[Neil Juggins]

I wonder how many of you are writing a blog to generate more interest and links to your work ?

Do you think it is worth it ?

Photoshelter are very keen on blogging and reckon that its good for your "search engine optimization" or SEO as they call it.

I've always been a bit opposed to blogging, twittering, facebook etc but I wonder if it makes any difference. Finding time to do all these things is difficult but if its beneficial....?

[geoffpix]

I did blog for the sake of lazyness, easier to link to an article etc than to keep posting or emailing the same thing..again. However I transferred it to another blog.com and it went pear-shaped. Really must do it again without making such a hash of it.

Since I don't sell direct, too lazy, I don't need to direct people to a website...anyhow mine's a bit scruffy so I try not to parade it too much:)

I Tweet on occasion but it's too much like hard work, I have a Facebook page which I really don't understand how to use properly but it's useful, well I'm told it's useful.

When I do start to sell direct I will have everything integrated and will market like a demon....and if you believe that, well

I do know people that do and it seems to work well but they do seem to have to put some effort into it, me I'd rather hang around on PureStorm and watch the models go walking by.

[Neil Juggins]

I like the idea of PureStorm Geoff !! That'll beat blogging all day long.

[Neil Juggins]

Ok you miserable lot.

If you add up Darrell's, Don's and my posts on blogging, we've had 278 views and only 2 comments ( both from lovely Geoff )

What's going on ? Doesn't anybody like blogs ?

Anyway you're all missing out on a real treat on my blog, where I'm performing somersaults, fully naked while eating a combination of ice cream, beetroot salad and toffee sauce !!!

[Bill Kuta]

Actually, no, I've never been interested in reading blogs.

The concept of your bare Juggins serves to reinforce that

Bill

[Neil Juggins]

You are missing a treat Bill.

A bare Juggins is a thing of great beauty, a wonderous explosion of gorgeousness !

[Bill Kuta]

Ah, like a bare-a-Kuta, perhaps. Maybe I am missing something.

Bill Kuta

[Neil Juggins]

A bare-a-Kuta ? Surely it should be a Cutie Kuta

This post has been edited by Neil Juggins: 04 February 2010 - 03:11 PM

[Edo]

Let's see, I'm not interested in blogs, texting, twittering, Facebooking or buying an iPad. I have more techiness in my life now than I want. Have you seen the manual for the D700? I'm looking for a portal back to the 20th century.

But . . . my Dublin friend Annette has been bugging me to do a blog. A blog about what though? That is the question. Photography? I don't think I have anything to say to anyone about photography. Well, look at pictures and cultivate visual sensitivity. I could twitter that.

In Oxfordshire in the '80s, I had a weekly fifteen-minute spot on the BBC Radio Oxford. I was the pet Yank. BBC Radio Oxford. It has a nice ring to it, yes? Blogs are just 500 to 900 words. Fifteen minutes airtime is about 3,000 words or 11 pages.

And when I was writing my blockbuster thriller about the airline industry (never finished it), I devised a writing warm-up technique: I'd start the morning with a page of free prose. This free-writing exercise became a novella, which I did finish and sold to Hearst's first online site.

So yeah, I could write a blog. To what end? None. But who knows? I'm thinking of writing about my street, Mulberry Street, and the neighborhood around it. Maybe.

Edo

This post has been edited by Edo: 04 February 2010 - 06:48 PM

[Kendal Larson]

I'd read it dood.



KL

[Bill Kuta]

My general feeling is that if I want to hear someone bloviate about the topic of the day, I can just tune in one of the radio sophists, for the minute or so that I can tolerate.

Got to second Kendal, though--I'd read Edo.

Bill

[Edo]

Thank you, gentlemen--I'm flattered. The question is would I have been happier with scorn? Since I'm basically lazy, I'm always looking for a reason NOT to do something. I guess I better get onto this and give it a try.

I may use my pen name, Ruan Hughes, so I can tell a few tales and hope the local Cosa Nostra don't get upset. I have a friendly relationship (not too) with these folks . . . and hey, I have to live here. I don't really know anything of course. Some things are just common knowledge on The Street. Being obviously Irish and speaking Italian, FBI? was sometimes seen in their eyes, but that was a while back. Now I'm just considered another local, un amico di amici di amici.

Bill, duck--winter is coming your way again.


Edo

This post has been edited by Edo: 05 February 2010 - 01:07 PM

[Bill Kuta]

Yes, Edo, the winter splendor is getting a bit tiresome here. Our snowfall this year is way ahead of that for our relations in the middle of Michigan. Just made it out to the bank to deposit a few things including an Alamy check. Will be in now until probably Monday or later.

Bill

This post has been edited by Bill Kuta: 05 February 2010 - 03:43 PM

[Marianne]

I started a blog as part of my photoshelter setup with high hopes but haven't done much with it. I linked a couple of equipment reviews I did on Adorama to it (because they had a link) and my books from blurb (because they had a link)... you see where this is going...

I was so excited that I got the blog url http://travelstockphotos.blogspot.com/ and I initially hoped to upload travel photos linked to my website with short articles about the various places, or to update it and tie it in to submissions at NOT, but I haven't been traveling and I am woefully behind on uploading pix.

I guess I'd have to say that while I love all these techie things (that iPad looks cool--an ipod and kindle on steroids) I also agree with Edo---too much technology takes away from our time to do the things that matter most---we have less time now rather than more--the fact that I could shoot nearly 10,000 photos since last January 2009 sounds great but means I spend hours backing up and culling through files. My goal for this year is actually to shoot less and do more with what I've shot.

Still, I'm intrigued by the idea of blogging and I'd be interested to see how others are using their blogs...so post your links. Mine is : My link

-Marianne

This post has been edited by Marianne: 05 February 2010 - 03:41 PM

[Edo]

You're a swarm of energy, Marianne. After reading your post, I need a nap . . . I mean a siesta.

I lived in DC, Bill. It's not normal for you to be getting all the winter weather you've had this year. Do they still shut the city down when an inch of the white stuff covers the ground?

Edo

[Neil Juggins]

Bill, Hearing that you are knee deep in snow, its probably a good idea to keep your clothes on. You don't want to be a " chilly cutie Kuta "

Edo, You should start a blog. Your writing is always interesting and thought provoking. This is something I struggle with ( probably due to a lack of education and reading )

Marianne, You should continue your blog. It reads really well although I'm not sure on white text on a black background. Makes my eyes hurt after a while, although that could be just tiredness. Work is busy.
H4D 40 + 50 launch etc.

This blogging business does take a lot of time though, so it'll be interesting to see if its worthwhile. My Alamy keywording has suffered as a result but i'm getting quite a few hits on my blog and Photoshelter site.
I do feel though that my time would be better spent preparing work for Alamy etc. I'd rather have a cheque/check than a few more fans !

On my blog yesterday I posted an amazing video from Vimeo. ( I'm not after fans/hits but its well worth watching ). Over 90 % of the video was computer generated and I just can't believe it. What people are achieving with CG is astounding and has serious ramifications for all in the visual market. So much advertising work is now being done on a computer and not on a camera. How long will it take before stock images are conceived this way ? I'm sure lots are already but will it become the norm ?

Have a good weekend all,
Neil

[Bill Kuta]

Edo, I'm a lifelong DC-area resident, so I know well the area's rep for snow response. Actually, our 16-20" storm in December was dealt with very promptly. This 20-30" will take a bit more digging out. Over 28" would be a new record. Typical winter total is 15-16".

I've always been amused when I've heard that nobody in DC knows how to drive in the snow, since many of the nobodies here are from somewhere else, including various God's-country regions where they pride themselves on their snow-hardiness. They're as likely as anyone to do a 480-degree spin, when they hit their first patch of ice. Then they blame it on the snow-clearing operations.

Bill

This post has been edited by Bill Kuta: 07 February 2010 - 09:33 AM

[Neil Juggins]

Just heard on the news how bad this snowstorm is.

Stay indoors and stay safe folks.

[Edo]

I just spoke with my brother, who lives near Baltimore. They got the same 30-odd inches as DC. But here in New York, we just got a dusting. And tomorrow will be a cloudless, sunny day.

[Bill Kuta]

We have something over two feet, but it's hard to get an official measurement, since it was pretty windy. I can see that even the open areas are uneven.

We only lost power for about three hours Friday night. Others are still out. Street hasn't been plowed yet, but some larger four-wheels have navigated it. I've cleared the sidewalk, a path across the deck & yard to the bird feeders, the basement stairwell, couple of the basement windows, and about 10 feet out from the garage. Also marked an edge of the driveway in case the guy who plows the longer driveway next door makes me a good offer.

Been taking plenty of photos, but mostly for ourselves. ("Snow" on Alamy yields 461,786 hits.)

No problems--will rest my back during the Super Bowl.

(has the Blogging thread become a blog?)
Bill

[Neil Juggins]

" (has the Blogging thread become a blog?) "
Bill

Oh the irony !

[Bill Kuta]

Update: Streets plowed. Driveway cleared. Good to go.

Bill

[Neil Juggins]

Further update :- Feet up, popcorn at the ready, hot dogs simmering, Super Bowl on the way.

[Marianne]

Started blogging a little more regularly.
Posted a link to an interesting article about a travel photog who shoots mostly micro but macro editorial for Alamy too. The article (from microstock diaries) is a few weeks old but worth a look if you haven't seen it
If anyone's on blogspot, would love some followers -- I'm following Darrell (thanks for following me!) and Geoff. Neil yours looks great, I've got it bookmarked.
Anyone else have a blog they'd like us to follow?
-Marianne

[Edo]

Neil and Darrell, I've tried to join your blog fans, but got tangled up in digital speed traps. I'm waiting until I'm calm to give it another try.

Bill, I don't think I have you on my e-mail list , but my blog is at: http://edoruan2.blogspot.com/