Step 5: Exploring Flikr

Okay, I'm going to have to take a failing grade on this one, I guess. Although I created a Flickr account and dutifully read all the articles, I have no digital photos to upload. None at all. I found some lovely photos of African Violets, but they weren't mine, and Flickr discouraged adding someone else's photos to your blog - or so I understood. Re: "Flickr Community Guidelines". Perhaps I misunderstood, and the person whose African Violets I admired might be flattered that I wanted to include his/her plant photos. I don't know. Do you have to ask permission?

Speaking of this reminds me of Michael Stephens' article concerning infringement on personal rights and copyright law. I remember forty years or so ago, I was the subject of a couple of newspaper photographs that highlighted special events at the public library, where I worked as a college student. The photographer knew me, and presented me with the black and white glossy print after it ran in the newspaper. An interesting question arises: Do the photo rights belong to me, to the newspaper, or to the public library at which I am no longer employed? Or does it matter after forty years.? I'm sure it doesn't in my particular case, but it certainly makes me realize how "ticklish" the business of sharing photos and other information could be for a library or person.

As far as online photo sharing, I doubt that it will become a frequent pastime for me, especially since I do not yet own a digital camera. I would be much more interested in digitally scanning and sharing family ancestral photos with other cousins - and hopefully they will share in kind.

I liked the posting of library photographs, especially the Carnegie libraries. You don't see too many of the original ones anymore.

For the extra credit, I did take a look at Picasa and ended up creating an account with them also. So, ironically enough, I am now a card carrying member of two online photo sharing sites, with not a digital photograph to my name. From my uninitiated point of view, I really don't see a lot of difference in the two websites, although the British accent on the youtube video was quite difficult to follow.

So, on to step 6. This climb is getting steeper as it goes!