This is an experiment. As said in previous posts, I sit here with an almost infinite number of pictures on my local drive. And I want to make them accessible to the world. But do people even want to see any of them? Just because I like them by no means implies others will as well. Finding the right platform to make my work visible to likeminded people was imperative. And then keeping all fingers and toes crossed that constructive and inspiring feedback is provided, helping me to improve my skills and to get better over time.
The obvious choice for pictures – Instagram! Yes, it sometimes has a certain reputation. For sure it is quite saturated with content and ever growing, and some pieces might be more on the artificial end of the range. But there is a niche for literally anything. And there is access to so many genuinely stunning pictures, with an incredibly broad potential audience! So I started my account there, with some dear friends following me so my account didn’t look too lonely. I googled tips and tricks on using the platform, and started posting a daily picture. I am literally happy with every person my pictures touch enough to leave a ‘like’. And for now, 23 as the current top score feels like a nice achievement.
But something was missing – the focus on the kind of photography I do. The access to and exchange with likeminded people in a community, the chance to compare myself to others, the possibility to receive feedback from other hobby photographers or even professionals. So, I kept searching and found more targeted tools and communities. Like Flickr, Photocommunity or Photocrowd. I personally gave Photocrowd a shot and the platform tick every box on my list. There is a free version, and for a small monthly fee you get 3 levels of extended functionality. You can simply post your pictures, or link them to contest run by various sources. Which does remind me of my Norwegian leaflet offering that initial spark of inspiration!
I have just started my week two on the platform, and am gathering impressions as I move along. Give it a few more weeks of experimenting, an update on the details will follow.
Any experiances with Photocrowd or other photocommunities you want to share, feel free to put them in the comments below or post your own discoveries on social media (#v2p @viewpointperspectives).