GeoLog – Slate

Manual Table Of Contents

Manual Overview

Overview

The Digital Slate is a screen you can photograph at the beginning of a shoot to embed location and time metadata into your photo sequence. Think of it like a filmmaker’s clapperboard—you photograph it, then use your regular camera.

Why use it?

  • Your camera doesn’t have GPS
  • You want location data without attaching external GPS units
  • You need a reference frame showing exactly when and where you shot

What the Slate Shows

The slate displays:

Timestamp

  • Current date and time with timezone
  • Updates in real-time
  • Large, easy-to-read format

GPS Coordinates

  • Latitude and longitude
  • Heading (compass direction you’re facing)
  • In bright red for high contrast

Address

  • Street address or location name
  • City, state, country
  • Looked up automatically from GPS

SMPTE Reference Bars

  • Grayscale bars across the top
  • Color reference bars (if enabled in Settings)
  • Useful for exposure and color reference

Using the Slate

Basic Workflow

  1. Open GeoLog and tap Slate
  2. Wait for GPS lock (coordinates appear)
  3. Hold phone at location
  4. Photograph the screen with your main camera
  5. Now shoot your actual photos with your camera
  6. Later, you’ll have the location metadata in the slate photo

Practical Example

Wedding photographer without GPS in camera:

  1. Arrive at ceremony location
  2. Open GeoLog slate on iPhone
  3. Photograph the slate screen with your camera
  4. Put phone away and shoot the wedding
  5. In post-production, the slate photo tells you exactly where each sequence was shot

Landscape photographer with film camera:

  1. Set up at viewpoint
  2. Open slate, wait for GPS
  3. Photograph slate with first frame of film
  4. Now you have location data on film
  5. Return visits use exact coordinates

Settings

Customize the slate in Settings → Slate:

Date Format

  • ISO (2026-01-12)
  • US (01/12/2026)
  • European (12/01/2026)

Time Format

  • 12-hour (with AM/PM)
  • 24-hour

Coordinate Format

  • Decimal degrees (36.123456°)
  • Degrees, minutes, seconds (36° 07′ 24.4″)

Color Bars

  • Enable/disable SMPTE color bars
  • Just for visual reference

Tips

For Best Results:

  • Wait for GPS to lock before photographing slate
  • Hold phone steady while your camera focuses on screen
  • Frame tightly so text is readable in final photo
  • Photograph slate as first frame of each location sequence

Organization:

  • One slate photo per location or time period
  • In long shoots, re-photograph slate when moving locations
  • Slate photos serve as visual separators in your image sequence

Lighting:

  • Screen brightness affects readability
  • In bright sun, max out phone brightness
  • Shield screen from direct sunlight if needed

When to Use the Slate

Perfect for:

  • Cameras without GPS
  • Film photography
  • Professional workflows where metadata is critical
  • Multiple camera setups (photograph slate with each camera)

Not needed if:

  • Your camera already has GPS
  • You only use GeoLog’s built-in camera
  • You don’t need location metadata

Related Features

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