I figured it's probably a question asked by a lot of people who are looking to set up a photoblog for the first time. My response to the email follows and I think I touched on a few basic points which I thought I would share. Of course this is a very basic primer, for people deciding if they want to start a photoblog and what things they should consider. It is not an indepth analysis of blogging software. Ultimately you need to find which one is the best match for you.
Hi Rannie, I was turned onto your website by Chris Klugman and would like to get more information on how the site works and how to get my own photo blog. I've been taking photos for years and now interested in showing my work to others and hopefully, one day, to sell my work. Any information or assistance would be appreciated.
Thanks
My reply
Okay basically most photoblogs run on some sort of Content Management System (CMS). Some of the popular ones include blogger, movable type, typepad, my-expressions, wordpress, pixelpost.
These can be broken down into two categories.
Systems that run on your own server space or services that run on someone elses server space.
Blogger, typepad and my expressions are all service that you can sign up for, with a minimal fee (blogger is free) and you can start posting right away.
http://www.blogger.com
http://www.typepad.com
http://www.my-expressions.com
Movable type, wordpress and pixelpost you need to install on your own server, a daunting task if you are not that website savvy. But this is always a good choice as it is much more flexible once you have everything set up.
http://movabletype.org
http://wordpress.org
http://www.pixelpost.org
http://www.photojunkie.ca (my site) runs on movable type and is a very popular choice among photobloggers, but that doesn't mean it is right for you.
There is no right or wrong solution, it all really depends on your situation and what you want to do and how much you want to spend. It also depends on your ability to install, or get someone to install, the CMS on your own server. Please note that there are a slew of other CMS options for blogging and photoblogging, the six listed above are just a sampling of the more popular options.
Here are things to consider.
- How much do you want to spend?
- What features are important to you?
- How much customization do you want to do?
- Hosted on your own server or hosted elsewhere?
All the software listed above can basically do the same thing, but there are advantages and disadvantages to each CMS. Check out the links provided for more detailed info on features and costs.
I would also suggest surfing around on http://www.photoblogs.org and checking out the various photoblogs online. Take note of aspects that you like and dislike about each site (not necessarily the quality of the images, but based on site usability and features). Also take note of what CMS they are using. It usually isn't that hard to figure out as
most people include that information at the bottom of their site or on their "about" page. If you know your really want a site like "X" chances are the CMS they are using may be right for you.
That aside, once you have your CMS set up, publishing to your site is fairly easy. Basically you upload your photo and input and accompanying text, titles and categories (if applicable)and hit publish. If everything is set up properly, then the CMS will update your website placing your newest photo on the main page and create the appropriate archive pages for that photo.
Most photoblogs are set up with a one image a day format, only showing the most recent image on the many page with navigation buttons available for you to surf backwards to see older photos.
There are also sites that feature more than one image on the main page, often showcasing several images from the past few days for your visitors enjoyment.
My question to you is the following? Are you looking to create a regular portfolio site? or do you want your site to be more fluid, showcasing new work all the time. Both methods showcase yourphotos, but in a very different manner...
Of course there is so much more I can get into here. but this is a short primer to get you thinking about how you want to set up your own photoblog.
Once you have decided exactly what you want and how much time effort and money you want to spend, I can point you in a more clear direction.
Cheers
Rannie
