How do I upload my pics now...?

[El Sid]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

From what I have read above, I gather that if I were to post an image directly onto this forum, the quality would not be as good as if I first posted it onto a Flickr account and then posted it from Flickr into this forum?

So does this mean that Flickr does something to enhance images posted there, or does it mean that this forum does something to reduce an image's quality?

Why can't a good image be posted onto this forum and remain as good as it was on a computer screen?

I'm rather puzzled about this so can someone explain why it's better to post via Flickr rather than posting directly into this forum?

What does Flickr do that this forum doesn't?

From memory, though I think it is detailed somewhere on the forum, the maximum size for images embedded into the forum rather than hotlinked to a web host is 800 pixels on the longest side and with a filesize no larger than 60kB. As Alex says I understand this is down to the cost of storage space for onsite hosting.

Flickr does appear to use far more efficient resizing algorithm when reducing images to the various size options offered in by the sharing option than the forum does. I have found that if I keep the image size down to 800pixels and 60kB or less it is possible to post images directly that appear with the same quality as they do in the editing software. That said the compression sometimes required to meet the 60kB limit causes other problems with posterisation effects and artefacts that severely impact and limit image quality.

For this reason I limit direct uploads to examples of my interpretation/critique of pictures previously posted. For my own original posts I use Flickr

[AlexR!]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

There are others more expert than I, but I believe that when posting an image direct to this forum the image automatically gets resized, which will reduce its quality. The rationale being that this site's owner provides it all to us for free so why should he also fund the unlimited amount of storage that would be needed if we all uploaded huge files to his server.

As a matter of interest, this is a link to a Flickr image I posted this morning:


Lord's Pavilion by AlexR!, on Flickr

And this is a direct upload of the same sized original:
48730914756_2cca1863dc_o.jpg

[Texas]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

From what I have read above, I gather that if I were to post an image directly onto this forum, the quality would not be as good as if I first posted it onto a Flickr account and then posted it from Flickr into this forum?

So does this mean that Flickr does something to enhance images posted there, or does it mean that this forum does something to reduce an image's quality?

Why can't a good image be posted onto this forum and remain as good as it was on a computer screen?

I'm rather puzzled about this so can someone explain why it's better to post via Flickr rather than posting directly into this forum?

What does Flickr do that this forum doesn't?

[emilyanderson]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

500px will be the alternate way...

[Richard W]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

Why can't we have the ability to post from a PC without going through a third party?

One reason is that images posted direct use resources (storage) on the forum which are limited. If everybody posted direct, more resources would be needed which would cost money, so who would pay? In effect, sites such as Flickr subsidise other sites by hosting images which can be linked to from other sites such as this. That's why some photo hosting sites stopped people from linking from their sites. I guess so long as Flickr can make enough money from adverts, they'll continue to allow a free service and linking.

[AndyMulhearn]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

Why can't we have the ability to post from a PC without going through a third party?
Ringway

You can. Click the insert image icon on the tool bar - third from the right. Images tend to not look as good, which is why people use Flickr a lot, but you're not forced to use Flickr.

[Harewood]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

Why can't we have the ability to post from a PC without going through a third party?
Ringway

[the black fox]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

As Andy so rightly states ,those of us that go back to when Flickr was a community rather than a yahoo business model many of us had “pro” accounts ,which were charged yearly ,when yahoo took over they introduced massive free account limits and a good few of us reasoned that there was no point retaining a paid for service to get the same result .

When all the changes happened quite a lot of my contacts migrated to another hosting site based in France called” ipernity “ I believe this is still up and running as I saw a link to it the other day .

I’m totally with Robert on this one jay jay I think your causing much ado about nothing sit back and wait and see is the best option

[AndyMulhearn]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

As previously ststed I do not want to be railroaded from a free to use system to a paid for one. Smugmug do not offer a free version. They say so on their website. The minimum fee is $3.99 per month and they do not, at present, have a plan to have a free version.

I would think if you haven’t signed up for a paid account with Flickr and haven’t entered any card details into Flickr for SmugMug to use, your chance of being railroaded into anything is going to be fairly slim? On that basis, I’d say you’re safe to let things ride for a while and see how things play out. At the least, I would imagine SmugMug would need to get your approval of any charges, regardless of what they say in their emails about deleting your account and photos - it’s one thing to assume migration of an account based on someone not saying no, something completely different to take charges without explicit approval...

Personally I have a Flickr Pro account which costs more than the minimum SmugMug account but I would be contacting my card issuer if I see any charges from SmugMug without my explicit approval.

[antoeknee]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

Just found the email in my BT spam folder too. Also found an article on CNET site, extract from report:

SmugMug costs money. Is this the end of free Flickr accounts?

Emphatically not.

"Flickr's free accounts are foundational to its community of influential and engaged photographers. We are not making any changes to Flickr plans or rates at this time," SmugMug said in a tweet. And in a Quora post, MacAskill added, "We are committed to a huge, healthy, vibrant community of people using the free plan."

Don MacAskill is SmugMug Chief Executive. However the 'rates at this time' in the statement still raises questions.

[JayJay]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

When you first signed up to Flickr you will have had to accept their terms and conditions. As Smugmug now own Flickr you need to accept Smugmug's T&Cs instead.

Obviously if you don't want to accept their T&Cs you will no longer be able to use Flickr.

What is in Smugmug's T&Cs that weren't in Flickr's and that you are reluctant to accept?

As previously ststed I do not want to be railroaded from a free to use system to a paid for one. Smugmug do not offer a free version. They say so on their website. The minimum fee is $3.99 per month and they do not, at present, have a plan to have a free version.

[AlexR!]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

Maybe I'm being naive but having read the link I'm not doing anything. It seems to me that my Flickr account, photos and links will all continue just as before. I have probably been sent an email but because I only ever opened that yahoo account to join Flickr and I've never accessed it since I'll probably never know. I'll just wait and see and react should things stop working.
I also, like most people, can't be bothered to read the minutiae of the new T&Cs. Terrible, I know, and if asked I would recommend to everyone else that it is best practice that they should. But hey, I'm sure its fine.

[colin C]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

Just my thoughts on this:

I used to use Photobucket as my free hosting site. When Photobucket decided to charge a fee for this service, I closed my account and joined Flickr. I understand that Smumug charge a fee for hosting photo's and although at the moment my Flickr account can be migrated to Smugmug without any fee in the short term, there are no guarantees that the situation will remain.

As far as I am aware, Flickr is the only free hosting site and I would strongly suspect that part of Smugmug's business model for the purchase of Flickr is to introduce a fee in the near future. No reason why not, as there is no competition offering a free hosting service.

When this happens, I will have to decide what this service is worth to me, against what they are looking to charge me. I like the convenience of Flickr (Smugmug) and I like the quality that I and others can view my images at, but my only other option is a direct upload, where the quality suffers.

So, I suppose it is "watch this space" and see whether they are going to be sensible, or greedy with their fees.

[ctrollen]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

When you first signed up to Flickr you will have had to accept their terms and conditions. As Smugmug now own Flickr you need to accept Smugmug's T&Cs instead.

Obviously if you don't want to accept their T&Cs you will no longer be able to use Flickr.

What is in Smugmug's T&Cs that weren't in Flickr's and that you are reluctant to accept?

[JayJay]

Re: How do I upload my pics now...?

I've had a read of the link you suggested. It still is, I think, as I understand. That is, if you don't want to accept the Smugmug terms then you need to remove your pictures from flickr by the end of this month and also close your flickr account.

I did notice two or three lines that say that for the time being flickr will still offer a free access to it. But you don't want to accept the Smugmug terms then you have to close your flickr account and remove your pictures.

How then can you still use a free flickr option if you have to do as flickr/Smugmug tell you? I can't find anywhere where you can reopen or renew a flickr account. Does anyone know differently?