Seems like everyone has a blog now, only I really can't see the point of it in most cases. (especially concerning photographers) What more does it serve than ones vanity or the (obviously unsatisfied) need to speak to a crowd, however small it might be in many cases... Or is it just a short hype and will be gone tomorrow?
Anyone gained something significantly from it?
Georg
That question has been nudging me since they first appeared, Georg. Maybe cuzz I've got a slow connection and don't have the patience to wait long periods for so much wisdom to download onto my computer, or maybe cuzz I get blogged enough by neighbors standing in my driveway. It seems more like a Beany Baby sort of phenomenon, but I was convinced that personal computers were a fad and that digital cameras could never put much of a dent in traditional photography.
I do not see the point either in most cases, in particular when people have a blog where they post that they missed the subway that morning - who the hell cares about that bull...?
I see some justification in blogs dedicated to a field of certain public interest, like - hmm photography, however eventhough I am interested in photography and some gear-info I do not visit such blog-sites because the info is so random and I rather go to a site like dpreview or similar to update myself.
So, yes I agree with you Georg, I do think it is because people are vain and egocentric enough so they are convinced they have to share their insignificant life-details with unknown guests on their blog-sites
But I do not think that this is a trend.. people are addicted to communication of all forms, hence the huge success of mobile-phones - 90% of phonecalls are avoidable imo.
We all are addicted to communication , that's why we post here..
Posted by Lon Overacker on January 28, 2008 at 2:20 PM
Georg,
I personally don't have one, I don't read or subscribe to anyone's blog, and don't have the time to read and/or write one. Having said that, I think I can speculate why someone would and yes it can involve ego and vanity, but there's a practical side that goes beyond any of that. Just like participating in online forums, holding workshops, sending out newsletters, photography blogs might and probably do keep and attract clients, help and promote your photo business, etc.
I have a "day job," so this is only my observation.... but the many photogs I know who have photography as their life's blood - putting food on the table, I can understand using any and all marketing tools to promote and expand their clientel and business.
Granted, I agree that to have a blog, just to have a blog... blog, blog, blog... (Hey, that's the new photography term replacing the general term yada yada yada.... ) but I think for the business of photography, I don't have a problem with it.
Hope that made sense,
Lon
Posted by Ron Niebrugge on January 28, 2008 at 2:51 PM
There is a plenty of benefit to a blog for business purposes.
Blogs take a lot of time and effort - I can't imagine doing one for ego and vanity purposes, but maybe some people do. For ego and vanity purposes, I think it would be far easier to post photos at places like here (NPN) or better yet, Flickr.
I'll be the fifth person to contribute to this thread who...
1) doesn't have a blog of his own (photographic or otherwise)
2) doesn't take the time to read anyone else's blog
I'm going to resist the temptation, however, to presume that the entire enterprise is nothing more than a function of unadulterated egoism, arrogance and self-aggrandizement...though the cynical part of me recognizes that this has gotta be at least part of it in some instances.
I'll be interested to see if someone who does write (and/or read) a photo blog chimes in with some insight about the motivation behind the decision to do so.
Hank:
well, I too shied away from computers as long as possible and digital cameras are still relative strangers to me, but I do actually get the point why so many people use them...
I can't say I have a problem with blogs either and, yes, very truly Dietrich, we all are communicating animals, aren't we. I see many more reasons to post and comment and communicate on a forum like this one, than running my own little blog on my own little website. And I personally do not participate in NPN (I don't participate in any other web related places anyway), for marketing reasons. Blogs don't hurt me, ' cause I don't read them, I'm just amazed how many there are out there and what all these bloggers hope to gain.
Maybe one day, we all will be enlightened...
Georg
Ron: people go to great lengths for ego and vanity purposes. If not for theses things, for what else, eh?? And yes, here on NPN is a great place to do sg for your ego and vanity - much better than running your own blog, imo...
Georg
Posted by Kim Kaiser on January 28, 2008 at 3:16 PM
some are for information, ie http://wolves.wordpress.com/
while it may be skewed in one direction, it does provide links to writing in newspapers, legislations etc around th country as it pertains to some of the land battles in the west nowadays and it residents (human and Furry), there are links provided for most topic s here in newpaper articles with personal comments,,
in some sense they are responses to the mainstream medias,, there is no accoutabliltiy for what they write, but if you follow the new political processes now adays, it seems more people want to believe them and base some of there political preferences on unsubstantiated press,
Kim, to try get serious information via blogs is loosing lots of time and energy getting 2nd or 3rd hand informations instead of going to the right sources right away, if you ask me. But there are sure competent people out there who probably should run a blog. (maybe al gore should have one. (probably he does, right..? ) I'm very much referring to photogs-blogs (nice word!) and it seems to me most significant photographers do NOT run a blog. Surely I could be totally wrong, too.
Georg
Posted by David Bostedo on January 28, 2008 at 3:29 PM
Georg - I don't read many blogs, but there are a few that I find are either a) very interesting or b) pretty full websites in and of themselves, even though they call themselves a "blog". Two main examples of "a" would be :
A very comprehensive site that calls itself a blog (type "b") would be The Strobist. It has daily content, making it nominally a blog, but it's actually very in depth if you read back through everything - almost like taking a class.
I'll admit, I don't randomly search for blogs. These have been found through searches on very specific topics, and the sites pulled me in. I find the amount of blogs out there pretty overwhelming, and most frustrate me with bad content, bad organization, or both.
Hopefully Guy Tal can weigh in as someone who is very well respected here, AND has a blog...
Posted by Kim Kaiser on January 28, 2008 at 4:23 PM
oops, sorry Georg, i didnt read the full op,, i htought you were in blogs in general,, i agree, though, blogs get second hand stuff, but for many, we would never see it other wise,,
Posted by Richard Wong on January 28, 2008 at 6:00 PM
"seems to me most significant photographers do NOT run a blog."
really? Galen Rowell's OP column was the blog of ten years ago. William Neill writes one now on his site. Ron is succesful. so is Gary Crabbe. Dan Heller, etc..,. and just about all the most successful wedding photogs. if it wasn't worth the time, then we wouldn't be doing it.
I guess I'm having trouble defining "success," Richard. What do you mean? How do you measure success, and what do you get from it. I've never heard reference to success for wedding photographers derived from blogs. Kinda the same confusion I have about spam. What do the spamsters get from it? I know the photo workshop, service providers and contests earn a space on my Do Not Buy list and provide added employment to the filter builders, but I am really having trouble understanding how bloggers get anything back.
There is a distinction to be made between data and information. Data are data. Information is useful data. Blogs are full of both, but the signal to noise ratio is terrible. I imagine there are excellent blogs out there, but they are buried in the shrill static of horse-apple-laden blogs.
Pete D.
If you read "The Cult of the Amateur:...." you will get a more extreme version of my opinion.
Posted by Ron Niebrugge on January 28, 2008 at 6:57 PM
In a nutshell Hank, regularly generated content on a blog can help with search engine placement, for a number of reasons that I won't go into now. So If you are a photographer like myself, Richard or one of the others Richard mentioned who derived a healthy portion of their income via the intenet, a blog can be important. For everyone else, it is probably just for fun.
That helps Ron. We've got a friend who plays the search engine games and I know how important that can be. Is there any way to measure an increase in "hits" or whatever it's called once you start a blog?
Not an idle question because we're deep in the throes of site design right now, but we're seeing it more as a tool useful to existing clients than a trawl net for straining new ones from the ether. I'd consider a blog if it resulted in measurably more business, but I'm not about to take one on just cuzz they're sexy. There will be enough other chores to tend to on our site without adding extraneous clutter.
Wasn't jerking your chain Ron, so I'll ignore the double post. Soooorrrryyyyyy!
Posted by Ron Niebrugge on January 28, 2008 at 7:46 PM
I'm not sure what was happening - I walked to the Post Office and returned to find 4 copies of my post! I have deleted all but the original comment. That wasn't anything aimed at you Hank - I wasn't even here!
To your question. Yeah, there are lots of ways to measure increased hits / visitors etc.
In anticipation of your next question - no, there isn't a good way to measure if these increased hits / visitors etc. convert into increased business - of course that is the information we really want to know.
Now I'm heading out for a ski, so ignore any duplicates to this post. :)
Posted by Carl Donohue on January 28, 2008 at 8:33 PM
Hey Hank
I think lots of folks who do well on the internet have blogs because, well, because blogs do well on the internet. :) And lots of folks have blogs for lots of different reasons.
I'm not about to take one on just cuzz they're sexy.
Posted by Carl Donohue on January 28, 2008 at 9:49 PM
Hey Hank,
Tell her 'sexy sells'.
Cheers
Carl
Posted by Kent Staubus on January 28, 2008 at 11:44 PM
I've got enough to do without getting into blog. I don't even have a website, crying out loud. What I DO have is a wife and a kid still at home who needs some of my time.
I'll just say that blogging isn't neccessarily for me but I feel it is an easy way to communicate if you have a way with words. I always enjoy Cindy Mead's blog on her website talking about the joy of being outside and of her observations, whether it be a photo she took or the songs of the birds she hears. And her other blog that speaks of her trials with her illness is a way of letting people know her progress.
I've gone to other photographer's websites and read a few blogs here and there. Again, they're not for me but they are there for communication. You either read them (or write them) or you don't.
Discussion
23 repliesAnyone gained something significantly from it?
Georg
Now,,,, just where did I put my geezer permit?
I see some justification in blogs dedicated to a field of certain public interest, like - hmm photography, however eventhough I am interested in photography and some gear-info I do not visit such blog-sites because the info is so random and I rather go to a site like dpreview or similar to update myself.
So, yes I agree with you Georg, I do think it is because people are vain and egocentric enough so they are convinced they have to share their insignificant life-details with unknown guests on their blog-sites
But I do not think that this is a trend.. people are addicted to communication of all forms, hence the huge success of mobile-phones - 90% of phonecalls are avoidable imo.
We all are addicted to communication , that's why we post here..
I personally don't have one, I don't read or subscribe to anyone's blog, and don't have the time to read and/or write one. Having said that, I think I can speculate why someone would and yes it can involve ego and vanity, but there's a practical side that goes beyond any of that. Just like participating in online forums, holding workshops, sending out newsletters, photography blogs might and probably do keep and attract clients, help and promote your photo business, etc.
I have a "day job," so this is only my observation.... but the many photogs I know who have photography as their life's blood - putting food on the table, I can understand using any and all marketing tools to promote and expand their clientel and business.
Granted, I agree that to have a blog, just to have a blog... blog, blog, blog... (Hey, that's the new photography term replacing the general term yada yada yada.... ) but I think for the business of photography, I don't have a problem with it.
Hope that made sense,
Lon
Blogs take a lot of time and effort - I can't imagine doing one for ego and vanity purposes, but maybe some people do. For ego and vanity purposes, I think it would be far easier to post photos at places like here (NPN) or better yet, Flickr.
1) doesn't have a blog of his own (photographic or otherwise)
2) doesn't take the time to read anyone else's blog
I'm going to resist the temptation, however, to presume that the entire enterprise is nothing more than a function of unadulterated egoism, arrogance and self-aggrandizement...though the cynical part of me recognizes that this has gotta be at least part of it in some instances.
I'll be interested to see if someone who does write (and/or read) a photo blog chimes in with some insight about the motivation behind the decision to do so.
well, I too shied away from computers as long as possible and digital cameras are still relative strangers to me, but I do actually get the point why so many people use them...
I can't say I have a problem with blogs either and, yes, very truly Dietrich, we all are communicating animals, aren't we. I see many more reasons to post and comment and communicate on a forum like this one, than running my own little blog on my own little website. And I personally do not participate in NPN (I don't participate in any other web related places anyway), for marketing reasons. Blogs don't hurt me, ' cause I don't read them, I'm just amazed how many there are out there and what all these bloggers hope to gain.
Maybe one day, we all will be enlightened...
Georg
Georg
while it may be skewed in one direction, it does provide links to writing in newspapers, legislations etc around th country as it pertains to some of the land battles in the west nowadays and it residents (human and Furry), there are links provided for most topic s here in newpaper articles with personal comments,,
in some sense they are responses to the mainstream medias,, there is no accoutabliltiy for what they write, but if you follow the new political processes now adays, it seems more people want to believe them and base some of there political preferences on unsubstantiated press,
Georg
Luminous Landscape What's New Page
The Online Photographer
A very comprehensive site that calls itself a blog (type "b") would be The Strobist. It has daily content, making it nominally a blog, but it's actually very in depth if you read back through everything - almost like taking a class.
I'll admit, I don't randomly search for blogs. These have been found through searches on very specific topics, and the sites pulled me in. I find the amount of blogs out there pretty overwhelming, and most frustrate me with bad content, bad organization, or both.
Hopefully Guy Tal can weigh in as someone who is very well respected here, AND has a blog...
really? Galen Rowell's OP column was the blog of ten years ago. William Neill writes one now on his site. Ron is succesful. so is Gary Crabbe. Dan Heller, etc..,. and just about all the most successful wedding photogs. if it wasn't worth the time, then we wouldn't be doing it.
Kolor me konfused in Kodiak.
Pete D.
If you read "The Cult of the Amateur:...." you will get a more extreme version of my opinion.
Not an idle question because we're deep in the throes of site design right now, but we're seeing it more as a tool useful to existing clients than a trawl net for straining new ones from the ether. I'd consider a blog if it resulted in measurably more business, but I'm not about to take one on just cuzz they're sexy. There will be enough other chores to tend to on our site without adding extraneous clutter.
To your question. Yeah, there are lots of ways to measure increased hits / visitors etc.
In anticipation of your next question - no, there isn't a good way to measure if these increased hits / visitors etc. convert into increased business - of course that is the information we really want to know.
Now I'm heading out for a ski, so ignore any duplicates to this post. :)
I think lots of folks who do well on the internet have blogs because, well, because blogs do well on the internet. :) And lots of folks have blogs for lots of different reasons.
Why? What you got against sexy?
Cheers
Carl
Tell her 'sexy sells'.
Cheers
Carl
Kent in SD
I've gone to other photographer's websites and read a few blogs here and there. Again, they're not for me but they are there for communication. You either read them (or write them) or you don't.