flickr

Last winter I opened an account at Flickr, a photosharing site. Anyone who registers (it's free) can upload up to 100 photos each month. If you want to upload more photos, or larger (higher resolution) photos, you pay a small fee to get a Pro account then, your photo uploads are unlimited. With Flickr's easy-to-use uploading software (which you can download for free) it takes me just a few minutes to post photos online - even if I'm uploading 20 or more at one time.
For me, the Flickr Pro account has been a good investment - it has paid off already just in the amount of improvement I've made in my photography skills. With the feedback from others on the photos I post, plus being able to see professional photographers' work and discuss their techniques with them, I have learned so much. Other artists and people involved in photography, design and visual media would benefit from the inspiration and publicity Flickr provides. Anyone can view your pics and write comments. You can also send the photos to your blog with one click, so Flickr makes blogging really easy and fast.

I've also found great inspiration by sharing my photos with other artists and photographers. There are some amazing photos on flickr and it's database is searchable by "tags" -- keywords people attach to their photos. So I can, for instance, search for "decorative metalwork from Indonesia" and come up with dozens of photos on that subject. Or "textures" or "peeling paint" or "dog noses." The possibilities are almost endless. Gardens are really popular on Flickr, so that gives me a huge number of photos to browse for ideas, inspiration and just fun.

I've met some interesting people from my own country as well as foreign countries. Some of these people I have gotten to know a little better through their photos and personal emails between us. I feel like when/if Tim and I ever travel outside of the US, we will have friends to stay with - friends who have something in common with us - photography - at the very least.

If you're reading this and you don't have a Flickr account, maybe you will consider opening your own account. It's easy to register and set up your own Flickr page. Try it free for as long as you want, and if it's something you find helpful and interesting, go for it! (I'm not being paid to say this, either!)