SiteAspect

Compass photos for site design. Every photo shows which way the camera was facing, for garden and landscape planning.

Support

Questions, problems or ideas for SiteAspect are welcome. Email me and I will reply as soon as I can, usually within two working days.

Support email

Please include your iPhone model, the iOS version and, if you can, a screenshot.

Common questions

The bearing looks wrong. How do I improve accuracy?
Hold the phone upright as you would to take a photo, and stand at least a metre from steel fences, vehicles, wheelbarrows and reinforced concrete. If the accuracy badge at the top turns red, move the phone slowly in a figure-eight to recalibrate the compass.
What is the difference between true north and magnetic north?
True north points to the North Pole and matches maps and site plans. Magnetic north is where a compass needle points. In southern Tasmania magnetic north is about 15° east of true north. SiteAspect shows true north when location access is allowed, and labels bearings T (true) or M (magnetic).
Why does the app need my location?
To convert the compass reading to true north, to calculate where the sun is for the sun path and sun hours tools, and to record where each photo was taken. Your location is used on your phone only.
The camera shows a black screen.
Another device may be using the camera. If your iPhone is connected to a Mac, the Mac can use it as a webcam through Continuity Camera, which blocks the camera for apps on the phone. Quit video-call apps on the Mac, or turn off Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity > Continuity Camera. Restarting the iPhone also clears a stuck camera.
How accurate are the altitude and slope readings?
Height above sea level comes from GPS and the barometer and is accurate to a few metres; changes in height across a site are accurate to well under a metre. The slope meter is typically accurate to within about half a degree once you calibrate it on a surface you know is level.
Where are my photos saved?
In the Photos app on your iPhone. Each shot saves an annotated photo with the overlay and, unless you turn it off in Settings, a clean copy without it. Both store the bearing in the photo's metadata.