Photo sharing
Photo sharing is a way of sharing photos with others using the internet. In its simplest form, photo sharing includes emailing a few photos to friends. A more advanced type of sharing is publishing images on photo-sharing sites.
Digital photos are the easiest to upload as this can be done direct from a digital camera or mobile phone. Older photographs can be scanned from physical prints and then uploaded for others to see.
People use photo sharing websites in differing ways, including to share photography as a creative outlet, or as a way of letting their friends see the latest family pictures. Many people use photo sharing to advertise their photographic skills in the hope of obtaining employment.
Some sites allow direct uploading from a computer’s photographic software or web browser, although others require users to use their own software application.
Many photo-sharing sites are free. This may mean that photos appear alongside advertisements. If users pay for a photo sharing service their photos will usually appear free of advertisements. When choosing a photo-sharing service, check to see if there are limits on the number of uploads and downloads, what privacy controls are in place and the cost of subscribing to an advertisement free service. Users should check the terms of service and ensure that they retain all rights to the images that they upload.
Assigning copyright to photos is worthwhile, as it is possible for other people to take the images and use them for advertising or other purposes.
Users can choose who has access to their photos once they’re uploaded. They can be publicly available or just available to a chosen list of contacts. Consider keeping personal photographs private, shared only with close friends and family.