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Place Photos

Page Summary

This sample demonstrates fetching and displaying photos for a specified place using the Google Maps JavaScript API.
It utilizes the Place class to retrieve place details, including photos and author attributions.
Photos are displayed in a rudimentary carousel with a larger view when clicked.
Author attributions are included in the upper left corner of the photos.
The sample provides code in TypeScript, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

This demo displays a random photo from one of five cities, and shows the required author attributions in the bottom right corner of the photo.

Read the documentation.

TypeScript

const CITIES = [
    { name: 'New York', id: 'ChIJOwg_06VPwokRYv534QaPC8g' },
    { name: 'London', id: 'ChIJdd4hrwug2EcRmSrV3Vo6llI' },
    { name: 'Paris', id: 'ChIJD7fiBh9u5kcRYJSMaMOCCwQ' },
    { name: 'Tokyo', id: 'ChIJ51cu8IcbXWARiRtXIothAS4' },
    { name: 'Rome', id: 'ChIJu46S-ZZhLxMROG5lkwZ3D7k' },
];

async function init() {
    const { Place } = await google.maps.importLibrary('places');

    const heading = document.getElementById('heading')!;
    const summary = document.getElementById('summary')!;
    const expandedImageDiv = document.getElementById('expanded-image')!;
    const randomizeBtn = document.getElementById(
        'randomize-btn'
    ) as HTMLButtonElement;

    async function showRandomCityPhoto() {
        randomizeBtn.disabled = true;

        // Pick a random city
        const city = CITIES[Math.floor(Math.random() * CITIES.length)];

        try {
            const place = new Place({ id: city.id });
            await place.fetchFields({
                fields: ['displayName', 'photos', 'editorialSummary'],
            });

            heading.textContent = place.displayName ?? city.name;
            summary.textContent = place.editorialSummary ?? '';
            expandedImageDiv.innerHTML = '';

            if (place.photos && place.photos.length > 0) {
                // Pick one of the first 10 photos
                const maxPhotos = Math.min(10, place.photos.length);
                const randomIndex = Math.floor(Math.random() * maxPhotos);
                const photo = place.photos[randomIndex];

                const img = document.createElement('img');
                img.alt = `Photo of ${place.displayName ?? city.name}`;
                img.src = photo.getURI({ maxHeight: 800 });
                expandedImageDiv.appendChild(img);

                if (photo.authorAttributions.length) {
                    expandedImageDiv.appendChild(
                        createAttribution(photo.authorAttributions[0])
                    );
                }
            } else {
                expandedImageDiv.textContent =
                    'No photos available for this location.';
            }
        } catch (error) {
            console.error('Failed to fetch place details:', error);
            summary.textContent = 'Failed to load data.';
        }

        // Re-enable button after 2 seconds
        setTimeout(() => {
            randomizeBtn.disabled = false;
        }, 2000);
    }

    // Helper function to create attribution DIV.
    function createAttribution(
        attribution: google.maps.places.AuthorAttribution
    ) {
        const attributionLabel = document.createElement('a');
        attributionLabel.classList.add('attribution-label');
        attributionLabel.textContent = attribution.displayName;
        attributionLabel.href = attribution.uri!;
        attributionLabel.target = '_blank';
        attributionLabel.rel = 'noopener noreferrer';
        return attributionLabel;
    }

    randomizeBtn.addEventListener('click', () => void showRandomCityPhoto());

    // Initial load
    void showRandomCityPhoto();
}

void init();index.ts

JavaScript

const CITIES = [
    { name: 'New York', id: 'ChIJOwg_06VPwokRYv534QaPC8g' },
    { name: 'London', id: 'ChIJdd4hrwug2EcRmSrV3Vo6llI' },
    { name: 'Paris', id: 'ChIJD7fiBh9u5kcRYJSMaMOCCwQ' },
    { name: 'Tokyo', id: 'ChIJ51cu8IcbXWARiRtXIothAS4' },
    { name: 'Rome', id: 'ChIJu46S-ZZhLxMROG5lkwZ3D7k' },
];

async function init() {
    const { Place } = await google.maps.importLibrary('places');

    const heading = document.getElementById('heading');
    const summary = document.getElementById('summary');
    const expandedImageDiv = document.getElementById('expanded-image');
    const randomizeBtn = document.getElementById('randomize-btn');

    async function showRandomCityPhoto() {
        randomizeBtn.disabled = true;

        // Pick a random city
        const city = CITIES[Math.floor(Math.random() * CITIES.length)];

        try {
            const place = new Place({ id: city.id });
            await place.fetchFields({
                fields: ['displayName', 'photos', 'editorialSummary'],
            });

            heading.textContent = place.displayName ?? city.name;
            summary.textContent = place.editorialSummary ?? '';
            expandedImageDiv.innerHTML = '';

            if (place.photos && place.photos.length > 0) {
                // Pick one of the first 10 photos
                const maxPhotos = Math.min(10, place.photos.length);
                const randomIndex = Math.floor(Math.random() * maxPhotos);
                const photo = place.photos[randomIndex];

                const img = document.createElement('img');
                img.alt = `Photo of ${place.displayName ?? city.name}`;
                img.src = photo.getURI({ maxHeight: 800 });
                expandedImageDiv.appendChild(img);

                if (photo.authorAttributions.length) {
                    expandedImageDiv.appendChild(
                        createAttribution(photo.authorAttributions[0])
                    );
                }
            } else {
                expandedImageDiv.textContent =
                    'No photos available for this location.';
            }
        } catch (error) {
            console.error('Failed to fetch place details:', error);
            summary.textContent = 'Failed to load data.';
        }

        // Re-enable button after 2 seconds
        setTimeout(() => {
            randomizeBtn.disabled = false;
        }, 2000);
    }

    // Helper function to create attribution DIV.
    function createAttribution(attribution) {
        const attributionLabel = document.createElement('a');
        attributionLabel.classList.add('attribution-label');
        attributionLabel.textContent = attribution.displayName;
        attributionLabel.href = attribution.uri;
        attributionLabel.target = '_blank';
        attributionLabel.rel = 'noopener noreferrer';
        return attributionLabel;
    }

    randomizeBtn.addEventListener('click', () => void showRandomCityPhoto());

    // Initial load
    void showRandomCityPhoto();
}

void init();index.js

CSS

/* 
 * Optional: Makes the sample page fill the window. 
 */
html,
body {
    height: 100%;
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    font-family: 'Inter', sans-serif;
    background: linear-gradient(135deg, #1e1e2f, #252540);
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: center;
}

#container {
    display: flex;
    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05);
    backdrop-filter: blur(16px);
    -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(16px);
    border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
    border-radius: 20px;
    padding: 30px;
    max-width: 900px;
    width: 100%;
    box-sizing: border-box;
    box-shadow: 0 25px 50px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
    color: white;
}

.place-overview {
    flex: 1;
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: column;
    justify-content: center;
    margin-right: 40px;
}

#info {
    position: relative;
}

#heading {
    font-size: 2.5rem;
    font-weight: 700;
    margin-top: 0;
    margin-bottom: 15px;
    background: linear-gradient(90deg, #fff, #a5b4fc);
    -webkit-background-clip: text;
    -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
}

#summary {
    font-size: 1.1rem;
    line-height: 1.6;
    color: #cbd5e1;
}

#expanded-image {
    position: relative;
    width: 400px;
    height: 400px;
    border-radius: 16px;
    overflow: hidden;
    box-shadow: 0 15px 35px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
    transform: perspective(1000px) rotateY(-5deg);
    transition: transform 0.5s ease;
}

#expanded-image:hover {
    transform: perspective(1000px) rotateY(0deg) scale(1.02);
}

#expanded-image img {
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    object-fit: contain;
}

#randomize-btn {
    margin-top: 20px;
    padding: 12px 24px;
    font-size: 1.1rem;
    font-weight: bold;
    color: white;
    background: linear-gradient(90deg, #4f46e5, #3b82f6);
    border: none;
    border-radius: 12px;
    cursor: pointer;
    transition:
        transform 0.2s,
        background 0.3s;
    box-shadow: 0 4px 15px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
    font-family: 'Inter', sans-serif;
    align-self: flex-start;
}

#randomize-btn:hover:not(:disabled) {
    transform: scale(1.05);
}

#randomize-btn:disabled {
    background: #475569;
    cursor: not-allowed;
    opacity: 0.7;
}

.attribution-label {
    position: absolute;
    bottom: 10px;
    right: 10px;
    background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6);
    color: white;
    padding: 6px 12px;
    border-radius: 20px;
    font-size: 0.8rem;
    text-decoration: none;
    backdrop-filter: blur(4px);
    transition: background-color 0.3s;
}

.attribution-label:hover {
    background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);
}style.css

HTML

<html lang="en">
    <head>
        <title>Place Photos</title>
        <link
            href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Inter:wght@400;700&display=swap"
            rel="stylesheet" />
        <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="./style.css" />
        <script type="module" src="./index.js"></script>
        <script>
            // prettier-ignore
            (g=>{var h,a,k,p="The Google Maps JavaScript API",c="google",l="importLibrary",q="__ib__",m=document,b=window;b=b[c]||(b[c]={});var d=b.maps||(b.maps={}),r=new Set,e=new URLSearchParams,u=()=>h||(h=new Promise(async(f,n)=>{await (a=m.createElement("script"));e.set("libraries",[...r]+"");for(k in g)e.set(k.replace(/[A-Z]/g,t=>"_"+t[0].toLowerCase()),g[k]);e.set("callback",c+".maps."+q);a.src=`https://maps.${c}apis.com/maps/api/js?`+e;d[q]=f;a.onerror=()=>h=n(Error(p+" could not load."));a.nonce=m.querySelector("script[nonce]")?.nonce||"";m.head.append(a)}));d[l]?console.warn(p+" only loads once. Ignoring:",g):d[l]=(f,...n)=>r.add(f)&&u().then(()=>d[l](f,...n))})({
                key: "AIzaSyA6myHzS10YXdcazAFalmXvDkrYCp5cLc8"
            });
        </script>
    </head>
    <body>
        <div id="container">
            <div class="place-overview">
                <div id="info">
                    <h1 id="heading"></h1>
                    <div id="summary"></div>
                </div>
                <button id="randomize-btn">Random City Photo</button>
            </div>
            <div id="expanded-image"></div>
        </div>
    </body>
</html>index.html

Try Sample

JSFiddle.net

Clone Sample

Git and Node.js are required to run this sample locally. Follow these instructions to install Node.js and NPM. The following commands clone, install dependencies and start the sample application.

  git clone https://github.com/googlemaps-samples/js-api-samples.git
  cd samples/place-photos
  npm i
  npm start