Photo sharing sites; which one? (Follows on from "Nice new thread")

Toward the end of "Nice new thread", the question of photo sharing
sites came up.

This is something that I've been giving some thought to myself
recently, as I think it's about time to put some of my shots out there
as well. The question is, which one to go for?

Unlike some the parasitic attitude of "I deserve everything for free"
holds no appeal to me, so I'm quite happy to pay for the service; and
indeed would prefer to make a reasonable contribution for a reasonable
return.

Browsing through the Help / FAQ pages of the four sites that I'm most
familiar with has resulted in the list of features below. On balance
Flickr appears to offer the best combination of features and value,
though I'd be interested in hearing the first hand experience of
anyone who has used one or more of them; pluses and minuses.
(Corrections and additions to the following list are welcome as it's
possible that this thread may be Googled some day by someone else with
the same question):

Flickr
--------
Allows viewer comments.
Allows privacy levels for both showing photos and allowing viewer
comments.
Stores multiple photo sizes.
Allows notes and tags on specific parts of the photo.
Doesn't seem to include Exif information, except perhaps as part of a
caption. (Not sure of that.)
Allows separate albums through Flickr Organizr
Allows group photo pools.
Not sure whether it offers hit counters or other stats.
Free account limit 20 meg of uploads per month and 3 photo sets
(galleries).
Pro account 2 Gig per month with unlimited storage, bandwidth and
photo sets, $US24.95 per annum.
Damn ugly pink and blue motif which, I grant you, probably isn't much
of an issue.

PBase
------------
Allows comments.
Allows comments to be limited to users or subscribers.
Allows password protected galleries, but warns on the Terms of Service
page that it's possible for people to circumvent these. (Not sure
whether that's just a precautionary "no web site is 100% unhackable"
comment, or whether they know of specific issues.)
Also allows non-public galleries which don't show in your gallery
list.
Generates a small, medium and large image upon upload. (Help/Image
page)
Can include Exif information in tabular format.
Has a hit counter.
No free accounts aside from a 30 day trial account which is limited to
10 meg of space and can be terminated after 30 days.
$US23 per annum for 400 Meg of storage, $US60 per year for 1.2Gig.

ShutterCity
----------------
Allows viewer comments.
Doesn't seem to limit comments, and they can only be removed by sys
admins.
Doesn't seem to have multiple galleries or private galleries.
Lots of unexplained icons and number codes in the gallery view.
Shows Exif data in the heading section of the page.
Maximum file size 150k.
Offers statistics on number of hits.
Accounts are free but donations are encouraged.
Appears to be an enthusiast-run site, which is great... but it shows
IMHO.

Photo.Net
-----------------
Allows viewer comments.
Doesn't seem to limit comments to (eg) registered users.
Doesn't seem to allow private galleries.
Allows Exif data to be shown in a Details table.
Maximum file size 100k, 800*600
You're asked to subscribe at $25pa (presumably USD) "if you
participate heavily", which is a little vague and doesn't seem to
offer any real incentive in terms of additional features.

 

Flickr: EXIF is visible if present. Click on More Properties when
viewing a photo page.
Flickr shows the view count per photo and also the count of people who
have marked a photo as a favourite. You can also see who made it a
favourite, but not who viewed it.

Also for flickr there is an internal mail system.

There is a free control available that allows programatic access to
Flickr and is used by the guy that owns this web site.
http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/

Flickr has a Contact system where contacts can be marked as just that
or they can be friends or family. Photo privacy uses these
attributes.

Flickr Groups are a whole subject in themselves.


--
Joan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joan-in-manly

: Toward the end of "Nice new thread", the question of photo sharing
: sites came up.
:
: This is something that I've been giving some thought to myself
: recently, as I think it's about time to put some of my shots out
there
: as well. The question is, which one to go for?
:
: Unlike some the parasitic attitude of "I deserve everything for
free"
: holds no appeal to me, so I'm quite happy to pay for the service;
and
: indeed would prefer to make a reasonable contribution for a
reasonable
: return.
:
: Browsing through the Help / FAQ pages of the four sites that I'm
most
: familiar with has resulted in the list of features below. On balance
: Flickr appears to offer the best combination of features and value,
: though I'd be interested in hearing the first hand experience of
: anyone who has used one or more of them; pluses and minuses.
: (Corrections and additions to the following list are welcome as it's
: possible that this thread may be Googled some day by someone else
with
: the same question):
:
: Flickr
: --------
: Allows viewer comments.
: Allows privacy levels for both showing photos and allowing viewer
: comments.
: Stores multiple photo sizes.
: Allows notes and tags on specific parts of the photo.
: Doesn't seem to include Exif information, except perhaps as part of
a
: caption. (Not sure of that.)
: Allows separate albums through Flickr Organizr
: Allows group photo pools.
: Not sure whether it offers hit counters or other stats.
: Free account limit 20 meg of uploads per month and 3 photo sets
: (galleries).
: Pro account 2 Gig per month with unlimited storage, bandwidth and
: photo sets, $US24.95 per annum.
: Damn ugly pink and blue motif which, I grant you, probably isn't
much
: of an issue.
:
: PBase
: ------------
: Allows comments.
: Allows comments to be limited to users or subscribers.
: Allows password protected galleries, but warns on the Terms of
Service
: page that it's possible for people to circumvent these. (Not sure
: whether that's just a precautionary "no web site is 100% unhackable"
: comment, or whether they know of specific issues.)
: Also allows non-public galleries which don't show in your gallery
: list.
: Generates a small, medium and large image upon upload. (Help/Image
: page)
: Can include Exif information in tabular format.
: Has a hit counter.
: No free accounts aside from a 30 day trial account which is limited
to
: 10 meg of space and can be terminated after 30 days.
: $US23 per annum for 400 Meg of storage, $US60 per year for 1.2Gig.
:
: ShutterCity
: ----------------
: Allows viewer comments.
: Doesn't seem to limit comments, and they can only be removed by sys
: admins.
: Doesn't seem to have multiple galleries or private galleries.
: Lots of unexplained icons and number codes in the gallery view.
: Shows Exif data in the heading section of the page.
: Maximum file size 150k.
: Offers statistics on number of hits.
: Accounts are free but donations are encouraged.
: Appears to be an enthusiast-run site, which is great... but it shows
: IMHO.
:
: Photo.Net
: -----------------
: Allows viewer comments.
: Doesn't seem to limit comments to (eg) registered users.
: Doesn't seem to allow private galleries.
: Allows Exif data to be shown in a Details table.
: Maximum file size 100k, 800*600
: You're asked to subscribe at $25pa (presumably USD) "if you
: participate heavily", which is a little vague and doesn't seem to
: offer any real incentive in terms of additional features.

 

G'day Alan. For $60/year you can get an account at http://www.smugmug.com/

I have used them since inception about 4 years ago & i would be hard pressed
to find a better support base or site that has the customisation that it
has. Here is a sample of the type of support offered.
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=26043

My 2 bob anyway.
Cheers mate Boris.

 

Also if you pay flickr, you can browse ad free.

--
Joan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joan-in-manly

: Flickr: EXIF is visible if present. Click on More Properties when
: viewing a photo page.
: Flickr shows the view count per photo and also the count of people
who
: have marked a photo as a favourite. You can also see who made it a
: favourite, but not who viewed it.
:
: Also for flickr there is an internal mail system.
:
: There is a free control available that allows programatic access to
: Flickr and is used by the guy that owns this web site.
: http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/
:
: Flickr has a Contact system where contacts can be marked as just
that
: or they can be friends or family. Photo privacy uses these
: attributes.
:
: Flickr Groups are a whole subject in themselves.
:
:
: --
: Joan
: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joan-in-manly
:
: :: Toward the end of "Nice new thread", the question of photo sharing
:: sites came up.
::
:: This is something that I've been giving some thought to myself
:: recently, as I think it's about time to put some of my shots out
: there
:: as well. The question is, which one to go for?
::
:: Unlike some the parasitic attitude of "I deserve everything for
: free"
:: holds no appeal to me, so I'm quite happy to pay for the service;
: and
:: indeed would prefer to make a reasonable contribution for a
: reasonable
:: return.
::
:: Browsing through the Help / FAQ pages of the four sites that I'm
: most
:: familiar with has resulted in the list of features below. On
balance
:: Flickr appears to offer the best combination of features and value,
:: though I'd be interested in hearing the first hand experience of
:: anyone who has used one or more of them; pluses and minuses.
:: (Corrections and additions to the following list are welcome as
it's
:: possible that this thread may be Googled some day by someone else
: with
:: the same question):
::
:: Flickr
:: --------
:: Allows viewer comments.
:: Allows privacy levels for both showing photos and allowing viewer
:: comments.
:: Stores multiple photo sizes.
:: Allows notes and tags on specific parts of the photo.
:: Doesn't seem to include Exif information, except perhaps as part of
: a
:: caption. (Not sure of that.)
:: Allows separate albums through Flickr Organizr
:: Allows group photo pools.
:: Not sure whether it offers hit counters or other stats.
:: Free account limit 20 meg of uploads per month and 3 photo sets
:: (galleries).
:: Pro account 2 Gig per month with unlimited storage, bandwidth and
:: photo sets, $US24.95 per annum.
:: Damn ugly pink and blue motif which, I grant you, probably isn't
: much
:: of an issue.
::
:: PBase
:: ------------
:: Allows comments.
:: Allows comments to be limited to users or subscribers.
:: Allows password protected galleries, but warns on the Terms of
: Service
:: page that it's possible for people to circumvent these. (Not sure
:: whether that's just a precautionary "no web site is 100%
unhackable"
:: comment, or whether they know of specific issues.)
:: Also allows non-public galleries which don't show in your gallery
:: list.
:: Generates a small, medium and large image upon upload. (Help/Image
:: page)
:: Can include Exif information in tabular format.
:: Has a hit counter.
:: No free accounts aside from a 30 day trial account which is limited
: to
:: 10 meg of space and can be terminated after 30 days.
:: $US23 per annum for 400 Meg of storage, $US60 per year for 1.2Gig.
::
:: ShutterCity
:: ----------------
:: Allows viewer comments.
:: Doesn't seem to limit comments, and they can only be removed by sys
:: admins.
:: Doesn't seem to have multiple galleries or private galleries.
:: Lots of unexplained icons and number codes in the gallery view.
:: Shows Exif data in the heading section of the page.
:: Maximum file size 150k.
:: Offers statistics on number of hits.
:: Accounts are free but donations are encouraged.
:: Appears to be an enthusiast-run site, which is great... but it
shows
:: IMHO.
::
:: Photo.Net
:: -----------------
:: Allows viewer comments.
:: Doesn't seem to limit comments to (eg) registered users.
:: Doesn't seem to allow private galleries.
:: Allows Exif data to be shown in a Details table.
:: Maximum file size 100k, 800*600
:: You're asked to subscribe at $25pa (presumably USD) "if you
:: participate heavily", which is a little vague and doesn't seem to
:: offer any real incentive in terms of additional features.
:

 

Thanks Joan.

 

Thanks Boris. That site is more expensive, but does appear to be more
feature rich. I admit to being tempted. For reference, I've included a
block similar to those in my earlier post:

SmugMug
------------------
Standard account $USD39.95 per year (unlimited storage, 6Gigabytes of
transfers per month), Power Users $USD 59.95 per year (unlimited
storage, 12 Gigabytes of transfers per month), Professional $USD149.95
(no limits).
Allows comments and allows user to regulate them.
Allows private and passworded galleries.
Includes hit stats.
Customisable gallery interface (completely customisable for power
users)
Exif can be displayed in a pop-up window.

 

Has anyone tried photosite? www.photosite.com It's used quite extensively by
portrait photographers in the US for online proofing, and seems moderately
customable, and is quite inexpensive.

Rose

 

I use a photoblogging service called my expressions.

http://www.my-expressions.com/

I have been very pleased with them, costs about Aus $4 a month for
100mb of space.

They will be releasing new code soon under the name of vividry with
many new features, not sure when though.

Regards,

Jeremy


http://phototext.photopholio.com/index.html