Attention PLEASE USE THE MEDIA LINK ...

[Hamish Gill]

(I've merged those two threads, sorry, I made that confusing)

 

[Kev Pugh]

Sound as a pound Hamish, no need to explain yourself, like I said I like the idea...now I know where I shall be posting mostly//sorted, keep up the good work

 

[Rob MacKillop]

It's not that I don't like it - I'm just trying to get used to it. When I visit now I click New Posts, and I can read a subject thread and its comments. What I can't see is if anyone has made a comment to a Media image. For instance, you and Kev had a little conversation on his Clematis Heads image, but I had to click on the image to notice that. Not that I wouldn't have clicked on one of Kev's images, but there will be times when there will be lots of photos on the site, with conversations and debates going on here and there, but I won't know unless I'm constantly revisiting and clicking on images.

But I have probably misunderstood something!

 

[Hamish Gill]

images with new posts gets brought to the top again ...
try clicking "new media" now and you will see I have posted on kevs pic again

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Ah, OK...

 

[Hamish Gill]

good eh?

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I can definitely see the advantage of, say, clicking on Brian's name, then his Media tab, and seeing all the images uploaded by him. Of course, he'll have to learn how to reduce his file sizes first

I guess I'm just hoping the social aspect of the forum doesn't diminish. Let's see...

 

[Hamish Gill]

If people keep commenting on photos as they did before it should be fine ...
Folks just need to get used to the new system!
Change is something some struggle with, I just hope this is a change people can live with!
It opens up a lot of possibilities for us ... Better competitions and voted themes for one!
On top of that, it also allows me and Greg (my business partner/developer) to use the images as part of the website design.
We are going to make a forum home page that displays large "latest" photos with links to the user etc.
it's all about making this place about you guys and your photos ... This is a big step on that path!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Well, we do appreciate it.

 

[Pete Askew]

Like Rob, I'm just trying to get used / understand the concept. When I first saw this I assumed the media bit contained images posted in the forum and was a way of cataloguing (grr, US spelling seems to be on! ) them. I realised it wasn't when I uploaded an image to a new thread and it didn't generate new 'Media'. I have uploaded the same image as 'Media' now and I can see the comment bit. I guess I'm worried that this might limit conversations on images (although it doesn't have to). Do we have enough dialogue on cameras and techniques to make the forum work for that or will the load get spread too thin? Just thinking 'out loud' as it were. Need to play a bit more. I understand the comment about titles but it has never yet stopped me looking at an image. I do like the idea of being able to see an overview of images (and being able to see a subset for a given photographer) but I'm less sure about that as a primary interface. It could obscure sets of images posted as a set in a single thread. Not sure how much impact that would have.

As I said, just thoughts. And not necessarily in any order.

 

[Pete Askew]

What I miss when an image is uploaded via the Media route as opposed to a forum thread is the story behind it. I don't see how that can be added at them moment. I guess it it could be it would be like a forum thread then. Hmm...

 

[Hamish Gill]

It can be added in three ways

Image description as part of the upload (probably recommended), as a caption, or as a posted comment ...

The story won't be lost, just displayed differently!

I can see if we can make the box for the image description on upload bigger if that would help?

 

[Pete Askew]

I certainly think that the description is too small and it displays as small text under the title. The caption is OK but doesn't tie to the image well at the moment. A comment would probably be best. But what if you have a series of images that belong together covered by a single piece of dialogue?

 

[Hamish Gill]

I'm thinking we should have a section in the forum for "photo essays, galleries and sets" or something on those lines ... Independant section for images that belong together ...
Like when dan does a write up on one of her urbex trips for eg. Perfect for a photo essay section type section!

I'm also thinking of having new sections for "blog and website links" for things like Brian's links to NPR etc

There is a bunch of other stuff brewing too!

As I say, it's about makin this place more about the photos and the photographers ... What it as always been about! Now I just have the technology to do some much more interesting things with it!

 

[Brian Moore]

I like the idea of the image gallery, Hamish. (But I wish I could upload to it from Lr or Zenfolio. No big deal, though.)

 

[Pete Askew]

Coherence will be the key I suspect. I like the ideas though.

Tried a new "media" post with a longer description. That could work with a larger font I guess. Hate the grey border around the images though.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Yeah, that boarder has to go! Don't worry, Greg is going to do a load of styling soon!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Boarder? People live here???

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Hamish,

I have a triptych I'd like to upload. How can I keep them together?

 

[Pete Askew]

Not for much longer Rob. Once Salmond gets his way it'll be all barbed wire and mines!