AVforums photo albums - what features are needed?

**Stuart Wright** · 13-01-2009, 9:09 PM

Guys, I want to encourage you to use the AVForums photo album feature which is available to you.

Quote:

Pictures Remaining 60
Maximum File Size per Picture 97.7 KB
Maximum Picture Dimensions 600 by 600 Pixels

How does this compare to sites like Flickr and Smugmug?

py6km · 13-01-2009, 9:12 PM

As you might expect it looks pretty limited compared to the offerings from sites dedicated to this sort of thing (particularly the size and dimension limits), but I appreciate the need to draw the line somewhere.

Basic Flickr accounts are limited by bandwidth (so you can only upload a certain amount per day), whereas 'Pro' (paid for) accounts are unlimited. Not sure about SM as I don't use it.

T0MAT01 · 13-01-2009, 9:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart Wright

How does this compare to sites like Flickr and Smugmug?

I think the only limit I have with a flickr pro account is a max 10MB/photo, with no pixel limit. That costs $13 per year so it's not really surprising that it trumps the forum's free photo album.

600 x 600 pixels and 97.7 KB limit seem a bit small when compared to the max size allowed when embedding in a post (300KB and 1024 pixels on the longest egde).

RobDickinson · 13-01-2009, 9:28 PM

Honestly not sure I'd be uploading pics to a forum/site like this regardless of the size/space.

**senu** · 13-01-2009, 9:31 PM

Thanks for highlighting this

I only knew about it today and will give it a go
I can see it as a little collection but it is way too limited compared to flickr in more ways than one
However it is nice to actually have it but I see it as an in house complementary feature rather than replacement

Apart from size limitations,( which is a huge problem even with non pro flickr as compression robs images of quality so much ) creation of slideshows,, , use of tags, personalisation features, batch captures, ect there are many free scripts written to make Flickr user experience very convenient ( on Black ect )( I dont use many ) but I recently installed scrriptmonkey which automates linking

**senu** · 13-01-2009, 9:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobDickinson

Honestly not sure I'd be uploading pics to a forum/site like this regardless of the size/space.

Why not?
How do you mean Forum site " like this"?
You do embed your images from elsewhere here dont you?

**Stuart Wright** · 13-01-2009, 9:34 PM

Without crippling the server with this, and knowing that we can't compete with a dedicated site, I can up the limits somewhat.
Size is now 1024x1024 max and larger file upload size.

**senu** · 13-01-2009, 9:40 PM

Stuart,
This might have the effect of some folk uploading a few images they want to show here but My gut feeling is that many here who have 8Mp and above DSLRs and want to keep some quality, as well as the customisable features of the established sites will not be persuaded to use it much
I suspect that with all the goodwill in the world, our servers will feel the heat.. eventually
Just my opinion though
I will certainly give it a go for usability ( says the photgraphy mod..

)

Martin.D · 13-01-2009, 9:41 PM

Great stuff..

Is there a chance that below each thumbnail we can see how many times a photo has been viewed?

I have my Album set up already - Link

RobDickinson · 13-01-2009, 9:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by senu

Why not?
How do you mean Forum site " like this"?
You do embed your images from elsewhere here dont you?

Yes - and thats why, all my pics are uploaded to one site and linked to from there (to many other places, shared with familty etc). A site specificaly for storing and linking photo's.

I cant be doing with uploading my pics all over the place.

RobDickinson · 13-01-2009, 9:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart Wright

Without crippling the server with this, and knowing that we can't compete with a dedicated site, I can up the limits somewhat.
Size is now 1024x1024 max and larger file upload size.

I dont understand why you'd even want to though?

Yandros · 13-01-2009, 9:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart Wright

Without crippling the server with this, and knowing that we can't compete with a dedicated site, I can up the limits somewhat.
Size is now 1024x1024 max and larger file upload size.

That's pretty nice actually

Just out of interest, having had a quick rummage, the biggest file that I've linked to using the current forum guidelines is 800x547 and 227kb.

All this is somewhat academic for me fortunately as I have a server/leased line to play with, so I'm not reliant on the (currently rather controversial) 3rd party image hosts.

tps58 · 13-01-2009, 9:52 PM

Didn't know this was available but will use it now. I've got a Pro Flickr account but when discussing PP other peeps photos (there's exactly such a thread re SB600 flash probs at the moment) I'd rather upload my edits of pic to the AV location rather than mix with my original work on Flickr.

Cheers

T

**Stuart Wright** · 13-01-2009, 9:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j.rhy@n

Is there a chance that below each thumbnail we can see how many times a photo has been viewed?

You'd think there would be, wouldn't you? Asking whether there is a hack.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobDickinson

I dont understand why you'd even want to though?

If we came close then it might be worth it. If we're not even close to the features and functionality then we won't bother.

**senu** · 13-01-2009, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart Wright

If we came close then it might be worth it. If we're not even close to the features and functionality then we won't bother.

To be fair Flickr has evolved rather a lot from inception

Ill let others comment more on the features and functionality as I use Flickr in a basic way myself

denno75uk · 13-01-2009, 10:09 PM

Whilst it's unlikely I would use the AVForum Albums to host any of my photos (for reasons stated by others ie. file size/dimensions, uploading to more than one location), I would just like to say that I appreciate the effort made by AVForums to provide the service.

Cheers Stuart.

booyaka · 13-01-2009, 10:29 PM

hassle of uploading as other have said. no need to upload photo's more than once when using flickr

T0MAT01 · 13-01-2009, 10:43 PM

At the moment the photo albums seem a bit seperated from the main photography forum. I think you need to bring the 2 together if you want people to start using it more.

Perhaps you could use a system a bit like flickr's explore where the 5 most popular photos each day - decided by view count or maybe even a viewers rating - get displayed at the top of the main photography forum (and maybe even on the homepage) for all to see.

That ought to help encourage people to use the albums, rather than simply posting photos to the perpetual photography thread and such like.

jonnypb · 14-01-2009, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denno75uk

I would just like to say that I appreciate the effort made by AVForums to provide the service.

+1

- It's nice that people are trying to develop AvForums but.....

I use smugmug which is basically unlimited bandwidth and storage, not restrict to 1024x1024, fully cuztomizable albums, hide and password galleries, upload video. Basically I use it as a website but also as photo storage and upload all my photos there (original sizes) as a backup even if they're not displayed on the main site.

**Ian_S** · 14-01-2009, 7:23 AM

Hi Stuart,

I find the viewing facility rather annoying as it resizes everything automatically, when you click the bar as instructed you're then dumped into a new browser window.

If you click the picture, you stay in the same window, but are now outside the picture viewing bit so can't simply go next or previous either. So going through a set of photos and viewing them at full size is very awkward.

There's no slideshow facility
No EXIF information
Doesn't appear to be any tagging
Can you direct link just the photo from elsewhere?
No metadata or tag searching
No bulk upload
Random gallery viewing feature?

I think the photo part would need quite substantial changes to even get close to the dedicated hosting sites myself.

I agree with a previous post in that you tend to use the one main site for storing web-photos, so to tempt people out of that you would have to offer the same service which could be difficult.

However, I also agree that the increased limits might help more casual use for example photos in discussion topics on the site where people may not want to put such a picture on their main site. So that's a definite

EDIT: For some reason the attachment viewing is much nicer with its popup flash type interface. Integration of that into the photo album section would be a definite step forwards.

kBm · 14-01-2009, 8:27 AM

I can only echo what has already been said - FlickR has the ease and functionality.

If you want usage, why not state all photo competitions entries should be uploaded to the AVforum photo album?

danburbridge · 14-01-2009, 8:55 AM

Could you not use the Flickr API to add functionality to the forum, rather than trying to re-invent the wheel so to speak?

Might be worth looking at depending on how its licensing etc works

sleaver · 14-01-2009, 9:08 AM

If need be I'll duck for the flying bricks, but is this anything to do with certain links in signitures? By that I mean the forum introducing this feature so that we use this instead of Flickr/SmugMug and so removing the need for us to go to other sites to upload/view photos?

TarMoo · 14-01-2009, 9:59 AM

I added a few pictured to a Gallery yesterday. I was half expecting to see a "My Photos" link on the left of each of my posts where the "My Movies" link is - but there is no photo link to your albums.

The size of photos was too small for typical 1024 sized JPG - so I uploaded medium sized flickr image instead. Only 60 pictures, which is small for enthusiasts. You can add to a group, but there are no photo groups - perhaps if these groups can be created they should appear in the Photo section rather than "Social Groups" section of the forum.

Flickr, Smugmug and Zenfolio allow comments on photos and show stats on how many times viewed. This is quite useful.

Ian J · 14-01-2009, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TarMoo

Flickr, Smugmug and Zenfolio allow comments on photos and show stats on how many times viewed. This is quite useful.

Please enlighten someone not that interested in photography why it's useful to know how many people have viewed your photographs

stevegreen · 14-01-2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian J

Please enlighten someone not that interested in photography why it's useful to know how many people have viewed your photographs

Ego

Martin.D · 14-01-2009, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian J

Please enlighten someone not that interested in photography why it's useful to know how many people have viewed your photographs

Thread is about "what features are needed" showing the number of times a photo is viewed is a feature. I don’t think it's about showing off it's more about how much people show an interest in the content you put up on show. All other photo galleries known to me have the same feature so why not here on AV forums.

A lot of people seem to be giving negative feedback about the newly added album's to your profile, but once your away from the photo section people can still take an interest in your work by clicking on the link in your profile. You don’t have to upload your entire collection, maybe use it for uploading some of your best work..

pixelpixel · 14-01-2009, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danburbridge

Could you not use the Flickr API to add functionality to the forum, rather than trying to re-invent the wheel so to speak?

Might be worth looking at depending on how its licensing etc works

phpFlickr is your answer.