What's wrong with this picture

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In summary: Normally you can very clearly see the stitching, sometimes you can see summer and winter scenes next to each other in the same image :smile: the guy that stitched this image back together really must be a perfectionist: at the first eye nothing is wrong with the picture, even when looking closer you cannot see any stitch lines, the fact that the picture leaves you a bit 3d-disoriented is the only clue that something is wrong :biggrin:If (S)he is a perfectionist, then this guy must be God! ;)
  • #1
Monique
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Google Earth image of mid-town NYC

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/2357/whatswronghereuy0.jpg [Broken]

Rockefeller center is in the middle of the picture.
 
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  • #2
Buildings seem to lean in opposite ways?
 
  • #3
I can think of several logical explanations for the weird image.

Perhaps it is manipulated? Each section represents a distinct difference in angle.

http://www.filehive.com/files/0523/lined.png

It is true that strong winds can move the top of the larger buildings several meters, but I'm not sure that sounds reasonable from the image. It also would not explain how tow buildings standing next to each other would sway in different ways.

Images compiled from different sources or points in time?
 
  • #5
Yeah, looks like photos from different aerial viewpoints have been stitched together, last time I checked these were pretty low-range photos taken from aircraft rather than satellite images or anything too fancy.

The shadows looks right though...
 
  • #6
The guy is the NY Giants cap is jaywalking at the corner of 52nd and Madison.
 
  • #7
Google's high res imagery is done by making mosaics of lots of different aerial photos, so angles will often seem a bit off. Just to confuse things more, the photos aren't always from the same date, so you can pass between up to date photos and those several years old without knowing.
 
  • #8
Moridin said:
Perhaps it is manipulated? Each section represents a distinct difference in angle.

Images compiled from different sources or points in time?
Different satellite positions, which means different orbits/different times. There could be sequential frames which would have different angles E-W orientation, the different N-S angles indicate different orbit assuming the same camera orientation.

Shadows are different, so that clearly means different time of day or different days.

The composite certainly could be 'manipulated' from different satellites.
 
  • #9
Ground sinking in NYC?
Gravitational wave passing?
Escher works on Google Maps?
Buildings lean according to political affiliation?

It might interesting to see the scene from a different viewpoint (i.e. not overhead)... of course, without the 3D building layer.
 
  • #10
BobG said:
The guy is the NY Giants cap is jaywalking at the corner of 52nd and Madison.
:rofl: Good eyes, Eagle Eye Bob!
 
  • #11
robphy said:
Escher works on Google Maps?

:rofl: The images on Google Maps are not live images, they're composites of many images, often taken from different angles and times of day. Where my house is, Google Maps still shows a big clearing of dirt from 3 years ago when construction started here. There are a lot of places where high resolution images aren't available yet, and they get patched in as they get them. In all likelihood, they had several aerial photos of NYC, but then a gap was left for Rockefeller Center, so a single photo of that block was added between the other stitched-together images.

I do agree that it's very Escher-esque though. :biggrin:
 
  • #12
Normally you can very clearly see the stitching, sometimes you can see summer and winter scenes next to each other in the same image :smile: the guy that stitched this image back together really must be a perfectionist: at the first eye nothing is wrong with the picture, even when looking closer you cannot see any stitch lines, the fact that the picture leaves you a bit 3d-disoriented is the only clue that something is wrong :biggrin:
 
  • #14
That definitely is an amazing picture, but it doesn't take a geneious to put it back together: there is special software that can piece together an image when there is about 20% overlap at the edges.
I doubt that is being done with the Google images, since the pictures are so different. How would the software know that the building that is leaning over the wrong way should be projected over the street of the picture next to it and not under the street?
 
  • #15
If you want some fancy stitching in 3D, check out
http://labs.live.com/photosynth/ , a preview from Microsoft.
(Don't run this on an old or slow computer.)
 
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What's wrong with this picture?

The answer to this question will depend on the specific picture in question. However, some possible reasons for something to be wrong with a picture could include: incorrect or missing information, distorted colors or proportions, or objects or people being out of place or missing.

Why is something wrong with this picture?

Again, the answer will vary depending on the picture. However, some possible explanations could include: human error, technical issues with the camera or editing software, or intentional manipulation for creative or deceptive purposes.

How can I tell if something is wrong with a picture?

There are a few ways to determine if something is wrong with a picture. First, you can compare it to a similar, reliable source to see if there are any discrepancies. Additionally, you can check for any obvious mistakes or signs of manipulation, such as unnatural colors or inconsistent lighting.

Can something be wrong with a picture without being obvious?

Yes, there are some subtle ways that something could be wrong with a picture. For example, there could be a small detail that is incorrect, or there could be misleading or missing context that changes the interpretation of the image. It's always important to critically examine a picture before accepting it as completely accurate.

How can I fix or correct something that is wrong with a picture?

The solution will depend on the specific issue with the picture. For technical errors, it may be possible to use editing software to correct or enhance the image. For informational errors, additional research or consultation with experts may be necessary to gather accurate information and present it in a new picture. For intentional manipulation, it's important to acknowledge and disclose any changes made to the original image.

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