I have recently started to upload a few more photos to our PhotoPortfolio.net site and have been looking through all of the incredible materials that have been posted over the years.
I have noticed though that a lot of the posting activity has dropped off over the last couple of years, and that there has not been a portfolio featured since December of 2010. Is this being done somewhere else? Or is this site now not being managed as closely as this NaturePhotographers.net site?
Just curious. If you have new materials that you would like to post, there are still a lot of people going to the portfolio pages.
I can't speak for the others, but once we were given our own Gallery here on NPN, I didn't upload much to the old Portfolio site. I'd actually forgotten about it til your post here.
Until recently th NPN Gallery was limited to 250 images and we could only post every 48 hours to a Gallery. Now tht we can have 500 images and can post every 24 hrs to a gallery, I'd guess that many are not using the old Portfolio site much.
I believe The GOTM (Galery of the Month) on NPN has also replaced the portfolio's "Featured" gallery.
I believe this is all correct info - I'm sure someone will pipe up if not.
Cheers -
We're actually interested in finding someone to take over the PhotoPortfolios site. It has a lot of potential to become an active resource promoting members' work as opposed to the passive approach it now takes. Our intent was to use PPN to actively market (contact potential photo buyers to license photos, like other agencys) but there have not been enough hours in the day to do that and maintain NPN at the same time.
This is interesting. I'm going to reveal my ignorance here. I've never posted anything or created a gallery simply because I thought it all was about the feel good effect of having one's photos admired and/or critiqued rather than any commercial impact. Does anybody have any real life success stories of jobs, work, income as a result of having images posted here? Please do not misunderstand. If it is all about "feel good", that's not only fine, but simply wonderful. I do not mean to imply anything negative at all. Love the Network. Just curious since Jim mentioned marketing. JR
There was a discussion about PPN earlier this year. You can find it Here
Personally, I would like to see PPN continue. It would be great to have the max file size set to 300KB and the photo size be the same as NPN (720px on the long side). I think that would make it easier, since folks would not have to create a separate image just for PPN.
Jim, I am just curious, but what would the job description and skill set be for someone interested in taking over PPN?
Ed and John, it's certainly nice to have positive comments when we post an image.
But the real purpose of NPN - to me - is as a teaching site, where people can get comments and criticisms on their work so they can IMPROVE . I'll often post an image that I think is pretty good, before entering it in some contest (for instance) but after someone's comment or suggestion, I'll see ways to improve it further - changes in processing, framing, etc.
As far as commercial value of our images - some are not interested in promoting their work at all or not at the level to do so.. Many others here make a good part of their imcome - or ALL their income - from photography.
It's up to YOU what you wish to do with your work! And by offering comments and criticisms of other's work, you're giving back as well as refining your own abilities to visualize possibilities.
I hope you'll post and be active in NPN.
Cheers -
I haven't kept my portfolio current for quite a while, but some time in the past I had three or four different inquires to purchase photos as a result of my portfolio. Only one panned out and I ended up selling rights for digital use. It wasn't a lot of money, but paid for my membership for a few years. It was an easy deal and wish it would happen more.
I guess there is the opportunity to state in the photographer profile if the photos are for sale or not. It seems to me like if a person just wants to show their photos, there are enough places like smugmug that offer more flexibility in the way the photos are shown.
I use Photoportfolios as a tool to show my images to perspective buyers or art galleries owners who want to see a sampling of my work. It differs from the critque gallery in that I feel free to post images that are not strictly nature. Sure would be nice to be able to post larger (more impact) images though. Since I don't have my own website the NPN gallery and Photoportfolios are a necessity. Years ago there were occasional inquiries but in recent years I haven't seen any requests for a specific type of image.
Jim, I am just curious, but what would the job description and skill set be for someone interested in taking over PPN?
Web page building/HTML skills, an entrepreneurial mindset and most importantly, the time/desire to develop the contacts to market the work. Contact me at editor@naturephotographers.net if you'd like to discuss further!
First, I have to point out that the advantages of the portfolios and the "success stories" are one of the things that got me to sign up here. There are plenty of free sites where one can post photos for critique etc. In that context it is a bit disconcerting to hear that there is a consious decision on the part of the site management not to put effort into that feature that is actively marketed as an advantage to membership.
Second, it is a PITA not to be able to put images in the portfolio that meet the posting requirements in the galleries/forums. NPN is already more restrictive (regarding pixel count/file size) than any of the other competing sites that I post on and the portfolios are even more so. However, in fairness this is the only site that I use with the option of posting the second, larger format image which is much more useful for receiving meaningful feedback. Kudos for that to be sure.
Those two things said, I personally long since transitioned my reasons for using this site and if the portfolios went away it would not materially impact my ongoing membership and participation in NPN and the benefits that I glean from same. I'm not a pro, barely a semi-pro wanna-be and very much appreciate the feedback and interaction with those of you who are. This is a very giving community that conducts itself very professionally and respectfully relative to many competing venues.
I do think, however, that from a business standpoint, site management should fish or cut bait on the future of the portfolios.
Discussion
9 repliesI have noticed though that a lot of the posting activity has dropped off over the last couple of years, and that there has not been a portfolio featured since December of 2010. Is this being done somewhere else? Or is this site now not being managed as closely as this NaturePhotographers.net site?
Just curious. If you have new materials that you would like to post, there are still a lot of people going to the portfolio pages.
Until recently th NPN Gallery was limited to 250 images and we could only post every 48 hours to a Gallery. Now tht we can have 500 images and can post every 24 hrs to a gallery, I'd guess that many are not using the old Portfolio site much.
I believe The GOTM (Galery of the Month) on NPN has also replaced the portfolio's "Featured" gallery.
I believe this is all correct info - I'm sure someone will pipe up if not.
Cheers -
Sandy
We're actually interested in finding someone to take over the PhotoPortfolios site. It has a lot of potential to become an active resource promoting members' work as opposed to the passive approach it now takes. Our intent was to use PPN to actively market (contact potential photo buyers to license photos, like other agencys) but there have not been enough hours in the day to do that and maintain NPN at the same time.
Personally, I would like to see PPN continue. It would be great to have the max file size set to 300KB and the photo size be the same as NPN (720px on the long side). I think that would make it easier, since folks would not have to create a separate image just for PPN.
Jim, I am just curious, but what would the job description and skill set be for someone interested in taking over PPN?
--P
But the real purpose of NPN - to me - is as a teaching site, where people can get comments and criticisms on their work so they can IMPROVE . I'll often post an image that I think is pretty good, before entering it in some contest (for instance) but after someone's comment or suggestion, I'll see ways to improve it further - changes in processing, framing, etc.
As far as commercial value of our images - some are not interested in promoting their work at all or not at the level to do so.. Many others here make a good part of their imcome - or ALL their income - from photography.
It's up to YOU what you wish to do with your work! And by offering comments and criticisms of other's work, you're giving back as well as refining your own abilities to visualize possibilities.
I hope you'll post and be active in NPN.
Cheers -
Sandy
I guess there is the opportunity to state in the photographer profile if the photos are for sale or not. It seems to me like if a person just wants to show their photos, there are enough places like smugmug that offer more flexibility in the way the photos are shown.
Second, it is a PITA not to be able to put images in the portfolio that meet the posting requirements in the galleries/forums. NPN is already more restrictive (regarding pixel count/file size) than any of the other competing sites that I post on and the portfolios are even more so. However, in fairness this is the only site that I use with the option of posting the second, larger format image which is much more useful for receiving meaningful feedback. Kudos for that to be sure.
Those two things said, I personally long since transitioned my reasons for using this site and if the portfolios went away it would not materially impact my ongoing membership and participation in NPN and the benefits that I glean from same. I'm not a pro, barely a semi-pro wanna-be and very much appreciate the feedback and interaction with those of you who are. This is a very giving community that conducts itself very professionally and respectfully relative to many competing venues.
I do think, however, that from a business standpoint, site management should fish or cut bait on the future of the portfolios.