I love Flickr. Mainly because my images are in such high resolution and I can click them to magnify to see even the grain in my film photos. As powerful as Instagram is I think it's an insult to real photographers in how it treats the images so small on a phone screen.
I've seen a lot of "Real photographers" (which is a stunningly stupid term that means nothing, so I'll just interpret it as "pro photographers" and leave it at that) on instagram. And I seriously don't get your point, instagram is an app, you realise that apps are viewed on phones, correct? Do you need a drawing?
T What he means is on Instagram the quality of the image doesn’t matter. Instagram is a marketing tool, that is all. At least on other “real”photography sites you can see the image as the creator intended.
I don't think Instagram is an insult to photographers. It is what it is, and that's not another Flicker. It's mostly a social media platform, but also serves as a way for professionals to market themselves for free. About 80 percent of a pro photographer's day is trying to find new business and Instagram is one tool for doing that.
@@davidwill1320 I hear you Dave, definitely use it for your benefit. I have a lot of photos on my Instagram and I'll continue to use it for networking but if someone asked to see my work I will rather send them to one of my dedicated Flickr albums.
I've been a pro member for years. I renewed in December. Today I emailed customer services advising that would be my last renewal following the hike in charges. They emailed me back asking what the site needed to make it work. I responded that I get storage more cheaply elsewhere so the key question is what's the objective of the site? For me it needs to focus on being a supporter of photographers not simply storage. That means the community has to work better with targeted forums not loose duscussions, AI to show other peoples images that are similar to my uploads and from which I might learn, the subject of the image, metadata comparisons etc. Access to discounted kit. Maybe saleroom for used kit. Teaching videos. Basically a one-stop location of stuff for phoyographers.
An era ago there was this excellent slideshow feature. The speed of the slide can be adjusted, titles and descriptions can be shown, a good photo can get a star. Nice options. And suddenly it disappeared, Yahoo could be the culprit. I don't know, but I really miss it.
These are great suggestions and could "Rock" this site. Like the Man says Targeted Forums, metadata comparisons, and some form of relevant interest videos could reboot a one-stop location for Photographers. I hope Smugmug is listening!
Thanks Ted for addressing this, I'll continue to support Flickr until it dies. We as a photography community need somewhere to share our work in its full uncompressed glory.
I just renewed for 2 years a couple of months ago. I just doubled down yesterday, might not be able to resubscribe again in 2023 as the site may have gone. But that said, there really isn’t anything else out there that offers what Flickr offers to photographers. But they need a direction, some streamlining, some ambassadors. It doesn’t look good right now for the future
Flickr literally gives me everything I need so far; storage, high resolution, following others's work, checking the photo details, exif, my datas are not sold out to 3rd parties either... Also, people pay subscription for many services that are way more expensive monthly. For me it's not pricey, as long as it's not above 10€, even for East-Europe pay standard.
I posted my first photography picture in Flickr and I am emotional about it, so many memories with other photographers. I would love to pay them if they add more services like custom portfolio, ability to sell pictures etc. It's still a wonderful place to upload pictures but less features for the new generation.
I paid for two years yesterday, straight away when I received the email. I keep very specific albums there. I also started paying for dropbox this year.
I've been a pro member since 2005. I just paid for another 2 years at the old rates. I like being able to share albums of full res family photos from my 5DS R. I enjoy shooting at zoos, since most zoos have a no commercial photos policy I share those publicly. I like looking up photos from from cameras or lenses I'm considering. I'd love to see some of the magic of the old days return. I'm in many photography groups on FB and always find myself thinking, it would be so much better if it was on Flickr where you can actually see the picture as intended. Even if none of the old magic returns, I've found no equal for what it still provides.
I never considered Flickr as being storage, I always thought of it more like an art gallery.. A space to display your work and see the work of others. Sad that many people will be priced out of membership.
I think Flickr is one of the greatest resources modern photographers have. The ability to see so many examples of different lenses, image sensors, and films look like in so many combinations of things and unlimited storage space. I'll continue to support them.
I note that they offered 2019 rates for existing subscribers who paid now. I paid for 1 year. The value I get: 1. Easy to upload from Lightroom (and update when I go back later and "fix" things that bother me about a photo in LR). 2. Easy to get to, and the mobile app works well. 3. Very simple to understand and use. Not a replacement for a website with your portfolio, but good for general use.
I love Flickr, and have been a pro member for years. The community aspect of it is the best bit, and for me that bit seems to have waned over the years. Most of the groups that were really active a few years back have gone quiet e.g. there was a Nikon D700 group which was really active a few years ago, and there was so many interesting discussions and helpful responses to questions. I'm not seeing the same level of interaction in the newer cameras e.g. D850. It would be helpful if there was a feature that highlighted groups that were more active, or if you could key in some criteria about groups that then provide a selection that you might be interested in.
I have been a Flickr pro user for many, many years. For me this is my offsite storage. 60 bucks a year knowing that my images are out of the house, if my hard drives crash, house burns down etc- I have the automated Uploader send them up,as soon as I make them...
Hearing you talk about the community aspects of the past hit a chord with me. All these platforms are ok for what they are these days, but a real sense of a photographic community or just art in general where i can learn, teach and build real relationships is what I've been yearning for. Sort of mad I didn't take flickr more serious in the "good days".
I love Flickr. It has improved greatly since I first joined a few years ago. I don't have a website, and so I use Flickr to share my photos with my photography friends and followers. I love that you can post the EXIF for the files (and thus learn more about the craft) and engage in serious supportive dialogue with other photographers (amateur and professional) from around the world.
I have been a Flickr member since 2006. I love being able to share my photos and receive feedback that is valid from other photographers who shoot like I do. I also appreciate being able to look for inspiration in the various different groups. As another commenter mentioned, the fact that I can look for photos taken with a specific lens is awesome...That is a very valuable attribute of the service.
I value it, in fact I joined and purchased my Flickr Pro membership last month shortly after that open letter came out... BTW you've just got a new follower on Flickr. ;)
Been a member for years now. It has lost its way a bit, but I still like Flickr, I can control my photo's and who sees them. Thats worth the pro price any day to me
I use Flickr for critiques of my own images from other users, inspiration, travel photos of places I want to visit and to see other gear I might want purchase. For these reason, it’s worth the cost of subscription just to keep it alive.
I love Flickr. I love the high quality images and the exif data so I can can search for what cameras, lenses and settings people are using or even what scanners were used for film scanning them finding groups or galleries based around that or any other very specific photographic interests. Its just has so much more to offer in community involvement than what IG does. I really hope they are successful in growing it
I will continue to support Flickr. It met most of my photo friends through this platform. There is no advertising and no drama like Facebook. It’s unreasonable to expect a free product unless you are willing to be subjected to advertising. It’s also served me as a low cost backup, archive and catalogue. Still a bargain. I’m willing to stay with them to see how it goes. The only downside that I saw with Flickr was their past relationship with Getty.
Great commentary! I have been wrestling with renewing over the last few days, and you've helped me come to a conclusion. I hardly ever use the site anymore and I remember the good ole days of feeling more like a community. I totally forgot about its origins with that couple. Incredible. But I think that this is what I'll do: I *will* renew for two years and I *will* try to make an effort to be active, comment on photos (always comment!!), and post photos of my own. A good community takes people who are contributing in some way and I need to work on that myself. You got yourself a subscriber and I'll check you out on Flickr!
Thank you for this I've been on the free side of Flickr for "a while" and enjoyed looking at many of the art provided and also added my own images. Yet considering paying for it never crossed my mind, until you made it clear the cost which pushed me towards paying for my little slice of photography...
I'm of two minds on this, really. I will probably keep supporting Flickr until I can't any more, but I have frankly not been or posted anything there for quite a while, so the question of value is definitely relevant for me. The question is, if it topples over some day because the community largely left, where do we go next?
First off love your channel. I have also been a long time user of Flickr, and as long as they are around I will support the site. I love the way my photos are organized and sharing full resolution images are a breeze. My concern is what happens when they decide to shut down the site?Just the frustration of having to reorganize the 20k plus photos I have uploaded. My question is what would be a comparable service?
Appreciate the calm and clear assessment. I'm wondering how they expect me to put more money at risk after I just paid for Flickr Pro. Like you said, community is the key. They should partner up with a platform that can provide the community. They'll be less profitable but may survive. Hope they find a way forward. Yesterday's email didn't help their cause.
I've been using flickr since the beginning of 2017. Like the most, first with a free account, then in 2018 with one per account. I will keep my pro account this year despite the price increase and wait to see how Flickr develops. I actually find the basic idea of Flickr very good and there are hardly any international alternatives to Flickr for photographers, in most countries there are local photo communities but then you just stay local. Greetings from Germany
Your post is timely as I'm seriously considered dropping PRO Flickr - I've had since 2008. I thought strongly about dropping PRO when ownership changed. I've met lots of friends and made good contacts for advice and the creative inspiration is always there. The challenge for me is the value proposition now of "what is my return". Whether one likes other social sites or not, I have gained at a minimum, equal if not greater connections and inspiration so I am questioning this investment. To your point, it may be small, but the streaming services and other packages do add up. Many of the group discussions are dormant - even when new photos are added. I have a few months before my subscription come due. Perhaps something will spark the decision by then.
I saw that email today and it was sad. They are really hard up for money and I feel bad. Late last year I went pro and wanted to keep my page and help them out. I don't know what I'll do. I like the community.
Glad you are having this discussion. I am kind of at a "fed up" level with all these subscription things. I don't make money off photography anymore, in the past I have sold a few and did wedding and model photography, but now it is only a hobby. I just want a location to display my photos. I have been a flickr pro member for so long and also a pro Smugmug member. I am now thinking of cutting one of them. Don't know which one yet.
Flickr is unique in that it is about photography. Photos are shown uncompressed and uncropped. Try posting wide field astro photos of stars to Facebook and see how their ruthless compression treats your art. On Flickr, we're not arguing about gear, we are just looking at great photos. I find inspiration for my own photography from following talented photographers such as krisinct and amcdermaid05 and groups such as Crystal Ball Photography, Fisheye Fanatics, LifePixel IR /Kolari Vision - Infrared and many others. Want to be inspired? Search Flickr for "dutch tilt", "lines", "rusty", etc. There are photography interest groups on Reddit, but they don't have the same scope or quality postings. Sure, the conversations in groups have waned in recent years, but it is up to all of us to do our part by trying to answer questions when we can and posting our own interesting questions. I value Flickr and have a pro subscription, now extended well into 2021. This latest price increase is troubling, but hopefully it will be enough for a while.
Very good analysis. Like you, I live in the past and continue to support Flickr just because it has been so great at times. I also have a Smugmug account but I'm thinking of letting that go and only having the Flickr account. It is very useful in a lot ways. I can share my photos in discussion forums where storage is limited by posting in Flickr and easily by linking back, I can create private albums etc. Smugmug seems to offer a more professional wrapper but I have that in my own website. Another very useful feature of Flickr is the ability to evaluate cameras and lenses, e.g. look for sample photographs in order to evaluate purchase decisions. I hope it continues to thrive but it worries me that eventually Smugmug will have to roll both sites into one and I suspect the egos at Smugmug will convert Flickr to a more smugmug-like experience, which for me would change its whole character.
I turned pro on Flickr last month, because I do not want a site that is moving on at the speed of light, I DO want high res photos from myself and especially others and on Instagram I learn nothing about photography at all. Thanks for bringing this subject up!
I've been a Flickr Pro member since 2008 and have just subscribed for two more years. I use Flickr to show my best photos and enjoy the photography and camaraderie of other members. I visit it daily and it's always a pleasurable experience. I'm optimistic it will survive and prosper. A note to Ted Forbes: please consider starting a Flickr group for your RUclips subscribers, perhaps allowing just one photo per week from each member to keep the quality up. You could also use it to present some of the photographs that people send to you by mail.
I was on the doorstep of deleting my account, and I had canceled my Pro account after about a decade (since 2006). I finally decided to just see what would happen and pay for Pro around November. I'm worried it won't make it through the year, but I was shocked at how unfulfilled Flickr's old niche is. Instagram is nearly worthless at times, and it still pales to the community Flickr had in its early days. How is it that the Internet might be less useful now than it was more than 10 years ago? I try to think of how to "fix" it, but I am just not sure of what to do with Flickr. Nothing has yet to come along and properly replace it, even when Instagram looked like it might for a second.
I've signed up for two more years on Flickr. It is my window to the world to share my photographic hobby with other passionate artists. It's a place where people who care about the art and craft of photography still come together to share their passion. I want to see it succeed.
I was a Pro member for almost 10 years, but I didn't renew my subscription because, like you said, is a service that I don't use that much and I have a lot of other subscriptions that are piling up on my credit card bill. Probably I'll come back to it
Hi Ted, I've been a member Flickr pro since 20015. I like it and find it rather confusing at times. But I still like it. I love the auto upload and I have at least half million images myself on it. So I just paid up my subscription just now watching your video for 2 years on their promo today. Although I only use Flickr for storage purposes and not really engage with the other members.
Ted, I’m deeply engaged in Flickr, post daily, admin for several groups, 2200+ photos, Pro since 2007. Lots of fun. Kind of surprised that people who spend thousands on gear are concerned about the modest subscription fee. all the best, WalrusTexas
Thank you, Ted! Please post a link to your Flickr profile :) I joined Flickr back in January of 2013. The community has truly served as my photography school. I have learned so much from various groups and individuals who have directly or indirectly shared their knowledge with me. For me, a significant change to the Flickr community occurred when prior ownership drastically increased the number of groups in which a photo could be posted. (I think the group limit use to be 10 or 15). In the years since, it feels like most users simply post their images in as many groups as possible to garner attention for their images (and many users do not follow group rules when posting images). Back when a strict group limit was in place, it felt like users were more thoughtful and attentive concerning their engagement with groups. I hope Flickr can find a way to, once again, engender meaningful sharing and receiving of images and ideas.
Would love to see it thriving, alas the price increase seems a little extortive and - as you said - I too am not sure if there's any value to it in its current form.
When Fotoblur went under (the friendliest photography sharing site ever) I joined flickr free account. Took me a while to carve out a home there but have truely made friends, caring, encouraging fellow artists. there is community for sure. I recently went pro to support the best art sharing site there is. Even with tech hicups time to time. The enormeous task of running this site is not lost om me for one minute. I would be lost without it. Blessings to Flickr in the future.
*on a related note*: since buying DxO Photolab I’ve had zero interest in resubscribing to Adobe Creative Cloud... between using OnOnePhoto & DxO Photolab I’ve found what I wanted to in buying (not renting month-to-month) photo editing software
Ted, first thank you for this informative and candid post. Love your vlog and your work. That said, I do realize that there are many reasons, some good, some not, as to why a free account may become one that one must pay for or prices increase for a given service. For my needs as a photographer I do find Flickr relevant. Does it need work? Sure but I sense it is heading in the right direction with Smug Mug. As Ted points out, to run something like Flickr costs money. Lot's of money. I can only hope that Smug Mug has good intentions to improve upon what I and many other photographers have enjoyed using. Good products/services cannot remain free or at a set price forever. And yes, that I say with a grain of salt. I'm going to pay for another year and then possibly reevaluate.
Seemed like such a great idea back in the day but I just really never got going with them. Tried to entice my older adult ed photo students to showcase their work there but they just weren't interested. Now that its a subscription service perhaps folks will find there's value in the services they offer and it will thrive.
I am an amateur photographer and I love Flickr. I renewed the other day for 2 years. I have almost 10,000 pictures on there, I participate in groups I use it to share if I take family portraits etc. for friends and I also use it for inspiration for my travel photography. I am in for the long haul
I"ve used flickr occasionally for posting to forum sites that require external web image management. I use it more for infographics than for photography. I started using it in 2011. I don't go to the site more than a few times per year and have only 200+ images there, so I'm okay keeping the free account. However I find myself migrating to giphy for a lot of stuff. Their community seems somehow complicitly integrated into reddit, so that seems to work well. I love photography, but when I joined, what I saw mostly on flickr was photos and digital imagery/digital drawing/art. It's interesting to see the home page now as a phone-ready page with basically no desktop edition.
I'm in the same frame of mind, I support flickr because of what they meant to me in the past but I don't get a lot out the site today. flickr was great, not so much now. But I did renew my pro subscription.
Flickr matters enough to me, and paying $10 more per year doesn't matter that much. I'm glad to support it. I'm a rather subscription-averse person and I only subscribe to services I really have a use for. And they're Flickr and Spotify. Both these services gives me a lot for a comparatively low price, and since the SmugMug acquisition Flickr has *really* become more stable, as you say. I too have been a Pro member since 2005, and I have enough perspective to notice the improvements (I remember the awful loading times, the failed photo uploads, the "why is my photostream suddenly blank?" scares, etc.). And by the way, if I'm a subscriber to your channel is also thanks to Flickr, because I know you from there - we've been mutual followers for years, and I've always appreciated your work. Cheers, Rick
If they want to charge more, they have to provide features other then simply portfolio functionality, like a market place to sell stock photos / photographers workflows etc
I love Flickr. I have so much history on that site, including pictures and comments from people who sadly are no longer with us, including my wife and sister-in-law. I'd hate to lose it. The best things on the web aren't necessarily free: we should be prepared to pay more and I'd even be willing to put up with advertising if it kept the main components of the site alive. It really is important to me. Thank you so much for your video about this.
I signed up for 2 more years, cheap for what I get, which is inspiration, wow moments, research on real life results from gear, feedback and an interface that feels designed for photographers. There is really nothing else like it.
To be honest, I use it mostly as a storage site to back up my phone and other images, I’ve had a Yahoo email forever and that’s what got me into Flickr. I went Pro when I had to last year to keep my stuff!
I've been a Flickr Pro subscriber since 2012. I just renewed for 2 more years on the assumption that in those 2 years Flickr will either improve & grow or die. I'm hoping that two years from now, the choice of whether to renew yet again will be clearer.
For me it’s really weird to think of Flickr as a storage solution I never saw it that way. I really think there is a place for a photography focus platform and I hope that’s what Flickr will be 🤞🏻This is the way 😃
With my pro sub expiring in 6 months, after more than a decade I'll be shelving them. Word of advice to others wishing to cancel subs, make sure you use the link in your account setting to request all your data before you cancel your account or your pro sub lapses.
I'm very fond of Flickr and have been a Pro member since 2009. My first posting of any photos is always to Flickr and then to social media. It's easy to use and uncomplicated. Having said that, it's become a bit bland of late. The home page isn't very dynamic. I feel the owners could do so much more to entice people to use it. I feel a sense of loyalty to Flickr, even after the price increase!
I like Flickr, and actually just renewed for 2 years after watching this video. I like being able to backup high res copies of my images and to be easily able to share them. I also like being able to organize my photos into groups, though for private stuff it feels a little clunky. The community definitely feels like it's fallen off some though. Most of my stuff on flickr gets between 0 and 10 favs, whereas my posts on Instagram routinely get 120+ likes. It really feels like the party is over there. Flickr feels like the better product though. Hopefully they can figure something out.
After a big failure with making a backup and both harddrive’s failed I use I use it to backup all my photo’s, it’s not in raw but at least you have something if everything fails of your house burns down. It’s also easy to customers to send a link to some foto’s if they them in big format and you are not near the computer. I have a account from the beginning and a newer one, de old one I will clear now because two is to much with this price.
I’ve been a member since 2009. I think it’s cheap for the 3k photos I keep there for my blog. I like the vibe. I do like the control. I don’t think the price jump is that high. Beats Goggle, Facebook, etc.
I have used it for slightly more than a decade and intend to continue my pro subscription. First, because it is a community for photography, not a social medium in general. Secondly, because I have made a substantial investment in tagging and captions there, and I know no good way to migrate that to my own platforms.
I love the Flickr account I use, the free one where each and every time I add a photo they let me know how many more I can upload for free before money has to change hands... then download them all to a dedicated HD stored away and star all over again!!
I upped to a pro Flickr membership two years ago to keep my 1000+ images online. But I've frankly felt more part of a photography community through Facebook groups. Even RUclips has a better community model as I regularly interact with a number of channels I follow via comments and responses. I hope to launch my own website & channel in the near future. So, I just don't know if Flickr will be worth my while much longer.
Flickr needs a stellar mobile app. They've got to somehow reinvigorate the community aspect of the experience. I remember the early days of Flickr, and the discussions were truly great. IDK how to do that, though. I'm just a guy throwing ideas out there.
I've paid for an additional twelve months yesterday. In my opinion the community is worthwhile, the ease of use is great and SOME other work is inspiring. Ok there's some dross on there but serious photographers do showcase their work and I have made some good friends through it. I use it in conjunction with Instagram, many of the above comments apply equally to that platform.
I still use Flickr, just not so much lately. I didn't realise i'd been with Flickr so long. 2006. My photos have improved since then............slightly.
I subscribed for another 2 years (as of yesterday). I don't mind supporting them. They're a staff that is working to improve. It would be very different if they weren't making improvements (and still asking for money). Be a part of and support what you want to succeed.
I like Flickr, been on it for years, and will continue to support it as long as it exists or I exist. I'm sure it is expensive due to the sheer number of photographs on the site but I think it's worth it. I found some really stellar photographers by looking through Flickr.
I’m staying to keep using it as a backup storage. I have a lot of full resolution photos up there now and it works great. It’s too bad there’s no community, no one leaves any feedback unless it’s a nude/near nude photo and even then it’s usually some creepy shit. I leave comments about technique and whatnot. A thanks and a follow are about as much as you can hope for since getting some feedback seems to be asking too much.
Completely agree with everything you said.Love the site and hope it continues to exist profitably,but could never see the value in becoming a Pro member. Having said that,if everybody paid a small subscription for what is an excellent service,I would be good with that.
I've been a member since 2006. My friends and I would have photo challenges and post on flickr to see who would get the most views. If you ever made it to Explore than you were king. :-). Gave up pro a few years ago.
ive never used it but understand completely what your saying. and I went over to check it out but it still doesn't explain what its all about! you get a free trial but of what I think they need to emphasise the photography groups and more on what its doing it looks great but doesn't explain itself that well for a non user. or maybe im just daft :)
I haven’t used Flickr much, but signed up for Pro when letter came out in Dec. Since I’m phasing out of photo studio work, I’m looking for a substitute for PhotoShelter, a great service for image distribution, but expensive. I don’t know yet whether Flickr can take its place, but I like how photo-oriented it is, and the price would be a big money saver for me.
I just renewed my Flickr pro account for 2years at the old prices. There are 3 things I value Flickr for. First, the images are higher res than instagram and larger (and parenthetically i hate the way Instagram presents the photographic image with white space and comments and other sorts of distractions and I won’t give much mention to how ugly Instagram is on my Mac). Secondly, Flickr allows you to make the entire screen black around the image on my Mac and on iOS (esp on my iPad) it’s the same when using the Flickr app. It’s a great way to view images, even better than what Squarespace allows. Lastly is the ability to search by lens or camera which is especially useful when I get a GAS attack.
Interesting vlog to recap the Flickr history. I joined Flickr a few years ago primarily for 1TB free storage.For me I want online storage of photos at full resolution ( part of my back up plan ) and ability to share/ comment etc. This latest price increase is too much. Now looking at Amazon and Google photos as cheaper. Flickr needs to give me something else that will make me stay and see more value in their offering.
Flickr WAS amazing when I joined in 2004 and I too made some lifelong friends all over the world with it . It was our facebook and it was so much fun . Also so true it was without the trolls. I am still on flickr but I feel the flickr has gone out of the aging platform .
I've been a member of Flickr since May 2008. At that time, I was PR director at a 2-year college campus in Southwest Louisiana and, as a public service, I had for years been uploading photos of Cajun and Zydeco musicians from the area and of rural Mardi Gras activities to the college's website. When I retired in 2009, I moved the photos to Flickr and, since then, I have continued to add photos, now totaling about 40,000 photos. I don't sell photos, but I do allow individuals, media, and organizations to use photos to publicize the area's culture. I very much like the fact that the photos are available at full resolution for anyone needing that size. I'm not really interested in forums or other adjuncts to the basic service, but, of course, it's fine with me if Flickr expands in that way as long as the main service doesn't undergo drastic changes. Considering the number of photos I have on line and their availability to the public, I have no problems at all paying $60 a year (or more, for that matter). I renewed my subscription for two years. I certainly hope that Flickr is able to continue, or, at the very least, that the service is transferred to another company that will, in some format, incorporate the descriptions and other information that I have posted with the photos, even if the charge is considerably higher--as long as I don't have to re-upload thousands of photos.
Agreed with everything you reflected upon. I have had a Pro account for a few years and have arrived at the point where it is really a site we should all support. I started on Instagram and it has been fine. However, it lacks much if one is interested in the “community” of photographers. Thank you for posting. Of course, I am staying with Flickr as I do not think the cost is prohibitive and not much of an increase from what I was paying. My auto insurance went up more than the cost of my Pro account. There I had no choice. So, I choose to support Flickr.
There is no community and the current owners are not ethical people nor is it safe as a backup. I had a pro account and they deleted it with no warning.
I learnt so much from Flickr in my early days (2009) as a photographer. I re subscribed as a Pro member once I knew SmugMug acquired them. The problem I find now is the groups don’t seem to be very active with discussions and there are so many crap images there. I wish each group was required to curate the content. Still I’m looking forward to see where it goes.
I was with Smugbug and Flickr for many years. I just couldn't afford the price increases and dropped them. I was due to renew in August and won't. How they handled the increase is what pissed me off being with them so long. Maybe I will change my mind? I love photography and supporting it is a worthwhile cause. Thanks for your post.
When I see someone link to a Flickr account I think the same thing I do when I see someone still has an AOL email address.... Really? That's still a thing?
I've been a member for a long time too - I still don't think there's a good, viable alternative that offers as much for the money. There are a few design features I'd like to see change, but I like it, I can't imagine trying to move all my stuff anywhere else. Do people even realize that you can automatically back up all of the images you take with your phone too?
I love Flickr. Mainly because my images are in such high resolution and I can click them to magnify to see even the grain in my film photos. As powerful as Instagram is I think it's an insult to real photographers in how it treats the images so small on a phone screen.
I've seen a lot of "Real photographers" (which is a stunningly stupid term that means nothing, so I'll just interpret it as "pro photographers" and leave it at that) on instagram. And I seriously don't get your point, instagram is an app, you realise that apps are viewed on phones, correct? Do you need a drawing?
T What he means is on Instagram the quality of the image doesn’t matter. Instagram is a marketing tool, that is all. At least on other “real”photography sites you can see the image as the creator intended.
@@kurgo_ you're right t, you seriously didn't get the point.
I don't think Instagram is an insult to photographers. It is what it is, and that's not another Flicker. It's mostly a social media platform, but also serves as a way for professionals to market themselves for free. About 80 percent of a pro photographer's day is trying to find new business and Instagram is one tool for doing that.
@@davidwill1320 I hear you Dave, definitely use it for your benefit. I have a lot of photos on my Instagram and I'll continue to use it for networking but if someone asked to see my work I will rather send them to one of my dedicated Flickr albums.
I've been a pro member for years. I renewed in December. Today I emailed customer services advising that would be my last renewal following the hike in charges. They emailed me back asking what the site needed to make it work. I responded that I get storage more cheaply elsewhere so the key question is what's the objective of the site? For me it needs to focus on being a supporter of photographers not simply storage. That means the community has to work better with targeted forums not loose duscussions, AI to show other peoples images that are similar to my uploads and from which I might learn, the subject of the image, metadata comparisons etc. Access to discounted kit. Maybe saleroom for used kit. Teaching videos. Basically a one-stop location of stuff for phoyographers.
some excellent suggestions
nwclegg you pic is everything you mentioned!
An era ago there was this excellent slideshow feature. The speed of the slide can be adjusted, titles and descriptions can be shown, a good photo can get a star. Nice options. And suddenly it disappeared, Yahoo could be the culprit. I don't know, but I really miss it.
Yes this is what they should do
These are great suggestions and could "Rock" this site. Like the Man says Targeted Forums, metadata comparisons, and some form of relevant interest videos could reboot a one-stop location for Photographers. I hope Smugmug is listening!
Thanks Ted for addressing this, I'll continue to support Flickr until it dies. We as a photography community need somewhere to share our work in its full uncompressed glory.
It's been a wonderful experience for me the last 15 years.
I grew up with Flickr 💙❤️
we also need a platform that unlike instagram or facebook, isn't designed to flood the user with endless validation but no constructive criticism
@@saltycracker2344 they dont
I just renewed for 2 years a couple of months ago. I just doubled down yesterday, might not be able to resubscribe again in 2023 as the site may have gone. But that said, there really isn’t anything else out there that offers what Flickr offers to photographers.
But they need a direction, some streamlining, some ambassadors.
It doesn’t look good right now for the future
Flickr literally gives me everything I need so far; storage, high resolution, following others's work, checking the photo details, exif, my datas are not sold out to 3rd parties either...
Also, people pay subscription for many services that are way more expensive monthly. For me it's not pricey, as long as it's not above 10€, even for East-Europe pay standard.
I posted my first photography picture in Flickr and I am emotional about it, so many memories with other photographers. I would love to pay them if they add more services like custom portfolio, ability to sell pictures etc. It's still a wonderful place to upload pictures but less features for the new generation.
I paid for two years yesterday, straight away when I received the email. I keep very specific albums there. I also started paying for dropbox this year.
I've been a pro member since 2005. I just paid for another 2 years at the old rates. I like being able to share albums of full res family photos from my 5DS R. I enjoy shooting at zoos, since most zoos have a no commercial photos policy I share those publicly. I like looking up photos from from cameras or lenses I'm considering. I'd love to see some of the magic of the old days return. I'm in many photography groups on FB and always find myself thinking, it would be so much better if it was on Flickr where you can actually see the picture as intended. Even if none of the old magic returns, I've found no equal for what it still provides.
I never considered Flickr as being storage, I always thought of it more like an art gallery.. A space to display your work and see the work of others. Sad that many people will be priced out of membership.
I think Flickr is one of the greatest resources modern photographers have. The ability to see so many examples of different lenses, image sensors, and films look like in so many combinations of things and unlimited storage space. I'll continue to support them.
I love using my Pro Flickr without publishing just for archival purposes, best tool I know to organize and to have easy access to my images.
I still find it relevant. I only became a pro member after smug mug bought it and will continue to do so for a foreseeable future.
Me too. As time goes on I see Flickr more relavant than ever as we can all see how terrible Facebook and Instagram are.
I note that they offered 2019 rates for existing subscribers who paid now. I paid for 1 year. The value I get: 1. Easy to upload from Lightroom (and update when I go back later and "fix" things that bother me about a photo in LR). 2. Easy to get to, and the mobile app works well. 3. Very simple to understand and use. Not a replacement for a website with your portfolio, but good for general use.
I love Flickr, and have been a pro member for years. The community aspect of it is the best bit, and for me that bit seems to have waned over the years. Most of the groups that were really active a few years back have gone quiet e.g. there was a Nikon D700 group which was really active a few years ago, and there was so many interesting discussions and helpful responses to questions. I'm not seeing the same level of interaction in the newer cameras e.g. D850. It would be helpful if there was a feature that highlighted groups that were more active, or if you could key in some criteria about groups that then provide a selection that you might be interested in.
I have been a Flickr pro user for many, many years. For me this is my offsite storage. 60 bucks a year knowing that my images are out of the house, if my hard drives crash, house burns down etc- I have the automated Uploader send them up,as soon as I make them...
Flickr is not safe to use as a backup. They deleted my pro account with no warning.
Travis Kraft that’s good to know... I have bought more google drive space, and I have been putting them on there as well.
Hearing you talk about the community aspects of the past hit a chord with me. All these platforms are ok for what they are these days, but a real sense of a photographic community or just art in general where i can learn, teach and build real relationships is what I've been yearning for. Sort of mad I didn't take flickr more serious in the "good days".
I love Flickr. It has improved greatly since I first joined a few years ago. I don't have a website, and so I use Flickr to share my photos with my photography friends and followers. I love that you can post the EXIF for the files (and thus learn more about the craft) and engage in serious supportive dialogue with other photographers (amateur and professional) from around the world.
I have been a Flickr member since 2006. I love being able to share my photos and receive feedback that is valid from other photographers who shoot like I do. I also appreciate being able to look for inspiration in the various different groups. As another commenter mentioned, the fact that I can look for photos taken with a specific lens is awesome...That is a very valuable attribute of the service.
I value it, in fact I joined and purchased my Flickr Pro membership last month shortly after that open letter came out... BTW you've just got a new follower on Flickr. ;)
Been a member for years now. It has lost its way a bit, but I still like Flickr, I can control my photo's and who sees them. Thats worth the pro price any day to me
I use Flickr for critiques of my own images from other users, inspiration, travel photos of places I want to visit and to see other gear I might want purchase. For these reason, it’s worth the cost of subscription just to keep it alive.
I love Flickr. I love the high quality images and the exif data so I can can search for what cameras, lenses and settings people are using or even what scanners were used for film scanning them finding groups or galleries based around that or any other very specific photographic interests. Its just has so much more to offer in community involvement than what IG does. I really hope they are successful in growing it
I will continue to support Flickr. It met most of my photo friends through this platform. There is no advertising and no drama like Facebook. It’s unreasonable to expect a free product unless you are willing to be subjected to advertising.
It’s also served me as a low cost backup, archive and catalogue. Still a bargain. I’m willing to stay with them to see how it goes.
The only downside that I saw with Flickr was their past relationship with Getty.
Great commentary! I have been wrestling with renewing over the last few days, and you've helped me come to a conclusion. I hardly ever use the site anymore and I remember the good ole days of feeling more like a community. I totally forgot about its origins with that couple. Incredible. But I think that this is what I'll do: I *will* renew for two years and I *will* try to make an effort to be active, comment on photos (always comment!!), and post photos of my own. A good community takes people who are contributing in some way and I need to work on that myself. You got yourself a subscriber and I'll check you out on Flickr!
Thank you for this I've been on the free side of Flickr for "a while" and enjoyed looking at many of the art provided and also added my own images. Yet considering paying for it never crossed my mind, until you made it clear the cost which pushed me towards paying for my little slice of photography...
I'm of two minds on this, really. I will probably keep supporting Flickr until I can't any more, but I have frankly not been or posted anything there for quite a while, so the question of value is definitely relevant for me.
The question is, if it topples over some day because the community largely left, where do we go next?
I’m a Pro subscriber, and I’ll be one as long as I can. It has served me well as a storage and sharing site.
Thx, I enjoyed this vlog. I'll check my Flickr account. I loved it in the beginning, but I haven't visit it in the last ten years.
First off love your channel. I have also been a
long time user of Flickr, and as long as they are around I will support the site. I love the way my photos are organized and sharing full resolution images are a breeze. My concern is what happens when they decide to shut down the site?Just the frustration of having to reorganize the 20k plus photos I have uploaded. My question is what would be a comparable service?
Appreciate the calm and clear assessment. I'm wondering how they expect me to put more money at risk after I just paid for Flickr Pro. Like you said, community is the key. They should partner up with a platform that can provide the community. They'll be less profitable but may survive. Hope they find a way forward. Yesterday's email didn't help their cause.
I've been using flickr since the beginning of 2017. Like the most, first with a free account, then in 2018 with one per account. I will keep my pro account this year despite the price increase and wait to see how Flickr develops. I actually find the basic idea of Flickr very good and there are hardly any international alternatives to Flickr for photographers, in most countries there are local photo communities but then you just stay local. Greetings from Germany
Your post is timely as I'm seriously considered dropping PRO Flickr - I've had since 2008. I thought strongly about dropping PRO when ownership changed. I've met lots of friends and made good contacts for advice and the creative inspiration is always there. The challenge for me is the value proposition now of "what is my return". Whether one likes other social sites or not, I have gained at a minimum, equal if not greater connections and inspiration so I am questioning this investment. To your point, it may be small, but the streaming services and other packages do add up. Many of the group discussions are dormant - even when new photos are added. I have a few months before my subscription come due. Perhaps something will spark the decision by then.
I saw that email today and it was sad. They are really hard up for money and I feel bad. Late last year I went pro and wanted to keep my page and help them out. I don't know what I'll do. I like the community.
Glad you are having this discussion. I am kind of at a "fed up" level with all these subscription things. I don't make money off photography anymore, in the past I have sold a few and did wedding and model photography, but now it is only a hobby. I just want a location to display my photos. I have been a flickr pro member for so long and also a pro Smugmug member. I am now thinking of cutting one of them. Don't know which one yet.
There fb, what makes it a big deal, or your own site...
Flickr is unique in that it is about photography. Photos are shown uncompressed and uncropped. Try posting wide field astro photos of stars to Facebook and see how their ruthless compression treats your art. On Flickr, we're not arguing about gear, we are just looking at great photos. I find inspiration for my own photography from following talented photographers such as krisinct and amcdermaid05 and groups such as Crystal Ball Photography, Fisheye Fanatics, LifePixel IR /Kolari Vision - Infrared and many others. Want to be inspired? Search Flickr for "dutch tilt", "lines", "rusty", etc. There are photography interest groups on Reddit, but they don't have the same scope or quality postings. Sure, the conversations in groups have waned in recent years, but it is up to all of us to do our part by trying to answer questions when we can and posting our own interesting questions. I value Flickr and have a pro subscription, now extended well into 2021. This latest price increase is troubling, but hopefully it will be enough for a while.
Very good analysis. Like you, I live in the past and continue to support Flickr just because it has been so great at times. I also have a Smugmug account but I'm thinking of letting that go and only having the Flickr account. It is very useful in a lot ways. I can share my photos in discussion forums where storage is limited by posting in Flickr and easily by linking back, I can create private albums etc. Smugmug seems to offer a more professional wrapper but I have that in my own website. Another very useful feature of Flickr is the ability to evaluate cameras and lenses, e.g. look for sample photographs in order to evaluate purchase decisions. I hope it continues to thrive but it worries me that eventually Smugmug will have to roll both sites into one and I suspect the egos at Smugmug will convert Flickr to a more smugmug-like experience, which for me would change its whole character.
Love Flickr. Great way to see other people’s work and not see politics and advertising.
I turned pro on Flickr last month, because I do not want a site that is moving on at the speed of light, I DO want high res photos from myself and especially others and on Instagram I learn nothing about photography at all. Thanks for bringing this subject up!
I've been a Flickr Pro member since 2008 and have just subscribed for two more years. I use Flickr to show my best photos and enjoy the photography and camaraderie of other members. I visit it daily and it's always a pleasurable experience. I'm optimistic it will survive and prosper.
A note to Ted Forbes: please consider starting a Flickr group for your RUclips subscribers, perhaps allowing just one photo per week from each member to keep the quality up. You could also use it to present some of the photographs that people send to you by mail.
I was on the doorstep of deleting my account, and I had canceled my Pro account after about a decade (since 2006). I finally decided to just see what would happen and pay for Pro around November. I'm worried it won't make it through the year, but I was shocked at how unfulfilled Flickr's old niche is. Instagram is nearly worthless at times, and it still pales to the community Flickr had in its early days. How is it that the Internet might be less useful now than it was more than 10 years ago? I try to think of how to "fix" it, but I am just not sure of what to do with Flickr. Nothing has yet to come along and properly replace it, even when Instagram looked like it might for a second.
Love Flickr. It's my one source of record for my photography. Have had a Pro membership for years, hope to have one for years more.
I've signed up for two more years on Flickr. It is my window to the world to share my photographic hobby with other passionate artists. It's a place where people who care about the art and craft of photography still come together to share their passion. I want to see it succeed.
I was a Pro member for almost 10 years, but I didn't renew my subscription because, like you said, is a service that I don't use that much and I have a lot of other subscriptions that are piling up on my credit card bill. Probably I'll come back to it
Hi Ted, I've been a member Flickr pro since 20015. I like it and find it rather confusing at times. But I still like it. I love the auto upload and I have at least half million images myself on it. So I just paid up my subscription just now watching your video for 2 years on their promo today. Although I only use Flickr for storage purposes and not really engage with the other members.
I paid to extend my subscription for another year at the 2019 rates. I don’t want to see Flickr fail.
Ted,
I’m deeply engaged in Flickr, post daily, admin for several groups, 2200+ photos, Pro since 2007. Lots of fun. Kind of surprised that people who spend thousands on gear are concerned about the modest subscription fee.
all the best,
WalrusTexas
Thank you, Ted! Please post a link to your Flickr profile :)
I joined Flickr back in January of 2013. The community has truly served as my photography school. I have learned so much from various groups and individuals who have directly or indirectly shared their knowledge with me.
For me, a significant change to the Flickr community occurred when prior ownership drastically increased the number of groups in which a photo could be posted. (I think the group limit use to be 10 or 15). In the years since, it feels like most users simply post their images in as many groups as possible to garner attention for their images (and many users do not follow group rules when posting images). Back when a strict group limit was in place, it felt like users were more thoughtful and attentive concerning their engagement with groups.
I hope Flickr can find a way to, once again, engender meaningful sharing and receiving of images and ideas.
Would love to see it thriving, alas the price increase seems a little extortive and - as you said - I too am not sure if there's any value to it in its current form.
When Fotoblur went under (the friendliest photography sharing site ever) I joined flickr free account. Took me a while to carve out a home there but have truely made friends, caring, encouraging fellow artists. there is community for sure. I recently went pro to support the best art sharing site there is. Even with tech hicups time to time. The enormeous task of running this site is not lost om me for one minute. I would be lost without it.
Blessings to Flickr in the future.
*on a related note*: since buying DxO Photolab I’ve had zero interest in resubscribing to Adobe Creative Cloud... between using OnOnePhoto & DxO Photolab I’ve found what I wanted to in buying (not renting month-to-month) photo editing software
I Love Flickr, Pro Member Since 2009 Thank You Ted
Ted, first thank you for this informative and candid post. Love your vlog and your work.
That said, I do realize that there are many reasons, some good, some not, as to why a free account may become one that one must pay for or prices increase for a given service. For my needs as a photographer I do find Flickr relevant. Does it need work? Sure but I sense it is heading in the right direction with Smug Mug.
As Ted points out, to run something like Flickr costs money. Lot's of money. I can only hope that Smug Mug has good intentions to improve upon what I and many other photographers have enjoyed using. Good products/services cannot remain free or at a set price forever. And yes, that I say with a grain of salt.
I'm going to pay for another year and then possibly reevaluate.
Seemed like such a great idea back in the day but I just really never got going with them. Tried to entice my older adult ed photo students to showcase their work there but they just weren't interested. Now that its a subscription service perhaps folks will find there's value in the services they offer and it will thrive.
I am an amateur photographer and I love Flickr. I renewed the other day for 2 years. I have almost 10,000 pictures on there, I participate in groups I use it to share if I take family portraits etc. for friends and I also use it for inspiration for my travel photography. I am in for the long haul
I didn’t even know they had Pro accounts! Thanks for the info.
I"ve used flickr occasionally for posting to forum sites that require external web image management. I use it more for infographics than for photography. I started using it in 2011. I don't go to the site more than a few times per year and have only 200+ images there, so I'm okay keeping the free account. However I find myself migrating to giphy for a lot of stuff. Their community seems somehow complicitly integrated into reddit, so that seems to work well.
I love photography, but when I joined, what I saw mostly on flickr was photos and digital imagery/digital drawing/art. It's interesting to see the home page now as a phone-ready page with basically no desktop edition.
I'm in the same frame of mind, I support flickr because of what they meant to me in the past but I don't get a lot out the site today. flickr was great, not so much now. But I did renew my pro subscription.
Flickr matters enough to me, and paying $10 more per year doesn't matter that much. I'm glad to support it. I'm a rather subscription-averse person and I only subscribe to services I really have a use for. And they're Flickr and Spotify. Both these services gives me a lot for a comparatively low price, and since the SmugMug acquisition Flickr has *really* become more stable, as you say. I too have been a Pro member since 2005, and I have enough perspective to notice the improvements (I remember the awful loading times, the failed photo uploads, the "why is my photostream suddenly blank?" scares, etc.). And by the way, if I'm a subscriber to your channel is also thanks to Flickr, because I know you from there - we've been mutual followers for years, and I've always appreciated your work. Cheers, Rick
If they want to charge more, they have to provide features other then simply portfolio functionality, like a market place to sell stock photos / photographers workflows etc
I love Flickr. I have so much history on that site, including pictures and comments from people who sadly are no longer with us, including my wife and sister-in-law. I'd hate to lose it. The best things on the web aren't necessarily free: we should be prepared to pay more and I'd even be willing to put up with advertising if it kept the main components of the site alive. It really is important to me. Thank you so much for your video about this.
I signed up for 2 more years, cheap for what I get, which is inspiration, wow moments, research on real life results from gear, feedback and an interface that feels designed for photographers. There is really nothing else like it.
Thank you. Very informative!
I will continue to use Flickr it is a great platform to share images when my friends want a copy for themselves.
To be honest, I use it mostly as a storage site to back up my phone and other images, I’ve had a Yahoo email forever and that’s what got me into Flickr. I went Pro when I had to last year to keep my stuff!
I've been a Flickr Pro subscriber since 2012. I just renewed for 2 more years on the assumption that in those 2 years Flickr will either improve & grow or die. I'm hoping that two years from now, the choice of whether to renew yet again will be clearer.
For me it’s really weird to think of Flickr as a storage solution I never saw it that way. I really think there is a place for a photography focus platform and I hope that’s what Flickr will be 🤞🏻This is the way 😃
With my pro sub expiring in 6 months, after more than a decade I'll be shelving them. Word of advice to others wishing to cancel subs, make sure you use the link in your account setting to request all your data before you cancel your account or your pro sub lapses.
I'm very fond of Flickr and have been a Pro member since 2009. My first posting of any photos is always to Flickr and then to social media. It's easy to use and uncomplicated. Having said that, it's become a bit bland of late. The home page isn't very dynamic. I feel the owners could do so much more to entice people to use it. I feel a sense of loyalty to Flickr, even after the price increase!
I like Flickr, and actually just renewed for 2 years after watching this video. I like being able to backup high res copies of my images and to be easily able to share them. I also like being able to organize my photos into groups, though for private stuff it feels a little clunky. The community definitely feels like it's fallen off some though. Most of my stuff on flickr gets between 0 and 10 favs, whereas my posts on Instagram routinely get 120+ likes. It really feels like the party is over there. Flickr feels like the better product though. Hopefully they can figure something out.
After a big failure with making a backup and both harddrive’s failed I use I use it to backup all my photo’s, it’s not in raw but at least you have something if everything fails of your house burns down. It’s also easy to customers to send a link to some foto’s if they them in big format and you are not near the computer. I have a account from the beginning and a newer one, de old one I will clear now because two is to much with this price.
I’ve been a member since 2009. I think it’s cheap for the 3k photos I keep there for my blog. I like the vibe. I do like the control.
I don’t think the price jump is that high. Beats Goggle, Facebook, etc.
I just signed back up for two years. Pro since 2010.
I use it to host my photos and use the api to have it on my website. It has a value atm, so I will probably continue to use it.
I have used it for slightly more than a decade and intend to continue my pro subscription. First, because it is a community for photography, not a social medium in general. Secondly, because I have made a substantial investment in tagging and captions there, and I know no good way to migrate that to my own platforms.
I love the Flickr account I use, the free one where each and every time I add a photo they let me know how many more I can upload for free before money has to change hands... then download them all to a dedicated HD stored away and star all over again!!
I upped to a pro Flickr membership two years ago to keep my 1000+ images online. But I've frankly felt more part of a photography community through Facebook groups. Even RUclips has a better community model as I regularly interact with a number of channels I follow via comments and responses. I hope to launch my own website & channel in the near future. So, I just don't know if Flickr will be worth my while much longer.
Flickr needs a stellar mobile app. They've got to somehow reinvigorate the community aspect of the experience. I remember the early days of Flickr, and the discussions were truly great. IDK how to do that, though. I'm just a guy throwing ideas out there.
I gave flickr away two years ago. I don’t miss it and have never felt I’m missing out.
I've paid for an additional twelve months yesterday. In my opinion the community is worthwhile, the ease of use is great and SOME other work is inspiring. Ok there's some dross on there but serious photographers do showcase their work and I have made some good friends through it. I use it in conjunction with Instagram, many of the above comments apply equally to that platform.
I still use Flickr, just not so much lately. I didn't realise i'd been with Flickr so long. 2006. My photos have improved since then............slightly.
I subscribed for another 2 years (as of yesterday). I don't mind supporting them. They're a staff that is working to improve. It would be very different if they weren't making improvements (and still asking for money). Be a part of and support what you want to succeed.
I like Flickr, been on it for years, and will continue to support it as long as it exists or I exist. I'm sure it is expensive due to the sheer number of photographs on the site but I think it's worth it. I found some really stellar photographers by looking through Flickr.
What are other "similar" alternatives that you all enjoy using?
Your last photo in flickr is very nice.
Biggest benefit of Flickr to me has always been that they are the best place to see examples of lenses in use.
I’m staying to keep using it as a backup storage. I have a lot of full resolution photos up there now and it works great. It’s too bad there’s no community, no one leaves any feedback unless it’s a nude/near nude photo and even then it’s usually some creepy shit. I leave comments about technique and whatnot. A thanks and a follow are about as much as you can hope for since getting some feedback seems to be asking too much.
Something wrong there
Completely agree with everything you said.Love the site and hope it continues to exist profitably,but could never see the value in becoming a Pro member.
Having said that,if everybody paid a small subscription for what is an excellent service,I would be good with that.
I've been a member since 2006. My friends and I would have photo challenges and post on flickr to see who would get the most views. If you ever made it to Explore than you were king. :-). Gave up pro a few years ago.
ive never used it but understand completely what your saying. and I went over to check it out but it still doesn't explain what its all about! you get a free trial but of what I think they need to emphasise the photography groups and more on what its doing it looks great but doesn't explain itself that well for a non user. or maybe im just daft :)
I haven’t used Flickr much, but signed up for Pro when letter came out in Dec. Since I’m phasing out of photo studio work, I’m looking for a substitute for PhotoShelter, a great service for image distribution, but expensive. I don’t know yet whether Flickr can take its place, but I like how photo-oriented it is, and the price would be a big money saver for me.
I just renewed my Flickr pro account for 2years at the old prices. There are 3 things I value Flickr for. First, the images are higher res than instagram and larger (and parenthetically i hate the way Instagram presents the photographic image with white space and comments and other sorts of distractions and I won’t give much mention to how ugly Instagram is on my Mac). Secondly, Flickr allows you to make the entire screen black around the image on my Mac and on iOS (esp on my iPad) it’s the same when using the Flickr app. It’s a great way to view images, even better than what Squarespace allows. Lastly is the ability to search by lens or camera which is especially useful when I get a GAS attack.
Interesting vlog to recap the Flickr history. I joined Flickr a few years ago primarily for 1TB free storage.For me I want online storage of photos at full resolution ( part of my back up plan ) and ability to share/ comment etc. This latest price increase is too much. Now looking at Amazon and Google photos as cheaper. Flickr needs to give me something else that will make me stay and see more value in their offering.
Flickr WAS amazing when I joined in 2004 and I too made some lifelong friends all over the world with it . It was our facebook and it was so much fun . Also so true it was without the trolls. I am still on flickr but I feel the flickr has gone out of the aging platform .
I've been a member of Flickr since May 2008. At that time, I was PR director at a 2-year college campus in Southwest Louisiana and, as a public service, I had for years been uploading photos of Cajun and Zydeco musicians from the area and of rural Mardi Gras activities to the college's website. When I retired in 2009, I moved the photos to Flickr and, since then, I have continued to add photos, now totaling about 40,000 photos. I don't sell photos, but I do allow individuals, media, and organizations to use photos to publicize the area's culture. I very much like the fact that the photos are available at full resolution for anyone needing that size. I'm not really interested in forums or other adjuncts to the basic service, but, of course, it's fine with me if Flickr expands in that way as long as the main service doesn't undergo drastic changes.
Considering the number of photos I have on line and their availability to the public, I have no problems at all paying $60 a year (or more, for that matter). I renewed my subscription for two years. I certainly hope that Flickr is able to continue, or, at the very least, that the service is transferred to another company that will, in some format, incorporate the descriptions and other information that I have posted with the photos, even if the charge is considerably higher--as long as I don't have to re-upload thousands of photos.
Agreed with everything you reflected upon. I have had a Pro account for a few years and have arrived at the point where it is really a site we should all support. I started on Instagram and it has been fine. However, it lacks much if one is interested in the “community” of photographers. Thank you for posting. Of course, I am staying with Flickr as I do not think the cost is prohibitive and not much of an increase from what I was paying. My auto insurance went up more than the cost of my Pro account. There I had no choice. So, I choose to support Flickr.
There is no community and the current owners are not ethical people nor is it safe as a backup. I had a pro account and they deleted it with no warning.
Travis Kraft Noted. Thank you
I learnt so much from Flickr in my early days (2009) as a photographer. I re subscribed as a Pro member once I knew SmugMug acquired them. The problem I find now is the groups don’t seem to be very active with discussions and there are so many crap images there. I wish each group was required to curate the content. Still I’m looking forward to see where it goes.
Restricted what u could say
I was with Smugbug and Flickr for many years. I just couldn't afford the price increases and dropped them. I was due to renew in August and won't. How they handled the increase is what pissed me off being with them so long. Maybe I will change my mind? I love photography and supporting it is a worthwhile cause. Thanks for your post.
When I see someone link to a Flickr account I think the same thing I do when I see someone still has an AOL email address.... Really? That's still a thing?
I've been a member for a long time too - I still don't think there's a good, viable alternative that offers as much for the money. There are a few design features I'd like to see change, but I like it, I can't imagine trying to move all my stuff anywhere else. Do people even realize that you can automatically back up all of the images you take with your phone too?
Dave Oplinger you pic
I am a Pro member and will continue to subscribe. I doubt they are trying to rip people off. What other site can replace it?