What do you do with your photos?

phuviano · Aug 4th, 2012, 05:25 PM

I guess this is more of a question to the hobbyist, rather than the pro's.

My definition of hobbyist's, and pro's are listed as:

Pro: Someone who makes all or some portion of their income through photography

Hobbyist: Someone who enjoys photography because they like taking pictures for fun.

So, to the hobbyist out there. What do you do with your photos?

For me, I usually just post them on forums (not just ehmac), and on flickr. Maybe Facebook, here and there. Although, I don't go on FB often. I once printed out a photobook of my vegas trips in 2007-08. I went there 3 times in a 2 year span. Besides that, I usually keep the photo's I take on my ipad to share with others. I only keep the current photo's from the year though. So, anything from 2011 is not on my iPad. Only photo's from 2012. Occasionally I'll look at the photos on my computer, and browse through them. Other than that, they just sit on my hdd.

I was curious what everyone else does with their photos.

Max · Aug 5th, 2012, 09:05 AM

I feel I'm in a grey state in terms of my "status" as a photographer. Quite often I take photographs specifically for work these days - portrait shots mostly - and beyond that I regularly fold my own images into stuff that makes its way onto film and television projects. Half the battle in that regard lies in securing decent cleared images that don't cost an arm and a leg. Using my own material wherever possible sidesteps that issue and I'm rarely asked to sign any clearance forms for my contribution (paperwork being something few people love). Too, it's just a buzz incorporating my shots into contexts for which they were never originally intended.

Otherwise - and this is the majority, mind you - my stuff streams into various predictable places - my own website's home splash and of course my photography page, a few different ongoing project construction and urban-themed threads over at Urban Toronto, this venerable thread and, finally, on G+, especially their themed stuff (macros, nature, transportation, etc).

Lawrence · Aug 14th, 2012, 05:45 PM

I belong to an online Photo Club that meets up in real life,
We arrange outings with each other periodically and then post our photos on their website.

It's very self gratifying

If you want to join, They are part of the "Meetup" groups as "Toronto Photographic" and they are also on "Facebook"

newfoundlander61 · Sep 27th, 2012, 07:12 AM

I do mostly wild bird photography in ontario. My images are used for books; IE: Vermont Bird Breeding Atlas (currently being prepared for early 2013 release); Bird Watching Magazine; Bird & Blooms Magazine; web sites; newsletters; etc etc. To me this is nice but I mainly do it as a hobby and not for money.

Kleles · Sep 27th, 2012, 04:47 PM

I'm a hobby photographer. I take pictures of our travels and outings, and many pictures of family, especially my grandchildren. The vast majority remain digital, to be viewed on a screen. Some are printed and framed for our home and others are assembled into photo books (via Shutterfly). I also enjoy shooting weather phenomena, and post pictures to Weather Underground.

Seagull21 · Sep 27th, 2012, 05:53 PM

I'm a hobbyist as well. Some photos I sell (great book - 2012 Photographers Market), some I keep, some I print. Like many others, I do it because I love it, not for the money.

ldphoto · Sep 28th, 2012, 03:55 PM

I'm a bit different; to me the end result of the photographic process is a print. I make my own prints on an Epson 3880. I take lots of landscape and nature shots, and many of them end up on my walls for a certain amount of time. I also give some to family and to charity auctions. I sometimes sell some, but not a huge amount. I have two TVs with AppleTVs at home, and I often rotate slideshows on there, especially when we have guests over.

I am also a member and volunteer at the RA Photo Club in Ottawa (RA Photo Club), where I often participate in photo competitions. I also manage the gallery that members have access to to show their work (again, printed, although we are experimenting with a digital display)

so yes, despite the digital age, I have stacks of images on paper in my office/digital studio.

Max · Sep 30th, 2012, 12:07 PM

Friend of mine, an old school shooter, firmly believes that any fool with a camera can take a photo - he maintains that the real test is how well you can print that photo up. I think he enjoys sounding cantankerous about how easy it is to shoot; in practise he's a fastidious pro. But he strongly feels that while one's images may look luscious on-screen, it's an entirely different matter to do them justice as prints - and that's what separates the photographers from what he like to call "the shutterbugs."

So you're certainly not alone, Idphoto.

screature · Oct 1st, 2012, 10:45 AM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by ldphoto
	I'm a bit different; to me the end result of the photographic process is a print. I make my own prints on an Epson 3880. I take lots of landscape and nature shots, and many of them end up on my walls for a certain amount of time. I also give some to family and to charity auctions. I sometimes sell some, but not a huge amount. I have two TVs with AppleTVs at home, and I often rotate slideshows on there, especially when we have guests over. I am also a member and volunteer at the RA Photo Club in Ottawa (RA Photo Club), where I often participate in photo competitions. I also manage the gallery that members have access to to show their work (again, printed, although we are experimenting with a digital display) so yes, despite the digital age, I have stacks of images on paper in my office/digital studio.

	Quote:			Originally Posted by Max
	Friend of mine, an old school shooter, firmly believes that any fool with a camera can take a photo - he maintains that the real test is how well you can print that photo up. I think he enjoys sounding cantankerous about how easy it is to shoot; in practise he's a fastidious pro. But he strongly feels that while one's images may look luscious on-screen, it's an entirely different matter to do them justice as prints - and that's what separates the photographers from what he like to call "the shutterbugs." So you're certainly not alone, Idphoto.

Max while I know where your friend is coming from, many if not most professional photographers don't print their own work, they leave it up to high end professional labs. They may be involved with the proofing process but the fact of that matter is that a working professional simply doesn't have the time to be printing their own stuff due to the volume of work that they have.

So in fact I would say that while he may feel this way, if he is "a fastidious pro" he sure isn't getting that much work if he has the time to be printing his own work.

Max · Oct 1st, 2012, 11:47 AM

Well, he actually keeps quite busy, and he charges top dollar for his stuff. So he must be doing something right. Not all of it is sales of his own prints, mind. He'll do portrait work for Bay St. firms and various magazines, but in that case he's naturally not printing up the work, he's selling the rights. But his own images? He's built his own meticulous printer profiles and prints what he sells. Clearly it's not a model everyone can live up to, and he's fine with that. I imagine he prefers it that way - it gives him an edge over others who are content to let someone else do the printing.

But in the main he's right - if you want maximum quality control over your own work, learn to print it up yourself.