What are your thoughts on a good photo sharing website?

[NedM]

For me, personally, I liked Flickr before they integrated all users to login in with only yahoo accounts. I suppose even then I wouldn't get much feedback anyways, and I mean 'real' feedback.

I tried out Instagram for a while, gained about 2000+ followers, but no ever really commented. If anything, they were one worded comments like, "Beautiful! Nice! Etc.." So I moved on.

Now I'm here TPF and I actually get the response that I need and want from my photographs. It's a great community and as long as you return the favor, people are really helpful here.

What are your thoughts on a good photo sharing website? Which sites do you use that you like the most?

 

[BobaPhil]

Instagram is a little pointless imho. If you're a hot girl that does a great duck face, it's fantastic, but for 'real' photography, it's nothing. I read a quote 'Being famous on Instagram is like being rich in Monopoly'.

I now use Flickr to host, since it's full size images and the copy and paste is great for forums. If you want genuine responses, TPF is great for it.

I'm on 500px too, but most of the comments there and 'Well you follow me?'

 

[minicoop1985]

Were you taking enough pictures of your lunch? Applying the appropriate poorly created filters?

OK I make fun without having used Instagram. I still use flickr. Used to use Photobucket, but but screws with the image's quality way too much, so I went to flickr.

I rarely get comments on my photos. I have like 3 followers. I post the most boring crap-pictures of... lenses. And stuff. If I need commentary/help, I come here after putting my flame suit on.

 

[johngpt]

For me, personally, I liked Flickr before they integrated all users to login in with only yahoo accounts. I suppose even then I wouldn't get much feedback anyways, and I mean 'real' feedback.

I tried out Instagram for a while, gained about 2000+ followers, but no ever really commented. If anything, they were one worded comments like, "Beautiful! Nice! Etc.." So I moved on.

Now I'm here TPF and I actually get the response that I need and want from my photographs. It's a great community and as long as you return the favor, people are really helpful here.

What are your thoughts on a good photo sharing website? Which sites do you use that you like the most?

Ned, I had gotten to flickr in order to be able to post to sites such as TPF here. Eventually, I got to know quite a few folks posting at flickr. I liked the community and belonged to a few groups that had fun themes for which to shoot specific assignments. Very much like the themed threads here. Then after yahoo purchased flickr, changes came rather rapidly, and many of my contacts there became dissatisfied. Not at what flickr could offer for web sharing, but at the changes in how the site presented photos. Many of my contacts left flickr in favor of ipernity.

ipernity: Welcome to ipernity - Photo and video sharing

I haven't tried it. I'm still at flickr as the changes that have been made aren't a deal breaker for me. You could always give it a try. Flickr is easy enough for being able to post to from my Lightroom app. And easy enough from which to share a photo to facebook if I'm so inclined. So I haven't felt the need to switch.

 

[table1349]

Smugmug

Phanfare

 

[Derrel]

pBase.com

 

[smenkhare]

I use smugmug and 500px

 

[rexbobcat]

I actually enjoy Instagram, because it gives me a place to share casual or fun photos that I like that I don't know where else to place because they are just one-offs.

I don't just post random food photos though (most of the time )

I just use Flickr and 500px.

 

[batmura]

Flickr and 500px for me.

 

[TheNevadanStig]

Can I ask what the advantage of paying for something like smugmug or 500px is over using a free site like flickr?

 

[sm4him]

Can I ask what the advantage of paying for something like smugmug or 500px is over using a free site like flickr?

Well, for me, ONE advantage of 500px is that I can set up a fairly decent looking "portfolio" page there, with my best work. I use flickr more for ALL the shots I might want to share online--and sometimes that includes funny pictures, personal snapshots and even BAD photos that I want to post here and get opinions on. But then if I apply for a juried event, I don't necessarily want them seeing those photos, or even digging through the 100s of "good" photos. I just want them to see the BEST work.

 

[sm4him]

I mainly use flickr and 500px, but do occasionally play with Instagram too. ViewBug is a new one that I've been trying out; not overly impressed so far. Oh, and Panoramio. 480sparky introduced me to that one!

But the OP seems to suggest that his problem with many of those sites is the lack of decent feedback. The thing is, they are called "photo sharing" sites for a reason. Most of them are ALL about the sharing of your photos, NOT about evaluating them. So yeah, you're mostly either going to get the "great!," super!, "love it!" sort of comments or no comments at all on those sites.

Best place I've ever found for actual useful feedback is right here at Hotel TPF. It's one of the reasons that it seems I can never leave…

One other place you might try: Google +. I go through fits and spurts of really USING it, but I do like it. There are some communities you can find that where you post pictures and actually can get some "Real" feedback on them. But finding the right community can be the trick. I belong to one called Light Box; it can sometimes provide helpful feedback, but it can also be brutal. They have a daily "Voting Pool" thing where you post a photo and then everyone votes on whether it goes into the "Light Box" to be featured or gets tanked. It's really pretty tough to get a photo voted in. It's kinda fun, but can also be frustrating, because there are some there who just criticize for the sake of being critical. I haven't posted in a while because of that.

 

[TheNevadanStig]

Can I ask what the advantage of paying for something like smugmug or 500px is over using a free site like flickr?

Well, for me, ONE advantage of 500px is that I can set up a fairly decent looking "portfolio" page there, with my best work. I use flickr more for ALL the shots I might want to share online--and sometimes that includes funny pictures, personal snapshots and even BAD photos that I want to post here and get opinions on. But then if I apply for a juried event, I don't necessarily want them seeing those photos, or even digging through the 100s of "good" photos. I just want them to see the BEST work.

Just to play devil's advocate:
Why not create a new yahoo adress, say [email protected] for example, and only upload your best photos there? Both the email and account are free, you can have more than one.

 

[sm4him]

Can I ask what the advantage of paying for something like smugmug or 500px is over using a free site like flickr?

Well, for me, ONE advantage of 500px is that I can set up a fairly decent looking "portfolio" page there, with my best work. I use flickr more for ALL the shots I might want to share online--and sometimes that includes funny pictures, personal snapshots and even BAD photos that I want to post here and get opinions on. But then if I apply for a juried event, I don't necessarily want them seeing those photos, or even digging through the 100s of "good" photos. I just want them to see the BEST work.

Just to play devil's advocate:
Why not create a new yahoo adress, say [email protected] for example, and only upload your best photos there? Both the email and account are free, you can have more than one.

Fair question, and certainly an option. But for me, I like the LOOK of the "portfolio" page on 500px better than the flickr setup, even if we were dealing with the same content on each. Eventually (like in the next two months), I intend to break down and get a dedicated website for my portfolio photos. At THAT point, I'll have to decide whether to keep 500px or not. There would no longer be any valid reason in my mind to pay for it--but I am kinda addicted to the ratings rush you get when you post a new picture and then watch to see how high the "pulse" will go!

 

[vintagesnaps]

I have a Flickr page but don't use it a lot and don't have it set public.

Whatever you consider, read the Terms & Conditions. I looked at 500px but didn't feel I could accept or agree to their Terms (or Instagram's, or others). I don't use sites that allow usage of my photos without my permission or any contract or compensation. It's my work and ability that goes into it, I'm not allowing anonymous third party usage etc. which is part of the Terms on many sites.

I think if you're going to put your photos somewhere online it's necessary to get informed.