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04/01/2010 06:20:15 AM · #1 |
Is there a photo website where you have
- no limit on the amount of images you can upload
- no limit on the number of galleries or sub-galleries
- the ability to put in gallery descriptions
- control over who sees what
- the ability to discuss/comment on images
- the ability to discuss/comment on galleries
- an online community
- a threaded forum that supports nested posts
- access to detailed equipment information and discussions
- the ability to use both site default tags as well as your own
- the exif automatically extracted from your uploads
- the ability to set up your own online sales gallery
- the ability to contribute to the development, growth, and evolution of the site
- the ability to create closed discussion groups
- responsive site management, where good ideas can be quickly implemented
- access to legal, business, and other professional advice
- the ability to move yourself and others forward in photography
I'm just wondering. I've really never looked at photo sites other than dpc because I just don't have that much time. While I don't know how much of the above you can do through flickr, my possible misconceived fears about sites that huge have largely kept me away.
Do you have any recommendations or suggestions?
Is there any demand for this type of site?
Just wondering... |
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04/01/2010 09:03:50 AM · #2 |
No challenges or photo ratings? :-)
Seriously, I don't know if such a site exists. I don't think Flickr meets your criteria, though.
Message edited by author 2010-04-01 09:04:57. |
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04/01/2010 09:35:03 AM · #3 |
Let me know if you find your "dream site". I would, also, be interested in joining.
PBase works for me to display an assortment of images in galleries and sub-galleries, etc. You can utilize their templates or design your own. Offers many options to control your galleries and is relatively inexpensive...based on storage space...so I resize my images prior to upload.
Also, I do minimal sales online but find Photo Reflect to offer me the options I want.
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04/01/2010 10:14:00 AM · #4 |
Looks like you are putting up a business plan in your mind.
Is there any demand for this type of site?
There is (will be) tons of demand but also a good barrier in the market to get in.
Flickr (pro accounts) with their groups and privacy settings gets pretty close to your list of requirements.
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04/01/2010 10:16:16 AM · #5 |
Hey Skip...take a look at Smugmug. Seems to fit at least most of your criteria. It's also actively "improved upon" what is already a good model.
ETA: My customized site is here: //www.nrshapiro.com. I have an account which is the pro account, but if you don't let them print and fulfill orders (which I'm considering, just because I like WHCC so much, and I'm more interested in selling landscapes than events), it's a lot less expensive for a power account.
If you sign up for a trial, use KtpHpE1JKOpxU as a referral code and you'll save $5 when (and if) you sign up.
Message edited by author 2010-04-01 10:22:35.
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04/01/2010 10:38:00 AM · #6 |
Skip, I use Zenfolio.com to host my website. They also seem to fit into most of what you are looking for in a website. Have a look at them also.
www.zenfolio.com
I use them at the pro level, www.rcarterphotos.com and really cannot say enough about the host service and the strive for constant improvements.
If you, or anyone is interest in it here is a referal code for them as well 28V-H4H-58R if saves you 5 dollars. The trial account for zenfolio is free. |
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04/01/2010 10:42:37 AM · #7 |
thanks for any/all feedback. i've really never looked beyond dpc, and i really hate the idea of 'outgrowing' the place, but it really seems that the site isn't keeping up with demands. i have an account at flickr, but have never really done anything with it. i've seen some cool stuff and have friends there that are doing some really neat things, but i've always been concerned about image control, especially from a commercial standpoint (but i might be misguided as to real vs imaginary risk).
as for smugmug, neil, thanks, but no thanks. i had an account there a number of years ago and found that they didn't suit my needs from a professional standpoint. they've made moves in the right direction over the past couple years, but still aren't what i'm looking for.
i looked at pbase a number of years ago and two things stand out in my memory: lots of flexibility and great photography, and it was run by a guy that had daisy-chained something like 20+ servers in his basement. i know there's still a lot of great photography there, but i'm not sure where it is in terms of infrastructure, support, and how much of the other things i'm looking for are available.
i hope i'm not pipe-dreaming here, because it would be nice if this place i'm looking for really existed...
Originally posted by richard:
Skip, I use Zenfolio.com to host my website. They also seem to fit into most of what you are looking for in a website. Have a look at them also. |
i love the zf presentation and basic framework, but the two things it zeems to be missing are photo/gallery discussions and a photo-centric community (as opposed to a site-specific community). lotsa good ideas, there, though.
Message edited by author 2010-04-01 10:51:47. |
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04/01/2010 11:00:31 AM · #8 |
Skip, your first criterion will limit you more than anything.
Not many sites other than Smugmug, I believe, give you unlimited images (at least without spending a million)! Right now, I have 12GB up there and I haven't even yet gotten half way through uploading a complete set of my prints. Have you found others?
In any case, I think they've done some really good upgrades lately (like virtual galleries, extended stats, and coupons), so it's worth taking another look. (The stats are one of the most important to me--I like to see what's popular.)
Message edited by author 2010-04-01 11:03:07.
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04/01/2010 12:12:08 PM · #9 |
fyi, i have a bluehost account that gives me unlimited space for $100 a year, with the only stipulation being that whatever is uploaded supports my sites (ie, i cannot use the storage as an online backup service). also, my online gallery host, Exposure Manager gives me a lot of stats (EM is not the be-all-end-all, but they do a great job on the sales side).
i know i put out a lot of criteria, but if i had to boil it down to a simple request, it would be:
i'm looking for a photo site that has a community spirit, a commercial outlet, and a fair amount of control. i would like it to be responsive, dynamic, and able to keep up with current technology and trends.
Message edited by author 2010-04-01 12:12:26. |
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04/01/2010 01:47:27 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by Skip:
i looked at pbase a number of years ago and two things stand out in my memory: lots of flexibility and great photography, and it was run by a guy that had daisy-chained something like 20+ servers in his basement. i know there's still a lot of great photography there, but i'm not sure where it is in terms of infrastructure, support, and how much of the other things i'm looking for are available. |
If you liked the other aspects, you might check them again. They had a major crash a few months ago, and were down for about five days restoring the site. Since it works now, I'm hoping they addressed the infrastructure issue adequately. I haven't uploaded anything lately, but it appears my gallery has been fully recovered and is operating normally. |
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