'll choose the catalog of oriented imagery to display in the widget. If you are creating a web app using your photos, you'll choose the oriented imagery catalog (which is called Onsite Photos_OIC) that was created when you enabled oriented imagery in QuickCapture. If you are creating a web app using the sample photos of Esri Building E, you'll add a URL to the catalog of sample photos.
- If you are creating an app using your photos, click From my groups and choose From my contents. For Select group/folder, choose root folder, and for Select catalog, choose Onsite Photos_OIC.
Note:
If you have been saving your work in a folder other than the root folder, you'll need to choose that folder instead.
- If you are creating an app using the Esri Building E photos, click From my groups and choose From item URL. For Item url, copy and paste the following URL: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=a73c8239e4f44ee7bc9d3167025046da
- Click Add.
The catalog is added. The map changes to show triangles extending out of each point, showing the orientation of the imagery.
The widget is configured. Before you use it, you'll rename the map and the app and then save and publish.
- At the top of the map, double-click Here is the title and type Explore onsite photos. When finished, click the Edit button to confirm the changes.
- On the ribbon, click Untitled experience 1 and type Onsite oriented imagery.
- On the ribbon, click the Save button.
- Click the Publish button.
The app is published.
Explore oriented imagery
You've created and published an app that can display oriented imagery. In addition to imagery taken using QuickCapture, Esri Oriented Imagery can be used to manage and visualize oblique images, drone images, 360-degree images, panoramic images, and even video. For the purpose of this tutorial, however, you'll only explore oriented imagery of site inspection photos taken from the ground.
Next, you'll explore your web app (or, if you prefer, a sample web app) and visualize the oriented imagery.
- If you want to explore your app, in Experience Builder, on the ribbon, click the More button and choose View published item.
- If you want to explore the premade app of Esri Building E, go to the Esri Building E Onsite Photos app.
- If necessary, in the app, navigate to the location of the data.
- At the bottom of the app, click the Oriented Imagery widget.
The widget appears as a pop-up and the oriented imagery triangles appear on the map.
Tip:
You can drag the Oriented Imagery pop-up anywhere on the map, if you need to move it to see the data. You can also drag the pop-up's lower right corner to resize it.
The green triangles indicate all the areas depicted in images in the catalog, known as the coverage. The app only shows coverage of the first 100 features in the map extent. If you have more than 100 features, zooming in ensures coverage appears for the area you're interested in.
- On the map, click any point that is in a green triangle.
In the Oriented Imagery pop-up, a photo depicting the location you clicked appears. The photo's coverage is highlighted on the map in red. A red X marks the location you clicked both on the map and in the pop-up, so you can see how the map and the image correspond to each other.
Note:
The accuracy of the photo location and coverage depends on the accuracy of the metadata captured by the mobile device that took the photo.
- In the Oriented Imagery pop-up, zoom and pan the photo.
The highlighted coverage on the map changes shape and size to reflect what part of the photo you are currently viewing in the pop-up.
You can also explore the same area from different perspectives with multiple photos.
- On the map, click an area where multiple green coverage triangles overlap.
Although there are multiple photos of the area, only one photo is displayed in the pop-up.
- In the Oriented Imagery viewer, click the Navigation tool button.
The navigation tool appears in the pop-up. It shows the location of all of the photos that overlap with the identified area on the map.
- In the navigation tool, click a blue dot.
The photo displayed in the pop-up switches to another photo of the same area.
- Explore the images in the app. When finished, close the app.
In this tutorial, you created a QuickCapture project and enabled oriented imagery classic. Then, you created a web app with Experience Builder to explore captured photos taken from many different angles. The workflow you followed can be used to support many other photo-based data collection scenarios. Take advantage of oriented imagery to dynamically explore asset photos at any angle from the map.
You can find more tutorials in the tutorial gallery.