Photo documentation: tagging and AI search
Take a photo, let AI suggest tags, and pull it up months later with a plain-English search.
Photo documentation is what makes a project searchable months later. Buildra automatically tags photos with project, location, and AI- suggested labels — and lets you search the whole library in plain English.
Taking a photo
From the mobile app, tap the camera icon in the bottom nav. The camera opens with three default capture modes:
- Single photo: One shot, one tap.
- Burst: Hold the shutter for a sequence (useful for documenting a sequence of installation steps).
- Annotated: Photo + markup tools (arrow, circle, text label) for explaining what the photo shows.
Every photo is tagged with the project (based on which project is active in the app) and the GPS location.
AI-suggested tags
After capture, Buildra runs a vision pass and suggests 3–5 tags: discipline (plumbing, framing, drywall), feature (rough-in, finished, defect), and location (interior/exterior, floor level). You can accept the suggestions in one tap or edit before saving.
Tip:The AI gets better the more you correct it. Editing a wrong tag teaches the system your project's vocabulary.
Searching photos
The photo library at /projects/<id>/photos has a search bar that accepts plain English. Try queries like:
- “photos of the kitchen rough-in plumbing”
- “exterior photos from last month”
- “photos near the chimney”
- “photos that show defects”
Search combines tag matching, AI image search, and EXIF data (date, GPS). Results are ranked by relevance, not chronology.
Albums
Albums let you bundle photos for a specific deliverable. Common albums include “Pre-construction site survey”, “Closeout warranty docs”, and “Concealed conditions before drywall”. Create an album by clicking New album, then either drag photos in or set up an auto-filter (“all photos tagged warranty”).
Sharing photos
Select photos in the library, click Share, and choose:
- Email album: Sends a one-time link, expires in 30 days.
- Add to daily log:Attaches selected photos to today's daily log entry.
- Add to RFI: Inserts photos into a new or existing RFI as supporting evidence.
- Add to punch list: Creates a punch list item with the photo as the visual reference.
Bulk operations
On desktop, multi-select photos and apply tags, move to album, download as ZIP, or delete in bulk.
Common questions
- What about video? Short clips (under 60s) are supported. Longer videos should go to the documents module.
- Do photos count toward storage?Yes. We compress aggressively but a 1,000-photo project is typically 1–3 GB.
- EXIF data? Preserved, including timestamp and GPS. The PM can see this in the photo detail view.
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