Flickr Renaissance?

[Joe Copalman]

I've recently been getting back into Flickr, trying to upload more photos there, spending more time scrolling through and commenting on photos in thematic and regional groups, and generally just spending more of my online free time there.  Overall it seems like Flickr has been more active lately than it was over the past few years aviation-wise - have any other Flickr users noticed this?

Every time I am on Flickr, I am struck by how much better of a platform it is for honest-to-God photographers than Instagram and Facebook.  I've especially been losing my patience with Instagram, as the current trend seems to be spotters posting 'scroll posts' that are a single image that you have to scroll through three, four, sometimes as many as ten frames to see the entire image.  Beyond that, I've really just been getting this feeling lately that Instagram really wasn't made for serious photographers.  It feels like it's necessary to be on Instagram for relevance these days, but it just feels like such a poor fit for those of us who shoot with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.  Flickr's interface works well with both phones and with laptop and desktop computers, and I can use an actual keyboard to type captions and tags and whatnot, instead of having to use the tips of my thumbs on my phone for Instagram.  And lately I've been having to resize images down to 1080 pixels on the longest side for Insta, as anything larger I post gets pixelated like an early-generation Nintendo game. 

Please share your thoughts.  Honestly, I really feel like the perfect platform for sharing photos in a community-based environment doesn't exist, but from my perspective, Flickr really does seem to come the closest.

[Anna M. Wood]

I agree with all of what you say?..

[tajmahal250]

I agree with you completely, Joe. It seems like a lot of the newer (read: younger) folks I've seen out at Sky Harbor and Gateway lately are only on Facebook and Instagram. Maybe it's just generational (Yes, I just said that...) but I just don't get it. If you're taking pictures with a DSLR, and you're proud of your work, why would you want to upload it to a site that compresses it down to the size of a postage stamp?

I remember a few months ago, I was out getting some shots of Air Force One, and I was the only one there who was on Flickr. (As a side note, I was also the only one there over 21. I definitely got some awkward responses when I said "Hey, you wanna grab a beer after we're done here? )

I like Instagram, don't get me wrong, and I agree that you almost have to be on there for relevance now, but it definitely is not meant for "true" photographers. It's great for posting a quick video or if all you have is your phone, but if you're posting hi-res shots, Flickr is still the best.  I saw a few shots of the F-117s at Fresno a few weeks ago, but they were only on Instagram. I would have loved to have seen those full-res on Flickr.

Plus, Flickr allows you to upload full-res shots, and restrict the downloading. It's just too easy for someone to save images off Facebook and repost it without credit.

That being said, I still can't figure out a good resolution to upload to Facebook. I'm exporting at 1400 pixels on the long edge, at 100DPI, and my shots look "soft" and not sharp.

[Jeff D. Welker]

I've been a big fan of Flickr for a long time. Like anything, it isn't perfect. But I much prefer it to any of the social media options. I've become acquainted with countless excellent photographers on Flickr that I never would have seen on social media.

[Ross Dinsdale]

I quit using instagram as a way to share my photography quite some time ago.  The algorithms (that is one hard word to spell) are a pain in the arse.  For myself Instagram  has become a promotional tool for my comedy and for shots taken with my phone.  Things that happen in the instant.  I always direct people to my flickr when asked about my photography.  I use flickr as a tool to research events and locations using their tagging systems before I visit or attend.   

[Brian Corbett]

I've been pretty much out of the game for a while, but am getting back into it as of late. I, like Dr. Dinsdale, have pretty much entirely moved away from Facebook and Instagram as a mediums for sharing photos, as all I seem to get are a bunch of fake account followers and no real feedback or substantial followers. I enjoy Flickr a great deal, using it for ideas, inspiration, and just enjoying fine photography.