Flickr

Author: Kalicia Bateman

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The Good

• Great features
• Photo editor
• Free account

Flickr has several helpful features for amateur photographers to learn and obtain feedback. Flickr features options to include details for each image like what type of camera and lens were used, how the shutter speeds and flash were set and notes about the composition, setting and ISO. Many users display this information alongside their images so you can gain a better sense of how the photo was taken, which makes it easier to replicate ideas and techniques used with photos that you like. In addition, Flickr users often comment on photos, so there is plenty of opportunity to connect with other photographers and ask questions. Flickr's photo editor can be used to make quick adjustments to photos. A few clicks will enable you to edit the brightness, contrast or saturation. You'll also be able to crop, apply filters, add stickers, correct red-eye and more. Flickr offers three types of accounts:

• Free (with ads)
  • 1 terabyte of storage

• Ad-Free
  • $49.99/year or $5.99/month
  • ad-free browsing experience
  • 1 terabyte of storage

• Doublr
  • $499.00/year
  • ad-free browsing experience
  • 2 terabytes of storage

Take note that creating a Flickr account will mean that you are simultaneously creating a Yahoo! account. (You can still browse Flickr's photos and videos if you don't create an account, however you won't be able to upload anything.) Uploading to Flickr is simple: you can upload photos and videos through Flickr's web Uploadr by dragging and dropping, or use the mobile app to upload when on a mobile device. Sharing is also simple: Flickr can be linked to your social media accounts so you can share photos in tweets, pins and posts. If you prefer to keep your photos to yourself, you can disable the social media mechanism in your account settings. Flickr offers a range of levels to protect your images. If you'd like your images to be seen but want to ensure that they aren't misused, you can set usage licenses of varying levels or set your photos as "all rights reserved." You also have the option to create private galleries. Tags can be applied to Flickr photos and videos, so it's easy to search for specific topics or types of media.

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The Bad

• Limits on file uploads
• Can be very expensive
• No option to print photos

Flickr does impose limits for file uploads: a maximum of 200 MB for photos, as well as a maximum size of 1 GB and maximum length of 3 minutes for videos. If you'd prefer to upload larger photos or longer videos, you may want to opt for sites like Photobucket or 500px, which won't limit file sizes. Unless you pay $49.99 per year for the Ad-Free account, you will see ads while browsing Flickr. Priced at $499.00 per year, Flickr's Doublr account is the most expensive premium option offered out of all the photos sites we reviewed. Even SmugMug's most expensive account, which offers several features that Doublr doesn't, is only $300.00. However, either of the other account options on Flickr will give you a full terabyte of space, which is about 500,000 photos - it's unlikely that a Doublr account is really necessary. If you're looking to make some money off of your photos, you won't be able to on Flickr. There is no option to print photos or create other merchandise - Flickr is intended simply for sharing and viewing. While there are ways to connect with other users and get feedback, Flickr doesn't feature any formal tutorials or training tools. It was challenging to find some of the answers we were looking for on Flickr. The Help forum is part of Yahoo! and you may end clicking out of Flickr and into the Yahoo! Help areas to find information about accounts, pricing and security.

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The Bottom Line

Flickr offers features that will appeal to aspiring or amateur photographers, such as the prominent display of copyright or permissions information and the inclusion of camera and shot details - however, professional photographers may be disappointed by the lack of print and merchandise options, watermarking and other tools. It is easy to upload, share and comment on photos and videos on Flickr. In addition, Flickr's tags are helpful when searching for material that fits a specific topic or theme. If you're looking for an engaging photo sharing experience and you aren't planning to monetize your photos, Flickr will most likely meet your needs.