USING IMAGE CONTENT TO FACILITATE NAVIGATION IN PANORAMIC IMAGE DATA

The technology uses image content to facilitate navigation in panoramic image data. Aspects include providing a first image including a plurality of avatars, in which each avatar corresponds to an object within the first image, and determining an orientation of at least one of the plurality of avatars to a point of interest within the first image. A viewport is determined for a first avatar in accordance with the orientation thereof relative to the point of interest, which is included within the first avatar's viewport. In response to received user input, a second image is selected that includes at least a second avatar and the point of interest from the first image. A viewport of the second avatar in the second image is determined and the second image is oriented to align the second avatar's viewpoint with the point of interest to provide navigation between the first and second images.