Flickr Vs 500px et al

[The Bad Guy]

I've been a long time Flickr user and will continue to use it as a "kind of" back up (I upload full size jpegs of my finished photos), but I've also used it to get my name out there (my stuff garners between 2000 - 20000 views amongst other such activities) and share my work in as many groups as seemed appropriate.

That was until late last week. Seems my account has been switched from 'safe' to 'moderate' and that change basically stops me from entering my photos into groups, therefore limiting the exposure I can get myself.

My question to you all is, how comparable is 500px and other such photo based social media sites and what can you tell me about these sites? Basically: what site enables me to pimp my wares the best?

 

[maflynn]

Have you tried to contact Flickr about the change in your account. Tbh, I don't understand what they did but it seems your pictures ran afoul from some sort of policy

 

[Indydenny]

I have tried most of the other services (500px, ViewBug, etc) and they work quite differently. Also seems that the "community" is not as strong. What some have done is to have two accounts: one with the "tamer" photos; and one that contains more "moderate" photos.

The upside is that Flickr accounts are free and you already know the structure (this to me is a big issue as each site works so differently). The downside is managing two accounts.

 

[steveash]

500px is generally a higher level than Flickr, or at least it appears so. Mainly because it is designed for the best stuff to float to the top. Unfortunately their system also means that any photo, however good it is, will drop down out of view after a day or two. This means you need to have quite a following to keep consistant numbers of visitors and you need to post regularly. Like Flickr, it is almost entirely used by photographers, so generally not great for finding clients or getting work. It pains me to say it, but if you want to use social media to drum up interest then I think Instagram is still the best place.

 

[The Bad Guy]

Have you tried to contact Flickr about the change in your account.

Yeah, I may have to do that. I'm not expecting to speak with a human though. Let alone one that will look over my folio.

I have tried most of the other services (500px, ViewBug, etc) and they work quite differently. Also seems that the "community" is not as strong. What some have done is to have two accounts: one with the "tamer" photos; and one that contains more "moderate" photos.

The upside is that Flickr accounts are free and you already know the structure (this to me is a big issue as each site works so differently). The downside is managing two accounts.

Two Flickr accounts? No, that's not going to happen. Most of my shots are tame. I think there's partial nudity in about 5 of 500 photos.

500px is generally a higher level than Flickr, or at least it appears so. Mainly because it is designed for the best stuff to float to the top. Unfortunately their system also means that any photo, however good it is, will drop down out of view after a day or two. This means you need to have quite a following to keep consistant numbers of visitors and you need to post regularly. Like Flickr, it is almost entirely used by photographers, so generally not great for finding clients or getting work. It pains me to say it, but if you want to use social media to drum up interest then I think Instagram is still the best place.

I like posting where other photographers post. If I want my ego stroked, I'll post on Facebook.
500px has long been a curiosity to me, think I'll start an account and see what happens.

I'd be more active on Instagram, but:
1. Most my shots are in portrait orientation and I don't like the crop that happens there.
2. Having to email the files to my phone so as I can post is ridiculous.
3. I just don't like it.

 

[rx7dude]

I'd be more active on Instagram, but:
1. Most my shots are in portrait orientation and I don't like the crop that happens there.
2. Having to email the files to my phone so as I can post is ridiculous.
3. I just don't like it.

1. Crop is not mandatory.
2. Yeah, I hate having to post from a phone too. Work around is post to Flickr and then "share" from Flickr to Instagram. You still have to use a phone but at least you don't have to email it. Doing so keeps the same aspect ratio as Flickr.
3. Try it, you'll like it

 

[576316]

I would honestly consider a switch to Instagram. I ditched Flickr when it became too much work to get your stuff noticed, it seems there's a few users who get all the views and others who get barely any in comparison. Having to tag and enter photos into hundreds of groups just for ~20 favourites got very boring. Especially when you'd see other users with less followers getting hundreds, if not thousands more favourites and views than you.

In contrast, although uploads aren't very high res, I'm getting lots more attention on Instagram with minimal tagging. Instagram simply has many, many more users so there's plenty to go around. Their search algorithms seem to be a bit more generous than Flickr's. Plus Yahoo is going down the pan anyway and they could take Flickr with them.

So my advice to you would be to continue using Flickr as a back up, but consider promoting yourself on Instagram. Trust me...Instagram is not a dirty word. It's where the world goes to share their photos now. Plus now your photos don't have to be a square, it's even better for photographers. I'm just waiting for them to allow uploads larger than 1080 now!

Edit: I've just seen that you "don't like" Instagram. I definitely think it's worth your time. It's convenient for me as I do all my editing in VSCO for iOS so my photos are already on my phone or iPad. I guess it's not as convenient if you're editing on a desktop. But I'm sure there are utilities for sharing with Instagram. Also, as I stated earlier, you no longer have to crop to a square. You can upload your photos exactly as they are. Just add between 5 and 10 relevant and general tags and people will see your photos. People tend to be more like and comment happy on Instagram, there's a certain reluctance to engage on Flickr...

 

[Cheese&Apple]

I'd be more active on Instagram, but:
1. Most my shots are in portrait orientation and I don't like the crop that happens there.
2. Having to email the files to my phone so as I can post is ridiculous.
3. I just don't like it.

Haven't tried it and don't know the name but I know there is an app that you can use to post to Instagram from your desktop.

 

[Laird Knox]

You can use Hootsuite to schedule Instagram images from your desktop. Instagram won't let the PC post directly so it handles the transfer to the phone. You just open up the alert, click a time or two, and the post is made to Instagram. It works pretty well and you can setup two or three services (Instagram, Facebook, etc.) for free.

 

[HBOC]

500px used to be good years ago, but has gone downhill. there are still good photos on there, but seems more and more are just the same people posting the same things, and the good ones get unnoticed.

 

[Phrasikleia]

500px used to be good years ago, but has gone downhill. there are still good photos on there, but seems more and more are just the same people posting the same things, and the good ones get unnoticed.

^^^This.

Plus, if "pimping your wares", as you put it, is a priority, then 500px is not a good use of your time. They used to have a display format that made captions very visible beneath each photo, but then they changed everything and made it so that people do not even need to see the caption at all without making an effort to find it. So if you have information in your caption about workshops, prints, licensing, or whatever...chances are that nobody will ever see it. There was a time when they did, but now my Google analytics show absolutely no traffic coming from 500px anymore (maybe one click-through), even when I have a photo in the #1 spot of the whole site or when I get an Editor's Choice pick...it does nothing for me anymore. Therefore, I haven't posted to the site in about eight months.

 

[kenoh]

^^^This.

Plus, if "pimping your wares", as you put it, is a priority, then 500px is not a good use of your time. They used to have a display format that made captions very visible beneath each photo, but then they changed everything and made it so that people do not even need to see the caption at all without making an effort to find it. So if you have information in your caption about workshops, prints, licensing, or whatever...chances are that nobody will ever see it. There was a time when they did, but now my Google analytics show absolutely no traffic coming from 500px anymore (maybe one click-through), even when I have a photo in the #1 spot of the whole site or when I get an Editor's Choice pick...it does nothing for me anymore. Therefore, I haven't posted to the site in about eight months.

There's a sentence I doubt I will ever get to put in a post... "even when I have a photo in the #1 spot of the whole site or when I get an Editor's Choice pick"..

 

[Apple fanboy]

There's a sentence I doubt I will ever get to put in a post... "even when I have a photo in the #1 spot of the whole site or when I get an Editor's Choice pick"..

Give it up man! How many contests you won?

 

[kenoh]

Give it up man! How many contests you won?

Lol... sorry...

 

[HBOC]

there was once a website that was absolutely FANTASTIC. It was called photosig. I remember joining in 2000 or 2001. it was geared around constructive criticism and learning. Each member was able to post 3 photos a week or something. When you left actual, helpful feedback, you would gain the ability to post another photo.

sadly, the site went down several years ago (7 maybe?). perhaps some programmers will put together an actual photo website like this once again.... i think now 500px has shareholders?

 

[Phrasikleia]

I'm not sure if they went public, but they got sold to a Chinese company, and both of the two original founders have now exited.

 

[steveash]

there was once a website that was absolutely FANTASTIC. It was called photosig. I remember joining in 2000 or 2001. it was geared around constructive criticism and learning. Each member was able to post 3 photos a week or something. When you left actual, helpful feedback, you would gain the ability to post another photo.

1X has a lot of photography feedback for people looking for it. The galleries there are curated by individuals so whether your work gets in can be a bit random, or at least up to an individual's taste. The standard is undeniably high but again only a place to promote to other photographers.

 

[HBOC]

wow, that might explain 500px now. 72dpi.com is ok, but i haven't posted on there in 5-6 years i think. whytake.net was good, but it sadly closed down last year.

i think we, the photographers, need to get a website built that really helps people. I just wish i knew coding.