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New Professional Stock Photography Facebook


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I have started a Facebook group for wider discussion of stock and  photography business:  Professional Stock Photographers as a closed FB group so you will have to request membership but if I know you or you have the credentials I will accept your request asap. I appreciate FB may not be the best format or indeed suit everybody but it has worked for a similar writers group and requires minimal administration (which is where a lot of groups have failed in the past). Judging by the take up I seem to have identified a real need.

I am a member of a FB writers' group (now with 340+ members) that spun off from a content publishing site when we needed to discuss matters that were inappropriate on a public forum associated with our publisher. It has turned into a very useful, positive and supportive group that needs no moderation - everyone acts like grown-ups. I hope this group will do the same for photographers.

It would be particularly useful to discuss the wider stock and photography market as it seems to be changing (again!) and for us to keep in touch with online friends and colleagues as they move on to other things. It would certainly not replace these Alamy forums or be a place to bitch about Alamy; it should be about the bigger picture, wider opportunities and mutual support generally - the sort of advice we already give and receive by email but in a shared environment.
 

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I think you should create another couple of admins Martin. If for any reason you're not around the group would be powerless to make changes or moderate discussions etc. (This isn't a request for myself - I'm happy for other people to administer things).

 

Alan

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That is my intention - perhaps someone in the Americas and/or the Far East. I actually took on that support admin role for the writers' group I mentioned.

 

I was just hanging fire until the group is properly off the ground and we have a critical mass of members and the discussion starts to flow. But of course, if someone was to offer ... It is hardly onerous - mostly just making a decision about new members. Easy at the moment because this group is too new to get spammed, the other group gets them but they are mostly obvious. We have got the point that we sometimes need to ask for writing credentials if candidates are not already linked with existing members.

 

Although PSP has grown quickly - we are at over 25 members in less than 24 hours - we probably need another 25 or thereabouts to be viable and have the spread of experience a group needs.

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Hi Martin, I think I've just attempted to join the group. Not too good at the facebook thing yet; only had an account as it was the only way to get info on a gig I was going to, so may not have pressed the right buttons.

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Hi Martin, I think I've just attempted to join the group. Not too good at the facebook thing yet; only had an account as it was the only way to get info on a gig I was going to, so may not have pressed the right buttons.

 

You did fine Joe, you are now a member, welcome.

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I just can't bring myself to use Farcebook, I'm afraid.

 

Have to agree there for other than chit chat.

 

Plenty of pros have left FB accounts because of the terms, also it's not a great platform for a stock group if you want to display media etc. Proboards is one I can recommend - nice backend for admins.

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I just can't bring myself to use Farcebook, I'm afraid.

 

Have to agree there for other than chit chat.

 

Plenty of pros have left FB accounts because of the terms, also it's not a great platform for a stock group if you want to display media etc. Proboards is one I can recommend - nice backend for admins.

 

 

I agree and I do not upload any images. However I do use links to off-Facebook pages.

 

It is quick and easy for general discussion without limitations; already developing some good interchange. Importantly it does not take much administration unlike a forum platform.

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I just can't bring myself to use Farcebook, I'm afraid.

 

It's not fear that keeps me from Facebook, just plain ol' common sense.

 

dd

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Nowt wrong with Face book, it is a tool you can use if you wish.

Socially,

I have family and friends all over the world and FB is great for staying in touch, same with all my ex forces buddies.
There are also a few very useful business groups that I use.

Business wise ie promoting my business, I have a page but will be dropping that as I cannot be bothered with it, I also prefer a blog.

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Nowt wrong with Face book, it is a tool you can use if you wish.

 

Socially,

I have family and friends all over the world and FB is great for staying in touch, same with all my ex forces buddies.

There are also a few very useful business groups that I use.

 

Business wise ie promoting my business, I have a page but will be dropping that as I cannot be bothered with it, I also prefer a blog.

There are many tools we can use if we wish, of course, and I know of many who use FB to their intense satisfaction . . .

 

. . . but to say there's nothing wrong with FB is demonstrably not a universally accepted opinion--to me at least, the T&C are untenable, bordering on deliberately exploitative and definitely manipulative (with monetising the whole thing, at users' expense, the ultimate goal), and again to me, the common sense approach to FB is to not approach FB.

 

Horses for courses of course (of course . . . sorry, an almost irresistable urge to break into the Mr Ed theme just hit me . . . ), but not for me and many of my online and off-line acquaintances.

 

Edit: for those to whom the Mr Ed reference actually means something, a search for:

 

"Mr Ed" -roski -westwood -emswiler -heath -lily -hamilton -downes -lincoln -bordeaux -bike -driscoll -icelandic -chinese -domesticated

 

returns just 14 images on Alamy . . . a niche opportunity???!!! . . . perhaps not . . .

 

dd

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Hi Martin

JUst put my name in - Mark Sawyer- you don't know me because I am a newbie to Alamy and to stock photography as well.

After close to 40 yrs as a staff/freelance I decided to retire and decided to try stock for "fun" and a few dollars.

I appreciate the younger photographers problems and think a neutral forum space is a great idea.

 

Mark

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Lots of good discussions already and good advice we couldn't discuss on here due to it concerning Alamy's competitiors.

 

It's good to read the introductions of people who I've known for ages on here as usernames but only just finding out their photographic history.

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