Gallery vs. Forums for Photos

**LinksToThePast** · 10-24-2007, 05:41 AM

I encourage everyone to put their photos in the gallery rather than here.
By putting them in the gallery people can vote and make comments on them.

We don't have all the details ironed out yet, but you will be getting an announcement very soon about photo contests we will be holding. I don't know what the benefit is of winning, but we will figure out something!

I wouldn't want you to miss out on the photo contest by having the photo here instead of there!

pk · 10-24-2007, 11:11 AM

Quote:

I encourage everyone to put their photos in the gallery rather than here.
By putting them in the gallery people can vote and make comments on them.

Just a thought....maybe people could be encouraged to put their pictures in both places. The gallery is awesome and I'm glad we have it now...but there are soooo many pictures to look through. Putting a picture on a fun forum such as this one is almost like showcasing your picture and just something extra to do with our photos. But of course like suggested don't forget to put the picture in the gallery also so you don't miss out on anything that will be offered there as well.

But like I said, that is just a suggestion so everyone has fun in two different ways.

pk

pk · 10-24-2007, 11:12 AM

just one last thought on this if I may....I would also suggest that this forum post be moved to the photography section.

pk

**MrKhay** · 10-24-2007, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glaswizz

To be quite honest, I wasn't sure about posting pictures in the gallery. It seemed to me like they had to have a theme, or involve a certain place in Wisconsin or something. That is why I haven't posted anything in there. I thought I might be breaking some rules or something. My pictures are more just goofy, fun things, nothing artsy or specific as to places and such.

Post at will, Jeanie,
I post what I see at the time.

**LinksToThePast** · 10-25-2007, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pk

Just a thought....maybe people could be encouraged to put their pictures in both places. The gallery is awesome and I'm glad we have it now...but there are soooo many pictures to look through. Putting a picture on a fun forum such as this one is almost like showcasing your picture and just something extra to do with our photos. But of course like suggested don't forget to put the picture in the gallery also so you don't miss out on anything that will be offered there as well.

But like I said, that is just a suggestion so everyone has fun in two different ways.

pk

I like the idea of the photos here...however I have two objections.
Something that many people complained of on the old site was the need to use the the scroll bar to see the entire page of a website.

If the full pictures are put here the page will scroll, thus driving traffic away from the site.

The second is more administrative. If they photos are in one place, we don't lose any, so back up procedures are a little easier. Also the server space is kept down a bit if the full image is not in this part of the gallery.

We are still tossing around the idea of using attachments rather than in post photos or limiting the size of the photo here.

More info on that when it is decided.

pk · 10-25-2007, 07:29 AM

So let me get this straight....are you saying you don't want ANY pictures in the forums anymore??

So if I'm in say the county site and want to add pictures to certain places such as the post telling people about the new museum Kenosha is building and wanted to add a pictures of it, you frown on that? Like I said, the gallery is great for showing one's 'style' of pictures, but sometimes it is much nicer in the forums to have a picture/pictures along with the post. It makes it much more informative to see what a picture right there with the subject being discussed.

Since I had planned on doing just that...going out and gettng some pictures to go with the Kenosha county forum this weekend with my son, I guess I better know if it is worth my time to enhance the forum topic or not. Yes, I could put the pictures in the gallery but that does not actually increase the actual forum topic itself. A member would have to actually 'physically' seek out the Kenosha pictures in my gallery after reading the posts in the forum. I know if I'm in a hurry I won't do that. It would be like reading a newspaper and having all the pictures to the stories in another section.

Maybe I am reading what you are saying incorrectly (hope so) because I can't see that would be productive to the forums to lose the pictures because the gallery is here now.

glaswizz · 10-25-2007, 08:32 AM

I agree with pk on some of that. I like to insert a pic now and then if it fits with what I'm discussing in a forum. I think that would be especially helpful in something like the "recipes" section. I was going to add some Halloween recipes, but they are MUCH better with pictures, because most of them are more for looks than for anything else.

I do see the problem with posting pictures that are too large and you have to scroll over to get the rest of the posts. That can get annoying. I resize my images to make sure they fit nicely most of the time, but I know that it is a problem. But I would put up with it if it was necessary for the post.

I guess those are just my views on it. Honestly I plan to post pictures in but, unless I am required to do otherwise.

**Mike** · 10-25-2007, 08:50 AM

We would like pictures on the forums if they are relevant to a specific thread (like recipes). Any images that are just the image, post in the gallery. I will look into adding a module for the homepage with the latest images or random images so that the gallery gets more exposure if that is something people would like.

Thanks,

Mike

pk · 10-25-2007, 09:09 AM

Quote:

We would like pictures on the forums if they are relevant to a specific thread (like recipes). Any images that are just the image, post in the gallery. I will look into adding a module for the homepage with the latest images or random images so that the gallery gets more exposure if that is something people would like.

Thanks,

Mike

Well I think that is what has been done in the past, right? Usually photos in a forum is for that forum itself. I do agree that maybe the pictures are somewhat large at times, but when I post pics I take them from photobucket and the size they suggest for forums. So, are the pics I post to large and cause issues? Just wondering.

Quote from links:

Quote:

We are still tossing around the idea of using attachments rather than in post photos or limiting the size of the photo here.

Attachments in a few cases may be ok but for the most part I think attachments aren't good. They require yet another step that the user has to make and let's face it, you will lose the attention that the poster is trying to get if the reader has to 'work' to get the visual of the comment.

Limited the size if it is still kept a size that shows off the pcture and you don't need a magnify glass to see it. I have been on a few forums that you get a thumbnail of a picture and I wonder 'why bother'? I am half blind even with my glasses lol so a small pic to me is worthless. The ones on now are very nice to view but I could see a little smaller...maybe.

The only problem I see with that again, I use photobucket and would have to resize each picture where now I just use the forum size and it's great. Once you re-szie the pic to a smaller size it stays that way. I hate my pics in my album different sizes. But the ones I use for here would be smaller in my album creating a wrong look for the album.

whew...I feel like I full of complaints today! lol Sorry..just trying to get the idea right for future postings when I post them.

Kelly68 · 10-25-2007, 10:26 AM

Well, I feel guilty as this was not brought up til I posted my post about your most favorite most proud of picture. As I said, it was for ONE picture only. There was just so much negative down in the dumps things being posted of animal cruelity, hording, etc...I just wanted a pick me up post to maybe get a smile on people's faces. I know people have MANY pictures they would like to share. Introduce your cats or dogs, etc...how can a proper intro be done without a picture to go along with the name?

As Pk said, I use Photobucket too. It was easier at one point in time with my older computer that had WindowsXP there was actually a program you could install called Image Resizer by Microsoft that helped in that. Windows Vista don't have that and you can't download anything that I can find yet from Vista to resize an image.

I am sorry if I opened up a can of worms with my post.

**Kris10** · 10-25-2007, 10:33 AM

Keith introduced me to Easy Thumbnails for photo resizing... and it's free! When I take digital photos off my camera, I make an archive of the original photo files on my computer. I then make copies of them in another folder and resize them through Easy Thumbnails. You can put in specs for the photos (i.e. make everything 400 pixels wide) and it can do a whole folder full of photos in a batch. I then use the resized photos on the web.

No matter we end up putting the photos, I can only suggest to resize, resize, resize! Large photos are going to slow up any section of the site.

**Mike** · 10-25-2007, 10:38 AM

If you use attachments, the images will be resized for you.

**LinksToThePast** · 10-26-2007, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelly68

Well, I feel guilty as this was not brought up til I posted my post about your most favorite most proud of picture. As I said, it was for ONE picture only.

Kelly and all,

Don't feel bad. Please don't feel bad. I apologize for bringing the thread down. I enjoy the photos a lot. I encourage everyone to keep sharing and swapping their thoughts.

I enjoy your posts a lot Kelly. Especially the favorite picture post which prompted the idea of having a photo contest in the gallery. I am so glad to have you on board now and sharing your ideas.

I guess I get over worried sometimes. Although I haven't posted here since very recently, I have worked for Keith for just about as long as theBubbler has been alive. For about 5 years now or so, I have supervised all the many staff members that have had a part in developing it. I have heard and helped try to resolve the frustrations, complaints, concerns and problems with theold theBubbler versions. The largest complaint through the years is that it was too slow loading. Therefore, my number one concern with this new theBubbler is that it will become, bogged down and people will stop visiting, not be able to post, etc. etc. etc. In my passion and enthusiasm for wanting to bring traffic here instead of driving it away, I wasn't quite thinking what I was saying. Again I apologize.

We have to find a happy medium where we can all do what is best for the site. The average base of Wisconsin users still has dial up. If you have too many large 1-2 meg photos on a page, a computer connected to dial-up is going to have slow going and we will lose that visitor.

Many people who are wonderful at taking photos, don't know what tools to use to make thumbnails or for that matter that they should make thumbnails when posting to the internet. I suggested the photo gallery because it makes the thumbnail for you. Easy peasy.

Kris10 suggested one tool. J10sen also has some good tools in another thread in the photography section. I have to check with Mike what he suggests for optimal photo sizes, but I don't see a problem with posting photos here if they are under a certain size.

Using the attachments button (the paperclip icon) rather than the Insert Image button also helps. With the attachments button, the thumbnails are created for you. The page will load faster and those interested in looking closer at your photo can click and see it larger.

If you don't see the paperclip icon you need to change your forum editing tools from basic to advanced.

Hope that helps. Sorry again for bringing you all down. Anyone have a wet noodle they can lash me with? This one may call for 22 lashes. I don't mind if one of you volunteers or if you take turns.