Today we launch the Korean Gyeongbok Palace Photosynth collection, the culmination of an unprecedented buzz promotion linking photo enthusiasts to emerging Microsoft technologies. It is the first Photosynth collection ever constructed in partnership with professional and hobbyist photographers in Asia. Over 4,000 photos were contributed by the Korean community via a Windows Live promotion in just a few short weeks (and 12 positive press articles there reaching over 5 million at the promotion launch). After a lot of hard work at Live Labs, it’s ready to be shared with the world. MS Korea will be sending press releases to key media in addition to engaging top bloggers.
Gyeongbokgung (Gyeongbok Palace) is one of South Korea’s finest national treasures. Originally built in 1394, it is the largest palace of the Joseon Dynasty. At its height in the mid 1800’s, it covered 330 buildings and over 4 million square feet as the grand home for the royal family. Millions of tourists each year walk the stone foundations for a closer look at the ceremonial facilities, dragons and wooden canopies over the throne.
Quote from Adam Sheppard, Live Labs:
“We were very excited to work with MSN Korea to create a synth of Gyeongbok Palace. Koreans are widely recognized as being early adopters and innovators with photography and web technology and it was a fantastic opportunity to see how users photographs could really bring the palace to life. We found ourselves spending hours exploring the environment, zooming in on the fine details, and flying over the building and square. It really is a unique way of exploring a location in tremendous detail, giving people a chance to imagine what it would be like to stand in the shoes of somebody who was actually there.”
Professional photographer Kang Tae-Gu provided valuable support in taking detailed shots of the palace for construction of the collection. I must say I’m pretty impressed about the quality of the pictures and the overall look and feel of the virtual walk-through. Amazing how many pictures have been sent in, and it comes to show that with a little help of the right communities, you can create and share experiences that are really remarkable.
