Behind the Lens: How Google's Street View Traveler Is Capturing the World's Most Iconic Places

Sometimes a drive-by isn't enough. Google Maps has used cameras on trucks since 2007 to capture the world for its Street View. But when it comes to the world's best-known landmarks, the search giant has been taking extra steps to create virtual representations. Google sends workers to record the surroundings on foot when a vehicle won't work, such as for Venice's canals or the switchback paths around Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. All told, Google's staff have recorded more than 10,000 virtual tours of the world's wonders. Valentina Frassi, a program manager for Google Street View, has been one of the hidden hands behind these epic, wraparound photo montages as a founding member of the team recording the landmarks. The 35-year-old Frassi has been filming locations and arranging logistics for trips full-time for Google since 2011. She began her