How do I track what has been published to flickr from Lightroom?

Question

I'm not so much interested in which method to use for publishing (like this question), I'm more interested in how I should go about marking images as "selected for publishing" and keeping track of images that have already been published (smart collection?). I've not published any yet, so I don't know what Lightroom does for me and what I should be doing for myself. I was thinking about having some "meta" keywords that aren't exported as meta-data but are indicate whether an image is ready for flickr and when an image has been published? How do other folks do this? I'd prefer to know how it works before pushing the button for the first time :-)

Asked by ninesided

Answer

When you configure the Flickr publish service (either Jeffrey's or the built-in one), you create one or more "publish collections" that correspond to your Flickr photostream or sets on Flickr. When you add a photo to a publish collection, it appears there under a "New photos to be published" heading. After you upload it to Flickr using the "Publish" button, it stays in the publish collection under "Published Photos". If you ever modify it, it again stays in the publish collection, but under another heading, "Modified photos to re-publish", and again, you can click Publish to upload the modified version, and it goes back to "Published Photos" in Lightroom.

So Flickr keeps track of your main bookkeeping concerns: What do you intend to publish to Flickr, and what has been published to Flickr. That's really the joy of publish services in Lightroom.

Also: An entry in the edit history is created for your images whenever they're exported or published, so you can always go back to the published version in Lightroom. Jeffrey's plugin has the ability to also record a "Snapshot" of each image when it's published; this appears under "Snapshots" on the left side of the Develop module, and makes it even easier to go back to the published version(s) after you do some editing.

Answered by coneslayer

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Publishing photos in UK

Question

Does anyone know the legal aspects for the following situation? At a sports competition someone took photos of me. They have since posted them on Facebook and on a commercial website, where anyone can buy them.

My objection is that I don't want photos of me published without my prior consent. Needless to say, I never gave them my consent. I don't object to them selling the pictures (except that by selling they also publish and distribute).

Is it reasonable (by UK or European law) for me to ask them to take the photos down?

• Given that the competition was open to the public (as spectators) does this change my right on images of me?
• I am not a public figure ;-)
• The competition took place indoors on private property.

If you can please provide links/references to the relevant laws/court decisions.

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This is a question about a legal topic. I realise that all answers will not be legal advice.

Asked by Unapiedra

Answer

It seems that the case is reasonably clear. Following Wikimedia's take on things [2], I could expect to be photographed during the competition and therefore the venue could be classified as public.

For the publication of that photo the rules are slightly harder but according to [1] publication seems to be allowed. I am not clear on the commercial use of that photograph. I haven't found a source for that but it might be legal in the UK. If you have an answer to the commercial use than please post your own answer.

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Academically interesting is the following:

Photographs of people may also be subject to the Data Protection Act, which controls the "processing" of "personal data", that is, data relating to an individual and from which the individual can be identified. There has not yet been a court case that has determined whether or not an image of a person, [...] , would be caught by the Act [...].[1]

This is related directly to my objection as I see myself being at the competition and my liking of that sport as personal data. Anyway, I will leave it at that and accept that their acting is legal.

[1] http://www.sirimo.co.uk/2009/05/14/uk-photographers-rights-v2/ --> Download the PDF. [2] http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Photographs_of_identifiable_people

TL;DR Taking and publishing of pictures on a public competition is allowed.

Answered by Unapiedra

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What do you recommend for a high quality photo book service?

Question

I'm looking for a reliable photo book printing service that allows the option of uploading a high quality PDF or Indesign file, but also prints using high quality photo prints.

I've used Blurb, but their print quality, even on the higher quality paper, is on par with a high quality magazine print. While I'm not disappointed with the quality for the prices I've paid, I'm wanting to use a higher quality printer for my next project.

Has anyone found a service that does actual photo quality prints for their books, and still allows for completely custom books without using their custom software? The other requirement is that they allow for small print runs. I'm only wanting to have one or two books printed.

Answer

You bet... two labs that I've specifically used for making custom photo books are:

• Bay Photo
• White House Custom Color

They both have product lines that include a variety of different configurations (book size, # of pages, paper choice, cover options and materials, etc.), quantity of books ordered (1 or 2 is a common request), and will use 4-color or 6-color offset printing, so it will be much higher quality than Blurb, Cafepress, etc.

If you want the absolute best-of-the-best quality, and money is no object, the other option I can think of is to look into wedding album manufacturers such as:

• Asuka Book
• Leather Craftsman
• La Vie

They may be 'wedding album companies,' but there's nothing saying you're only 'allowed' to create wedding albums... But you'll want to be prepared for sticker shock. The costs are way higher than you'll pay through something like Blurb... On the other hand, the quality and customization are also top-notch, and the final product is going to have a 'look and feel' that Blurb simply will not be able to match. Additionally, these companies cater to businesses, not individuals, so you may have to jump through some additional hoops in order to use them.

Full Disclosure: I am a customer of all the companies mentioned above in my photography business, so I can personally attest to their top-notch quality... I don't get anything for mentioning them here, though, and there are other album manufacturers out there... These are just the ones I happen to be familiar with.

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How would I get my travel photos published?

Question

I'm an avid traveller and photographer, and I've got some cool travel pics. I'm not looking for money, just the recognition and satisfaction in knowing that my photos are good and useful enough to be published by a reputable publication house. I took a look at the usual suspects like Nat Geo and Travel+Leisure, but of course competition is really tight. Seems like everyone is a photographer today. I did post one photo to Nat Geo's MyShot section, so fingers crossed, but small chance.

Any advice?

Answer

I realize this probably isn't Exactly what you're looking for (because it is a bit of cold water in the face, potentially), but hopefully you'll find it helpful anyway... There are three main reasons that photographers get their work published:

1. They differentiate. What makes your photographs different than every other photographer's photographs? If you don't know what the answer to this question is, you will simply not get published. The cold, hard fact is that in all likelihood every photo editor you will ever come in contact with has seen exactly what you are offering a thousand times... unless you figure out right now before you start taking more pictures how your photographs are going to be different than every other photographer out there and then take all your pictures that way and work that angle to the bone.

   The thing that makes your work different cannot be:

   • The location or subject matter of your photographs is so unique and different (unless you're taking pictures on Mars, you don't have the market cornered on unique locations or subject matter)
   • The technical proficiency of your work (Everybody's work will be as technically proficient as yours... Your work must be technically perfect just to be in the game at all)
   • The cool post-production effects you use (Leave the heavy Photoshopping at home, only amateurs do more than basic color correction, cropping, levels, dodging and burning)
   • How pretty your pictures are (Anybody can take a pretty picture. If your picture isn't saying something more profound than 'I'm pretty!' you're going to have trouble getting published)

   What does that leave for you to differentiate yourself with? Figure that out and you'll find publishing success.

2. They network. Sorry to say, but the old cliche is true- it isn't what you know, it's who you know. Photo editors are human too. If they have the choice between someone they know and an unknown, most will choose the known quantity every time. The vast majority of editors are not out there 'lookin' to give a new guy his big break.' So how do you break through? Become known. There are a couple of ways to get known, but the absolute best way is to follow the advice in point #1 so the work stands out in the crowd of photographs that the photo editor will be looking through.

   Submit often, submit only your best stuff (never, never, never submit even a single photo to anyone that isn't of the highest quality. Never. Did I mention never?) and follow up with robot-like consistency. Ask for assignments. Even if they never result in publication, assignments can demonstrate that you're reliable and a 'go-getter.' Ask what a publisher has coming up in future issues and then take pictures that fit the requirements. Become someone who the photo editor (or at least the photo editor's receptionist) knows by name. If you've got a history of submitting exceptional work consistently (even if there wasn't room to publish it at the time you submitted it) editors will start to remember your name. And then one day you'll suddenly find yourself on the inside, instead of the outside.

3. They work their @ss off. It's very simple... Part-timers don't get published. Now you can point me to dozens of part-timers who have been published once, twice, maybe even a few times over the course of a lifetime, sure... But you will never find a part-timer who publishes on a regular basis. "Now wait a second," you may say... "I can't afford to quit my job and be a full-time photographer! So there's no hope for me?" Ah... Here's the secret (minor secret though it may be)... Work your full-time job, and also work as a full-time photographer. Do that until photography becomes the full-time job.

   Now I say all of the above knowing full-well that you stated you weren't interested in getting paid, but another cold, hard truth is that part-timers may (or just as often they may not) get a few lucky shots published over the course of their life, but full-timers are working every day to generate enough output that they're no longer relying on luck to take the sorts of photographs that belong in publications... and there really isn't a whole lot of middle ground, unfortunately. If publication is your goal, then it cannot be reliably achieved as a part-timer.

Here's the thing... The above may sound harsh, or like a whole lot of work, and potentially it is both. But I've been a working professional photographer for 15+ years now and I'm speaking from experience when I say that you don't need a self-help book's worth of advice to get where you want to be. If you work these three angles like they're your last hope on earth you will become successful eventually (and probably sooner rather than later), and if you don't... You probably won't be. I've seen plenty of people go both ways over the years to know that the odds will favor you, or be against you purely based on how hard you work.

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