PHOTOGRAPH ACQUISITION AND OBJECT IDENTIFICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

A method includes, detecting a pointing motion made by an occupant of a vehicle and causing a photograph to be taken by a camera associated with the vehicle. The method also includes processing one or more of the photograph, a time the photograph was taken, location information of the vehicle at the time the photograph was taken, a photographing direction extending from the camera at the time the photograph was taken, or map data to obtain a candidate object of interest in the photograph and description information associated with the candidate object of interest. The method further includes causing a graphical user interface to be output by a display. The graphical user interface includes a geographical map, a location icon indicating a location on the geographical map at which the photograph was taken, a graphical object representing the photographing direction, and description information associated with the candidate object of interest.