The most common complaint that I hear about digital photography is that the pictures aren’t “real”. They are, but you need to know how to use them and show them.
Back in the olden days when cameras used expensive film that required expensive developing, picture taking was a special event. People brought out the camera only on vacations or big family gatherings. They shot pictures (most of them bad). Eventually they ended up with an envelope full of prints that found their way into a shoebox that now resides somewhere in the attic. Now THOSE are real pictures.
What those really are, are relics. Maybe one day your grandkids will go through those shoeboxes. When they’re not laughing at your glasses or the funny shirt you’re wearing, they’re going to wonder this simple question: why are these pictures here? I mean, if they’re important, why are they in a shoebox in your attic? The answer OF COURSE is that one day you’re going to put those pictures into a scrapbook.
Right.
Digital photos are different from their film counterparts. For one, even your phone now has a camera. We shoot pictures of everything all the time. Digital is different and once you’re used to it, you’ll be amazed at how much better digital pictures are.
You don’t need to print the pictures.
The only pictures I print out are done big enough to hang on the wall. I know that lots of people buy those fancy little photo printers. They pay a small fortune for ink cartridges and special photo paper. What do they get? They get a shoebox full of pictures that end up in the attic awaiting the grandkids laughter. I’m telling you, you don’t have to print them. You’re taking your pretty digital pictures and turning them into relics. Free yourself of that old way of thinking. There are better things to do with your digital pictures.
For one, have you ever noticed that the printed picture never looks as good as it did on your computer screen? That’s because your computer screen can show you 24 million colors. The photo printer can reproduce about 9 million. Your pictures look better on the screen, so how about we leave them there!
Have you ever said to someone, “Why don’t you come over to my house and I’ll show you the pictures from our vacation?”
How’s that working for you?
What’s valuable about pictures is sharing the pictures. Yes, I love to look at my pictures from our trip to Venice, but what I love more is to show those pictures to others. Better for sharing than a photo album, scrapbook or that shoebox is Flickr.
Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/ is a website where you can post your pictures. Your friends can look at them when they want, wherever they are in the world. What’s more cool is that others will look at your pictures too. They’ll look and comment about them. They may even share them with their friends. When I post a picture on Flickr, I know that hundreds of people will look at it (I have one photo that has been looked at by 15,000 people!). In other words, the sharing part of picture taking – the best thing about taking pictures – is now much bigger and better than it ever could be in the shoebox world.
What’s more, I have made so many new friends by sharing my pictures, and looking at my friend’s pictures. Who would have thought that? I’ve now even gone out shooting with these “Flickr Friends” – and I’m a better photographer now because of them. That never would have happened with those pictures in my attic.
Some tips about Flickr:
· Don’t post all of your pictures of the birthday party at Aunt Edith’s. Post just one picture. It will force you to pick the best one. Your friends will thank you.
· Join some groups and post your pictures. Groups help draw people in to look at your photostream.
· Comment on other people’s pictures. The best way to make a friend is to be a friend.
· If you’re going to really use Flickr, you should invest in a Pro account. It’s $24.95 for a whole year, and you can store as many pictures as you’d like.
Feel free to contact me if you have questions. I can be reached through Flickr! http://www.flickr.com/photos/plastictubing/
