Measuring Objects in a Photograph

As many of us have done, whenever we take a photograph of something in which size and scale matters we put a standard object, such as a quarter, in the image in an attempt to give our photograph some ‘size perspective’. What iPhotoMeasure has done is take this idea to a whole new level. Using their software and a “digiTarget”, you can measure the size of any object in a photograph.

Here’s how iPhotoMeasure works: you print out a free digiTarget which comes with the program and is also downloadable at iPhotoMeasure’s website. The digiTarget is a pdf picture of a square which is a known size you place in the scene you are photographing.

Selecting the digiTarget

After taking your photograph, being sure to include the digiTarget in an obscure place in the photo, you import the photo into iPhotoMeasure. You show the program where the digiTarget is and select the proper sized digiTarget (there are two sizes: 7.5″x7.5” and 15″x15“). The software is then calibrated and you are free to select any two points in the photograph and the software will calculate the distance between those two points. If you want to know how iPhotoMeasure does this, read up on your trig here.

Making Measurements

This is an excellent program for attorneys to use as we often need to know the size of objects, skidmarks, holes, etc… I have used this in a case to assist my expert in determining the size of a hole as well as its distance from known markers, e.g. the wall and entranceway as the hole was repaired prior to my involvement in the case. You could email your client a digiTarget and have them place it in the photograph which they email to you to use in iPhotoMeasure.It is available in PC and Mac versions. The standard version is $99.00 and comes with just the iPhotoMeasure software and the digitTargets, the $119.00 Deluxe edition comes with an erasable marker to label your digiTargets and restickable adhesive to adhere your digiTarget to any object. I highly recommend this program to any attorney in personal injury or any field you might need to know the size of objects.