Taking Panorama Photos

Why we need panorama photos:

A direct line of sight to a Supernode, Hub or another mesh node is required to connect to NYC Mesh.

To help our install team determine whether a line of sight is possible, we ask new members to provide a panoramic photo of the view from their rooftop. We use these photos to identify if there's existing hub/node nearby to which your building can connect.

How to find the panorama photo function on your phone:

If you can't find the mode, searching "Take panorama photo iPhone 16 (replace with your phone's model)"  will help your find a guide online to help.

iPhone

On iPhones, this feature will be a scrollable option on the bottom of the camera screen. Swipe all the way to the right in the different camera modes to find the Pano one.

Android

On Android phones, this feature may be listed under “more” or “...”.

Taking a good panorama image:

Rooftop panorama images should show as much of the surrounding skyline and other buildings as possible.

We are looking to see if any of our existing hubs or other nodes are visible from your rooftop. For this reason please take your panorama photos from the highest point on the roof you can safely reach!

If you are also willing and able, it's helpful if you can label cardinal directions (North, South, East, West) and other nearby landmarks (nearby streets, lower Manhattan, midtown, prospect park, etc) This helps our volunteers get their bearings and figure out which direction your photos are looking.

Best practices for roof panoramas:

• Show all 360 degrees around your building.
  
• Take the photos from the highest point on the roof that safe to access if possible.
• If you are aware of any nearby nodes, annotate them on the photo if you can.
  
• Photos must be clear and well-lit. Take photos around midday if possible on a clear (not raining or foggy) day.
  
  • If taking photos in the afternoon, please avoid glare from the sun and shadows that may obstruct the view.
• Include existing antenna masts or proposed antenna mounting locations if desired.
  

Best practices for DIY window panoramas:

• 180 degree view from the window shown.
  
• Open window and put your arm all the way out when taking the photos for the best view.
  
• Show as much of the view out of the window as possible.
• Tilt your phone upwards if necessary to capture the tops of nearby buildings. (If your window is on a lower floor of your building)
  
• Take photos around midday if possible for the best results. Be aware of glare/shadows from the sun if take photos early or late in the day.

Example of a good window panorama

Examples of great panorama photos:

Examples of unusable panorama photos:

Issue: Photo taken in the evening, too dark. Can't see anything.

Issue: Too much glare from the sun. Need to re-take photo closer to midday.

Issue: Photo is too low quality, can't see any details.
(May need to re-take photo with a better camera or try re-sending as an attachment instead of inserting into the email.)