Artist captures bizarre Google Maps glitches that will give you nightmares

Kyle Williams realised that when the images got stitched together, they could create some wild, unintentional images

Jillian d'Onfro
Monday 22 February 2016 17:11 GMT
Comments
(Kyle Mathhew F. Williams)

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Digital artist Kyle Williams is a big fan of the Google Maps Street View feature.

He uses it to “just 'walk' around other cities, find funny street names, look at landmarks, people watch,” he tells Business Insider. “One search lead to another and I wound up on the beach in southern France.”


Williams realised that when the images got stitched together, they could often create some wild, unintentional images.

 Williams realised that when the images got stitched together, they could often create some wild, unintentional images.
 (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

That's when he noticed his first Photo Sphere masterpiece.

Photo Spheres are 360-degree photos that users can upload to Maps. But Williams realised that when the images got stitched together, they could often create some wild, unintentional images.

Check it out:

Here's the first bizarre glitch Williams found.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

After that, he just started searching down the beach for more.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

Sure enough, he came across plenty.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

So he started “visiting” beaches all around the world ...

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

... turning up one strange image after another.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

“Beaches are the best because the sandy background is more neutral and when the subject is centered and glitched-up just right it looks more like art than a mistake,” Williams says.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

He calls this one “Dropped Calls.”

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

Sometimes the weirdness is subtle. Those pictures are often the creepiest.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

Although these kinds of errors are more frequent at busy landmarks with more people, Williams says, a cluttered image can make it harder to find one striking frame.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

Though he has certainly succeeded in some instances.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

Like this man who appears to have a strange beard situation going on.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

Or these poor, lonely sneakers.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

Williams calls this one “No Face Detected.”

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

This woman must have moved around between pictures.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

We don't quite understand how “Headless Man Hit By Pigeon” happened, but we love it.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

The world of Google Maps Photo Spheres is full of dissolving people.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

As well as creatures with too many appendages ...

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

... or too few.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

We're glad “Fist Face” doesn't exist in real life.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

Though this lady seems pretty cool.

(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams)
(Picture credit: Kyle Matthew F. Williams) (Kyle Matthew F. Williams)

Head over to Google Maps to try to find your own weird and wonderful glitch art!

Read more:

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• Brexit panic has pushed the pound to a 7-year low
• The biggest sign it's time to quit your job

Read the original article on Business Insider UK. © 2015. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.

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