Flickr

[Coldkennels]

I'll throw out another platform: Discord, which is big w/gamers & other tech folks. Like Mastodon, it has "servers" for different interest groups (beyond coding & gaming), including photography

The major problem with Discord for me is that it's really just a large series of unconnected chat rooms. Nothing is particularly well-archived or searchable, and you can't access anything without you join that particular server first. It's really at its best for smaller groups, organisation, and niche discussion. It doesn't scale well.

A lot's talked about the different "servers" on Mastodon, but they don't behave the way servers do on Discord. I joined mastodon.social, but being on there doesn't stop me seeing or talking to anyone on mastodon.art, or fediscience.org, or photog.social or so on; they're all linked, and if you follow people on those servers (or hashtags used on those servers), the posts come into your feed just like you'd expect on Twitter, regardless of where they're hosted.

The real benefit is that if you've got a server known for hosting "bad actors" - everything from Alt Right/racist/outright fascist propaganda on one hand to CSAM on the other - the people running your server can (and likely will) cut ties with the problematic server. The result of that is that, as far as "social media" goes, it's a much more tolerable place to be overall.

(Of course you can still block individuals if you'd like - or hide certain keywords or phrases to stop posts about them appearing in your feed.)

 

[Tim Murphy]

I`d be interested in the boards view regarding the photo site Flickr.
I`ve used it for many years but there are now other ways to repost shots and ... at least for me ... sites such as Insta provide more varied and interesting content .
Am I missing something ?

Michael Markey

Dear Michael,

I use Flickr, but nowadays it's mostly to store photos that are easy to access and easy to post on the various websites and forums I visit.

When I first joined many years ago I joined groups dedicated to various cameras, lenses, and photographic interests of mine. I checked today on my group memberships and some of them haven't seen a post in a year or more! Meanwhile, I'm still enjoying some of those cameras and lenses that have long since been abandoned. 😉

I must admit that I am not the most tech-savvy person on Earth. So I tend to like things that are simple for me to use, and as long as they still work for me I'm good with that. At 63 years of age my days of chasing rainbows are drawing to a close. Familiarity is big to me now.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg PA 🙂

 

[Michael Markey]

Dear Tim

Thank you for that.
It mirrors my thoughts precisely .
I found that the old groups see little activity these days including the RFF group.
I`ve joined a couple of new groups but its a similar story.
As of yesterday I`m ten years ahead of you at 73 so, like you, not the most tech savvy either .
I`ve often nothing new to say as regards the photographs which I take although I still get called upon by friends so perhaps that fact alone has caused me to reflect .

Kind Regards

Michael Markey

 

[Bingley]

I joined Flickr in early 2007 and am still there. I administer a couple of groups and enjoy exploring the site for photographers doing interesting work. The Yahoo years were pretty grim. I flirted w Ipernity as an alternative but it was a pretty dead place. Things improved after Smugmug bought Flickr: the layout vastly improved and the new owners re-oriented the site back to photography rather than try to make it into a FB clone. It’s true there are a lot of groups that appear dead or lack administration, but there are new groups springing up all the time. In comparison, Instagram is a hellscape for still photography and FB is not much better. I have more interactions w other photographers on Flickr than on Insta or FB. Even though it is a Meta product, Threads has an active and growing group of photographers… it will be interesting to see whether it becomes a community of photographers…

 

[Erik van Straten]

Unfortunately the layout of Flickr is now disastrous. How can people do such a thing?

 

[mapgraphs]

In a stroke of genius with the new layout, flickr has eliminated exif display. /sarc.

 

[Dogman]

I'm still seeing the same layout and EXIF information is there if you click it. I've tried viewing the photos of several of the people I follow and I see the same thing. I'm confused...is there an alternate view in Flickr? I've never really spent much time there except to post photos and view those of others. I don't do groups and I don't keep up with Flickr news. Maybe I missed something.

 

[Bingley]

Unfortunately the layout of Flickr is now disastrous. How can people do such a thing?

Erik, I usually look at Flickr on an iPad and haven’t noticed changes to how Flickr displays photos. What changes to the layout are you seeing?

 

[mapgraphs]

I just clicked through to flickr from one of the photos I've posted in a thread here and the info on the right initially shows more data (# of views etc.) and then disappears. So, with the new photo layout, for non-subscribers apparently, some stuff is being scrubbed. A continuing effort to monetize the site probably. You want to see more, ante up, I guess...

 

[Erik van Straten]

Erik, I usually look at Flickr on an iPad and haven’t noticed changes to how Flickr displays photos. What changes to the layout are you seeing?

I can't find the "new" entrance anymore ...

 

[furcafe]

The major problem with Discord for me is that it's really just a large series of unconnected chat rooms. Nothing is particularly well-archived or searchable, and you can't access anything without you join that particular server first. It's really at its best for smaller groups, organisation, and niche discussion. It doesn't scale well.

A lot's talked about the different "servers" on Mastodon, but they don't behave the way servers do on Discord. I joined mastodon.social, but being on there doesn't stop me seeing or talking to anyone on mastodon.art, or fediscience.org, or photog.social or so on; they're all linked, and if you follow people on those servers (or hashtags used on those servers), the posts come into your feed just like you'd expect on Twitter, regardless of where they're hosted.

The real benefit is that if you've got a server known for hosting "bad actors" - everything from Alt Right/racist/outright fascist propaganda on one hand to CSAM on the other - the people running your server can (and likely will) cut ties with the problematic server. The result of that is that, as far as "social media" goes, it's a much more tolerable place to be overall.

(Of course you can still block individuals if you'd like - or hide certain keywords or phrases to stop posts about them appearing in your feed.)

As a complete non-tech person, my understanding is that Discord was indeed designed for facilitating discussions & collaboration among smaller groups, which is the only reason I'm on it (the local film photography group). A few friends who are photographers are on Discord, but they use it for their coder & gamer communities, not photography (we interact IRL, via group texts, etc.). I haven't tried Mastodon, but I've never been a big user of Twitter/X for social interaction/discussion, either; it's mainly just a place where I broadcast my Instagram posts (same w/Blue Sky or Threads).

 

[Bingley]

"Bit dull and lifeless" ... everything becomes a bit dull and lifeless after a while. Flickr is a useful instrument. There are a lot of people that use Flickr who produce original and interesting things. There is a guy who collects old pictures of the first aeroplanes, Kees Kort, wonderful! And I love and enjoy the work of LA FAUTEAUNEGATIF, Natasha Buzina and many others.

Erik.

Great recommendations. I also follow La Fauteaunegatif!

 

[Bingley]

One point that doesn’t appear to have mentioned is that Flickr does not compress files like Insta and FB do. Johnny Martyr has a blog post comparing some of the current social media sites from the standpoint of a film photographer, here: Twitter X, Threads & My Take on Social Media Best Suited for Photographers

I’m inclined to agree w/ his assessment that Flickr’s display of photos is superior to Insta and FB.

 

[Michael Markey]

Interesting that Johnny says "While my largest followings and greatest activity are currently on Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram,"
I think that was my original suspicion ie that activity has deceased on Flickr.
I agree about the better display though on Flickr but its not a big consideration for me.

 

[bjorke]

Flickr is great when there's an editorial hand. It's miserable when people are either just pouring-on junk (like instagram) or thinking they are the "you toned that black an white picture! infidel!" police.

The best Flickr group appears to be New Black and White even though it's a decade old or more now. Some former members: Tatsuo Suzuki, Alan Schaller, experimenters and a handful of regular posters building-up coherent bodies of work over time -- something very tough on other platforms, still. An ideological neighbor might be "( eclipse )" formerly called "Dark Side of the Sun."

The Hollywood Portrait Lighting group also has some good regulars (and so-so occasional randos who don't quite see to "get it"). Vincent Versace is the #1 poster iirc.

 

[Michael Markey]

I don`t think these folk are pouring on junk.

julian.bnwphotography​

jens_ochlich​

peterturnley​

fotographz​

larryniehues​

mikeleica​

Lots more good stuff on there ... all be it there is a lot which isn`t and the format might not be optimum.
I agree .

Michael Markey

 

[Bingley]

I don`t think these folk are pouring on junk.

julian.bnwphotography​

jens_ochlich​

peterturnley​

fotographz​

larryniehues​

mikeleica​

Lots more good stuff on there ... all be it there is a lot which isn`t and the format might not be optimum.
I agree .

Michael Markey

Agree that these photographers are showing good stuff. Alas, although there are photos of Peter Turnley and some by him on Flickr, he does not appear to have a Flickr account any longer. He posts on Insta and FB instead.

 

[Michael Markey]

I`ve followed him for a number of years on FB and now on Insta .
Incidentally that was just a small selection .
If you look up the folk who follow them you`ll find that there are some real good photographers on there.

Michael Markey

 

[titrisol]

Somehow one of my pictures made it to explore in flickr, I have no idea how but suddenly it got hundreds of views and likes.

 

[SteveM(PA)]

I got one accepted into Less Is More after trying for forever. It feels pretty good. Also, I just realized I've been paying for Flickr for a few years now, I'm not sure why I ever did that. FAR less than 1000 pics. Yeesh.