Social Networks

Travisennis

Regular
With the recent unveiling of Google+ I was wondering how many of you use social networks like Twitter, Facebook, etc. to connect with other photographers? If you do, how do you use it and how does it differ from what you put into and get from a forum like this?
 
I'm on Facebook, but use it almost never. Lots of family and friends are on it so I seem to miss a lot when I'm not, but I still only check in once every few weeks. I tend to try to share family photos there, because that's where the family is (why do you rob banks? - because that's where the money is!). Its also kind of nice that way because I don't like to co-mingle my family snaps with my "serious" work anymore than necessary. So not everyone in the world has to check out my family and my extended family members aren't force to wade through my endless artistic pretensions to get to the photos of their kids! That said, I've connected with a few old friends through it and was even led to a digital treasure trove of old college photos of my friends and I that I'd have probably never seen otherwise. So these things do have their uses. But I know people who's whole lives are pretty much on Facebook now and I absolutely can't think of anywhere I'd less rather live.

Don't know squat about Google+. I guess if they take over THAT world too, I'll eventually join. But I'm not even remotely anxious to get on ANY of those sites.

-Ray
 
I've seen quite a few photographers on flickr who use a link through a facebook page to generate traffic. At one point I was prompted to link my facebook page to flickr which resulted in notifications being sent out everytime I uploaded an image. That may be useful if you're uploading images of friends and family to flickr but not so much for me. It's a bit pointless trying to explain to someone why for example you presented an image in black and white when they'd actually prefer to see some out of focus shot of their cousin drinking a yardglass at their 21st. Just like Ray I don't particularly want to bother my friends/family with my definition of a "good" photo.
 
I joined facebook as a way to catch up with the doings of friends far and wide. Then friends not so far discovered me, and it went on from there. I have issues with facebook's opt-out policy (to wit the recent photorecognition software activation... enabled for everyone by default. badbadbad). Its also become too commercial, which is exactly what Google+ is for, too. I'm already in, and so far not that impressed although I do like the idea of "circles" and being able to keep groups separate which is not an option in facebook.

If anyone *does* want a google+ invite, I'm happy to oblige, and place you in a circle I will call seriouscompacts. circles are interesting. My sc circle will include only those who join via my invite. But which circle you stick me in (I would have to go somewhere) will depend on your own decision. You might put me in a "do not contact" circle. <grin>

Anyway, the offer is there, and lets face it, get in now and you don't have to be very active. I already have one friend who has returned to facebook. "No games"

PM me with your email address, and I'll send an invite. You will need a gmail account to make the most of it.
 
I'm on FB and Twitter but under a pseudonym and I only use them to follow some photography related posters on Twitter and to look up FB links when I come across them elsewhere.

I also have two holding accounts in my (almost) real name for possible future use.

My only interest would be in pushing my own pictures and websites (assuming anyone out there is interested). Photshelter, the web hosting site, do have some interesting free publications on using social media as a photographer, though these are more aimed at professionals or those trying to establish a business.

Sue, I shall PM you. I generally like the way google do things and I believe that Blogger and Picasa are both going to be folded into the wider Google+ thing so it might be more interesting in the longterm than FB etc.
 
I'm anti-social on social networks.

I'm afraid I'm the same. In my life, I just don't have the interest or real time for them.

The social networking phenomenon took the world by storm; it seems that everyone and their Aunt Suzy take part. You hear about people who have thousands of "friends" and "followers" on these sites; but, are most really friends? I don't think so. These are the people who spend hours and hours a day clicking away, and writing nonsense, with no relevant, or truly useful content. I call my friends on the phone and sometimes email, and get together with them (when possible) for meaningful talk, drink, and bonding. When asked if he participated in Facebook and/or Twitter, Brian Williams of NBC said the social media sites were a big "time suck". Time Magazine (in one of the last issues) reported that one-third of the adult population in major developed countries is just plain frustrated with the use and technology of these sites.

I think there's a place for the main social sites for business activity/development, and for them to play a part in businesses' general marketing mix, but not exclusively. You really have to know what you're doing, or you'll just end up wasting valuable time you can't retrieve. I attended a seminar, recently, on the use of Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Linkedin, et al. for business. There were valid points being made throughout. But, to be successful, you have to dedicate a lot of time with daily updating, working and networking (group) those sites. My concern was, when does one have time to run the business? Larger enterprises hire young guns to do just that; sit at the computer all day, updating and working social media sites.

Getting back to the original question, for photographers and allied practitioners, I would think various, relevant online forums such as this -- to include specialized Linkedin groups and flickr -- are the better route for connecting and discussing mutual interests; but, again, not exclusively. This is rife for a lengthy discussion and off-shoot related topics.
 
I didn't want go be the only anti-social person on social sites.

I sort of take a middle ground. I'm sort of anti-social and can sound grumpy about this stuff, but I can definitely see the value, if used reasonably. I've also seen people become literally addicted to Facebook and I find that mildly alarming. Then again, when I first started hanging out on specific internet forums before they were forums in the moderns sense - back when it was list-serves and all email-based, plenty of people thought I was crazy and had lost my mind. And now most of us accept these types of places as a given, what would be do without 'em, etc, so I try to keep an open mind. But I'm getting older and I often fail. :cool: But you have to admit there's a certain irony associated with a bunch of people using one type of "social media" on the internet griping about an very slightly newer type of "social media" on the internet when, only 20 years ago, this ALL would have seemed like the space age!

But my kids, who are now young adults, keep in touch with friends through Facebook in a really natural way and I don't see anything wrong with it. They don't spend hours a day on the site, but they check in periodically like most of us check our email. They don't bother each other with "I'm brushing my teeth now" type garbage, but note life events, travels, and stuff like that and often connect with each other in person because of keeping loose track of each other there. My daughter lives in Seattle now. An old high school buddy happened to note that he and his family were visiting the northwest - they were able to get together and in fact she and the whole family (who we're a bit friendly with as well, but wouldn't have known their travel plans) got together for dinner and an evening out. A fine time was had by all and it probably never would have happened with my friends and I in our day because we just wouldn't have known each other's whereabouts except for our very very closest couple of friends who we kept in touch with via mail and the very occasional (and expensive!) phone call.

So I don't see much downside if its used like that - its rather nice. The downside I see is people for whom Facebook becomes their life and accumulating "friends" becomes almost a quest. I recently got friend "requests" from a couple of people I'm very distantly acquainted with and have no desire see their daily movements on FB. I asked my wife about one of them (she sort of knows this woman a bit) and she said, "oh, that's just how she spends her time, on Facebook". Well, ok, but I don't have any desire to see her comings and goings. And then people get sucked into the games and that can get pretty silly. My wife briefly got into one of them but had to bail after a few weeks because she saw what it was doing to her. I've had to start ignoring one of my favorite family members because she's CONSTANTLY sending out status notices on some game she's playing. Bums me out - I'd love to keep in touch with her generally, but I don't want all of that garbage coming over the transom.

I've actually re-established contact with several long lost friends. A few of them I quickly remembered why they'd become long lost and have almost no contact with them now either, but a couple of them have been really good to be back in touch with and we'll no doubt see each other when we're in each other's parts of the world.

So, its technology, and like any technology, we can use it appropriately or abuse it and I guess we each have to define where that line is for ourselves. But I sort of doubt its the end of the world, any more than email was, or cell phones were, or the printing press was. There are changes and we all adapt to whatever degree makes sense to us. I adapt minimally, at best, to this one. But I can see its upside, even if I rarely feel much of the benefit personally.

-Ray
 
I might add, which I neglected in haste earlier, is that like any endeavor -- newly-developed, or old -- you do what best suits you. If the social media sites work for you and you find them useful, then great. If they don't, move on with what's important and of benefit to you. Everyone's different -- chemistry, interests, needs, wants and desires -- so you have to explore and discover what works and what doesn't within your lifestyle. To each his own...

By the way, nice write-up, Ray.
 
I'm on most of the social networking sites. I try to keep Linked In to colleagues of some sort, but Twitter (deirdresm) and Facebook (deirdresm) and LiveJournal (dsmoen) are all my hangouts. I'm more active on LiveJournal than elsewhere.
 
Interesting reading - I should have 'thanked' everyone but really did it for the ones who made me laugh out loud...and then added in Ray's and Andrew's last two post because they're diplomatic.:D

I created a FaceBook account due to a MINI Cooper "cult" that I've been involved with since about 2003..when they lost their website for a bit. As soon as the MINI folks got their site up and running I deleted my FB account only to re-up again...but I really do not use it at all. I can see how someday if my offspring "friends" me when she is a parent, or something along those lines that I might want to use it. At this point it is not my thing. For me, I would rather email a good friend. I do understand and see how it could be useful and enjoyable but it hasn't happened for me.

I know nothing about Google + - so it just shows how out of the social network loop I am - except with my you all.:drinks:

I do use Flickr and have gone through some very active times there...I have some non SC folks there whose photos I really enjoy and who I've gotten to know a bit and stay in touch with from time to time. That's about it for me.

Pre SC, it was Mu43 and now it is almost all SC due to my not owning a micro four thirds camera anymore.
 
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