Social Media

[Dikkie]

Let's start a thread about social media.
Do you use them for photography?
If yes: which media do you prefer and why? You use it for specific reasons?
Do you combine them? How do you guys prefer to host and share?
Do you think it is sometimes too impermanent or too casual?
Are you guys active on Facebook photography groups to share photos aswel as discussing photos? Or you prefer forums?

I'm already a few years busy with Flickr. Quite happy with it, lots of storage. Available on desktop as mobile. Tons of features and possibilities.

But since yesterday I tried Instagram aswel, as I read that a lot more people are using it, and it's more active.

 

[imagemaker46]

I use Twitter, Face Book and Instagram, constantly posting images to all of them. I have found it is driving more traffic to my web site.

 

[KmH]

Yep.
The key to using social media effectively is regularly keeping new content flowing to your accounts.

 

[D-B-J]

Instagram, and I post daily or every other day. I also moderate another page. It helps to be consistent and active. I've used Facebook before but never had much success there. It's all about consistent content and being active and engaging.

Jake


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[minicoop1985]

I use Hipstergram, Facebook, and that's really it. Been a while since I've posted to any of them as I haven't had much TO post It's been slow, OK?

 

[Trever1t]

I'm all over!

 

[table1349]

 

[dennybeall]

Social Media is pretty much been the ruin of professional photography as we knew it. The desire for getting a quick photo to be THE FIRST TO POST IT has basically moved the market from cameras to cellphones. The standards for a "good" photo have gone down to the point that the quick cellphone snap is good enough.
The last time I worked video at a Dressage Ring I ended up roping off a space so I could work without the sea of iPhones and the like blocking my shot. I still had some folks holding up almost full sized laptops to take pictures and getting in my shot. Not Bitter, just Sad.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Not just social media either, but that's another thread...

Whatever you're considering, READ THE TERMS. OK, you don't even have to read them all - at least LOOK at them... Would you sign a contract with terms saying your work could be used from now on with no further payment? that you'd work for years, from now on, for an employer but you'd only get a relatively small one time payment? or that your work could be given out to other people without your knowledge or any additional payment?

Did grocery stores start accepting a photo credit to pay for your groceries? will the gas station let you fill your car's tank because someone used your photo and gave you 'exposure'? Do I need to keep asking ridiculous questions?? lol

Make sure you know what you're agreeing to let the company that owns the site do with your photos. If they're making money from your photos, why aren't you? They're a business not a charity.

I realize the reality of business is being on social media to get seen by potential customers, but think about which photos you're posting, link to your site to bring people to you, change the photos and don't leave everything on a site indefinitely, get informed on how to effectively use social media. ASMP did a webinar not long ago, find resources for photographers to help you manage your work to your benefit.

 

[Overread]

Yep.
The key to using social media effectively is regularly keeping new content flowing to your accounts.

This is certainly key; I would also say that you need to be able to formally KILL any account that you're unable to keep regular content going to. Don't just remove it, formally end it with a post and a link to your other social media accounts.

It looks really bad if you've a blog that hasn't been updated in months - an instagram that is abandoned - a facebook that has nothing updated in years etc.... Abandoned social media accounts need to be formally ended and links placed in the last post to your current active social media sites; with a view that after a few months/year you remove the unused social media accounts/content.

Dead social media is BAD advertising. It's like having boards up on the shop windows - it says "all is not well, I don't have time to update this any more." It can even say "I've shut down!"


So make sure each social media site you use has a structured plan for content you will upload to it and a schedule that you are capable of following.



If the social media site is making use of a theme or specific content type then make sure you plan how to deliver that content in advance. If anything use slow periods to prepare content in advance of deadlines where possible. This is all about treating social media seriously and giving it a time slot in your work period so that you keep it regularly updated.

 

[Dikkie]

The standards for a "good" photo have gone down to the point that the quick cellphone snap is good enough.

It's true... people are too fast happy with their quick snapshot and put it online without criticizing their own photo first.

And most of the shots are facebookish as in: snapshots to show what they just ate, a snap of what their toddler is just doing, a snap of a cityview without correcting the perspectives like horizon or with bad composition in general, etc...

It's just sad indeed.

However, there are a few good photographers that aim higher, that do more effort to create a higher value photo with more quality. They often use a DSLR, process and edit a RAW photo, and afterwards upload it on their cellphone and put it online via Instagram.

I believe that in the end, these people will get more 'likes' then others snapping around too fast.

 

[nerwin]

I was on Facebook, then deleted my account completely. So now, I only use Twitter, Instagram, Flickr and YouTube. Though I only dedicate Flickr to my photography. Sometimes I'll post photos I've taken from my camera to Instagram. But Twitter, Instagram and YouTube are not limited to just photography.

 

[jsecordphoto]

Social Media is pretty much been the ruin of professional photography as we knew it. The desire for getting a quick photo to be THE FIRST TO POST IT has basically moved the market from cameras to cellphones. The standards for a "good" photo have gone down to the point that the quick cellphone snap is good enough.
The last time I worked video at a Dressage Ring I ended up roping off a space so I could work without the sea of iPhones and the like blocking my shot. I still had some folks holding up almost full sized laptops to take pictures and getting in my shot. Not Bitter, just Sad.

Maybe it's been the ruin for some types of professional photographers, but I wouldn't say all. Social media has been a huge part of my business as a landscape shooter.