Instagram, Flickr, Pinterest and Picassa Web Albums by Google are all apps available for use to photographers. Picassa does not enjoy the same popularity and level of usage that the other three apps do because Google has not merged this platform with Google+ (if they do, with the level of photo editing a photographer can do, it would be fantastic!) Because Google has not implemented such a function, there is currently no way to measure the success or popularity of photos posted on the site. I discovered today that my Picassa Web Album photos do not all appear in Google+, which is unfortunate. You must ‘share’ your photos to G+, and as of this writing, G+ is the only social media website you may share your Picassa photos on, this could be one reason many photographers do not use it as much. However, I felt the need to add Picassa to this discussion because of the potential the app has and is not being used.
On the other hand, Instagram, Flickr and Pinterest all have analytics information that is accessible to photographers. With Pinterest, there is a formula that helps determine if photos are popular. That formula is:
PINTEREST M/M GROWTH = (THIS MONTH’S FOLLOWERS – LAST MONTH’S FOLLOWER’S)/LAST MONTH’S FOLLOWERS
(Where M/M = month over month)*
“By visiting the analytics dashboard on your Pinterest account, you can learn the following information: The daily average of the number of pins from your website as well as the average number of people who pin. The daily average number of pins that are taken from your website and repinned on Pinterest as well as the average number of people that choose to repin these pins. The daily average number of times that your business’s pins appear in Pinterest’s main feed. The daily average number of people that were exposed to your pins on Pinterest. The average number of people that were directed to your website from clicking on a Pinterest pin,” (Digital Sherpa)
Flickr is limited in its analytics because it does not show traffic outside of the Flickr community. Even though I have a Flickr widget on my blog, that traffic does not register within the Flickr analytic measurement tool. This app shows recent activity, such as who wants you to join a relevant photo group, or who liked your photos, however as I stated before it is limited to the Flickr community. This is such a likable and golden gem of an app; however, it shoots itself in the foot by not ‘playing’ on a measurable analytic level with other social media platforms. However, according to Thomas Hawk’s Digital Connection, “The single greatest tool for garnering attention on Flickr is to have your photos appear in the “Explore” section of Flickr’s interestingness stream. Interestingness is a secret sauce formula algorithm on Flickr whereby they post what their algorithm says are the 500 most interesting photos on Flickr each day to their Explore section. The higher the rank, the more people see it. Despite the top secretness formula of interestingness, it is really not that complicated to understand in broad terms. Your photos are deemed interesting when they have activity. When people tag your photos, comment on your photos, view your photos, leave notes on your photos, and especially when they favorite your photos you increase your interestingness rank.”
Since Instagram seems to be the flavor of the moment, and everyone wants to use it, I’ve discovered that this app is about building relationships. It has an up close and personal feel, and you are able to view at any time the number of likes, shares and new followers. Simply log in to your account and at the bottom of your page, look at the heart shaped icon and click on it. What is phenomenal about Instagram is you cannot add or upload photos from a desktop! It is strictly mobile (tablet and smartphone.) Most of my best photos are on my external hard drive, so many times if I want to share those, I have to email them to myself and download them to my memory card in my phone or tablet.
As you can see, I’m active on all three of these social media apps because it is just another way to get my work in front of people. I have gotten assignments from my work on Flickr (my photos were seen on the Discovery Channel-Storm Chasers, CNN, and Schmap) because of my activity on this site. Lately, I’ve been getting photo jobs from my Facebook posts as well. As a result of a wedding I just shot, I will be shooting a retirement celebration of a pastor at a church (in video) this weekend. Photography is a love of mine, I don’t just buy camera equipment because I can, I buy them based on need, and the potential for enhancing my skills. I hope you enjoy my work!
I’m on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/teasa/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/latease/boards/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/teasastips
The Social Media Photographer 
Thank you for sharing this information and how it goes along with photography. I had no idea that Pinterest offered the option to see how many pins from your website and the average number of people who pin. I think that is great information and it can help you to change your website if needed to get more followers or more people to pin your site. Pinterest has grown quite a bit and this is a great way for photographers to share their work and get their name out there to others.
Hey @vickygilbert: Yes Pinterest is actually modelling itself to be an additional source of ecommerce options for small and large businesses seeking to enhance and expand their brands. They have realized the act of following, liking and repinning have value, just how much value is debatable relative to the item(s) shared. Thanks for hanging out with Photos by LaTease!
[…] Instagram, Pinterest, Flickr Which Should a Photographer Choose? (lateaser.wordpress.com) […]
[…] Instagram, Pinterest, Flickr Which Should a Photographer Choose? (lateaser.wordpress.com) […]
Thank you for sharing … All of my friends that are looking to share seem to only be using Facebook Pinterest or instagram so it was good to see that there are other sites out there but I can understand when you say they are not being used
@rbdiva: Flickr and Picasa have way more editing tools for photographers who are accustomed to using Photoshop, etc. Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram have limited editing capabilities, yet offer instant gratification and ease of use. Think about it, you’re at a restaurant, the presentation of the food given to you is good, service is good, it looks good, many people snap a photo and put it on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or even Yelp! They don’t worry whether it is blurry, out of focus or even has the correct lighting and shadows. Me, as a person who has been shooting for years, I think about those things as I’m composing the shot and I make the decision to shoot or not or even to move the plate to get the right shot. Thanks for hanging out at Photos by LaTease!
I remember when Instagram was not a popular application. I downloaded it and forgot about it for a long time. All of a sudden it became a very popular mobile application. Now, you have mentioned a different application Picassa that I have never heard of. I wonder how long is going to take before it becomes popular as well. One thing is surely happening in the digital world- mobile applications such as these make things easier to share and stay connected with people around the globe.
Picasa is owned by Google, so if you have a gmail account, you can activate Picasa. If you are unfamiliar with photo editing software, then Picasa is not for you, however it is fairly simple to use. It isn’t photoshop, but it will pass when you’re in a hurry. Picasa is pretty popular among photographers, it’s not something we use first when we edit, but it is a viable substitute especially if you’re mobile and need to do a quick fix on your laptop or tablet.
I’ve always thought about Flickr, Pinterest, and Instagram as vehicles to show finished products. I never took into account that photographers are actually using the sights to edit their photos. Sort of just a gallery to possibly get freelance work. Does there ever get to a point where its just overkill with the photo sharing whether it be professional or personal? pretty soon there is going to be a new system, like you mentioned Picasa, that is going to take over the popularity of Instagram, but at what point do just say, “You know what I have enough social profiles and I’m sticking to these few?”
Flickr is truly (of the 3 you mentioned) the only site where you can actually make affective edits to photos. Pinterest and Instagram, whatever you shot, lighting errors, etc. stays with the photo and you roll with it. I wouldn’t think of these sites as a place to get freelance work; photographers are like any other creative persons, actresses, singers, artists, that need an outlet and a desire to share their finished work with the world. The availability of photo sharing is an added caveat to a once closed genre that meant as a photographer you did weddings, school photos, candids, etc. out of your storefront studio. Now, you can go global and get wider recognition for corporate accounts. I am often asked to take corporate LinkedIn headshots for people. This could not have happened if these photo sharing sites were not available. Popularity has nothing to do with it; photographers who can afford it still spend $650+ on Photoshop editing software, Picasa, et al are just quick fix places to get stuff to social networks in a hurry. It’s all about branding. If you are a photographer, then you have to look at the places you are having the most success; even though I’m on a multitude of social networks, I use Twitter, Facebook, G+ and Instagram faithfully. I post to Flickr in bulk. I receive the most conversations from Twitter, Facebook G+ and Instagram, while Flickr has gotten me actual corporate accounts. It just depends on what your purpose is for using Social networks. If you’re just on them because it’s the thing to do, then yes, you would get tired out. But again, you have to look at them as marketing vehicles to get your product in front a larger group of eyeballs. Thanks msaltaego!