As I mentioned in my first post, I’ve wanted to take great pictures of my kids for a long time, but I was lacking both inspiration for what a great picture would look like and the know-how for getting it. I found both inspiration and tutorials as well as a great source of advice on Flickr.
Now, I’ve known about Flickr for a long time, but thought it was only a photo sharing site. And it definitely is that. I post pictures for friends and family members to look at. I like that people who have added me to their contacts list can get automatic updates when I post new pictures.
And those pictures that I’m really proud of, I make public for everyone to see. You tag your photos so that people looking for, say, beach shots, can search for them. Of course, the usual caveats apply about not using names or identifying information, especially when posting pictures of kids.
Flickr Groups
But, what differentiates Flickr from other photo sharing sites is its Groups. There are thousands of groups available on Flickr. You can search for just about any location, type of photography, or processing method and find a group dedicated to it. (By the way, I wish I could find a way to browse the groups by name. Does anyone know of a way to do that?)
Somehow I found my way to the Adobe Photoshop Elements group. Two things happen there. People post pictures that they processed in PSE and sometimes include descriptions of how they got the effects they used. Or, people post questions about how to accomplish a certain task in PSE, or how to improve a picture. Last time I looked, there were more than 3800 members! And don’t worry, this isn’t an exclusive club where you have to prove your skills to join. Just click on the button that says “Join”, and that’s it.
A sampling of what I’ve learned from the Flickr groups:
- Where to get free actions that work in PSE
- How to install actions in PSE
- How to use patterns & textures
- How to switch a head from one picture to another
- Where to find resources to improve photography and post-photography processing
- How to replace a blah sky in a photo with a beautiful sky
And, there are so many inspiring shots and helpful, experiences people that participate in the PSE group. I have never noticed a question going without a kind response. Just remember to search the group’s discussion before posting a question to make sure it hasn’t been posted already. What a find! And, by following the links from Flickr to other webistes, I’ve found a new world’s worth of enrichment for my photography.
Other groups that I enjoy include Pictures of England, Rolling Stones, Arkansas and Olympus E Series Camera Users. If you’ve got an interest, Flickr probably has a group for it. And if no group exists, you can create one with no fuss or muss.
I’ve even created a group to go along with this blog. Wanna join? Please? The address is http://flickr.com/groups/digitalphotographyformoms/. Post your pictures here to help and inspire other moms!
