Least Interesting on Flickr

There are loads of tools on the web for seeing your most interesting pictures on Flickr. But what about the unsung heroes, the ignored and the lonely? What about your Least interesting pictures?

The good news is that there are a couple of great tools on dopiaza.org that answer this question. Go to FlickrBrowser, add in your username, select Sort by Least Interesting Pictures First and there, in all their glory, are your very worst shots (or at least, Flickr thinks so).

With this knowledge, you now have choices. You could delete the worst, re-post if you think they were unfairly treated, go on a promotion run around Flickr's groups, or just accept that for every most interesting shot, there is a least interesting one.

If you want to share your shame with the rest of the Flickr community, why not add a set of these least favorite carbuncles to your photostream. Flickr Set Manager hooks into your Flickr account and, amongst other things, allows you to keep a regularly updated set of your least loved.

Below is my least interesting picture according to the people at Flickr. I suppose it is a bit dull!




Wallow in your failures on Flickr.

Flickr on FriendFeed

Excellent new discovery today.

Friendfeed is an awesome way to follow your Flickr contacts. Can't believe I've only just discovered it. Big thanks to Thomas Hawks for his illuminating blog on the subject.

To get yourself following contacts - here's a very simple guide.

First - add yourself. Simply register on the site, click on Me, click Add/Edit services then pick Flickr. You can then add your Flickr user name into the box then clicked Import Flickr. Then click back on Me to see my recent Flickr updates.

Second - add your contacts. Friendfeed uses the idead of Imaginary Friends - you can set up as many as you like. For example, to add my Flickr account, click on Friends, the Imaginary, give the friend a name, Doug88888, then click Create. Then simply select Flickr as an extra service and add your friends user account, so Doug88888 again. And voila, you now have your friends stream too.

Just go back onto Home to follow it. You can then click on any picture you like to zoom over to their picture on Flickr for comments, fave's and more.

There's loads of other things you can add like Facebook, Twitter, Digg and Last.Fm. Have fun.

Flickr Best Friends

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So you like someone's Flickr photostream. You make them a contact.

Then what?

One of the best and most addictive qualities of Flickr is the opportunity to build up a lasting relationship with some of your contact. Not all - some will fall by the wayside, some will prove to be disloyal, but some will prove to be great and enduring friends.

So how do you make yourself the kid on the Flickr block that everyone wants to be friends with? Well, everyone will have their own answer. Here's a few ideas that might help you on your way.

1. Follow their photostream.

I keep a shortcuts list of favourite Flickr contacts. After I've logged in, I drop in on some of my favourites and scroll through their latest. On Firefox, I simply bookmark any Flickr photostream I want to return to again and again and add it to my "Flickr Fave's" folder. I'll try and comment / fave any pics that take my fancy.

2. Be quick to comment

Whilst online I have FlickrFox running in a banner on my screen. This banner keeps me updated of any new uploads by my Flickr Contacts. Its means I've always got fresh images in front of me. But, more importantly, I can instantly respond to a picture I love the look of. Its like getting an instant reminder from my contacts that their picture is special.

3. Return comments

People in the Flickr community (almost) all love a comment on their image. Funny, constructive, encouraging or wise is best - but hey, even a "Nice!" is better than nothing.

The method I use to reply is as follows: View one of my recent images, Open a new tab (in Firefox) for every person who's dropped me a message, and then check out each photostream in turn. The advantages of this method are a. Its quick, b. its complete.

4. Drop them a message

There's something really special about getting a direct message. I will message people if they ask me a question, if I'd like to know how they achieved a shot, or to thank them for their support and communication. I don't message every day, but that makes it more special.

5. Giving is better than receiving

I have contacts that I view religiously but they never return to my site. Do I care. Hell, no. If I love their pictures, I'm going to tell them. And if they don't love mine, or don't visit, or maintain radio silence, I don't mind. They didn't force me to comment - so I try to have no expectations in return.

With the right approach, you can find some regular, loyal contacts who'll share their ideas and views, suggestions and photos for months/years to come. Have fun and feel free to visit me - user name doug88888


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

How to Increase your Flickr views

So you want to get more views on Flickr? Who doesn't? Its an amazing feeling when strangers take the time to visit your best pictures.

How many visits do you currently get?

First question - do you know how many views you are currently getting? On your Flickr Photostream page, you should be able to see how many Photostream vists you have had. (It will be written in grey next to the number of pictures you have uploaded). This is a great first indication on your visits but its not the full picture.

On your Photostream, click through on the Popular link and then choose Views. You should now see a list of every picture in your Photostream in order of views. If your a Pro account users (and you should consider it if you want to get the best out of Flickr), also go to FlickrStats to get the full low down on everything from number of views to the sources of each visit.

Now that you know the metrics to look out for, here are a few of the tips I've picked over the past few months. Try them out, and let me know any others that you come across.

Top 10 Tips for increasing your Flickr visits

• Take pictures that people want to see
  

I know this might sound obvious but if you want to get the most out of Flickr, and boost your visits, improving your photography should be your number one priority. That means your family snaps are not appropriate for sharing unless there's an artistic edge. Selecting pictures that people want to see come with time and experience, the right equipment, some sound research and inspiration. The Good News is that Flickr is the perfect place to hone your skills.

• Comment on other Flickr users images

There is no better way to get visits than to visit other people. Leaving a comment or adding their picture as a Fave lets them know that when they had a party, you dropped in to check it out. Leaving a comment is easy, don't feel shy. You can say whatever you like, but I encourage you to treat people with respect. Remember, they have bared their souls to the Flickr world so be gentle

• Join Groups
  

There are tons of different Group's on Flickr. Experimentation is the best way to find a Group that's interests you. When I uploaded this picture of Stonehenge I searched for Group's that included the keywords "Stonehenge", spotted that English Heritige was one of the most relevant Group's for that keyword, joined the group and added to it. Easy.

• Tag your pictures

90% of Flickr users don't upload pictures - they are voyeurs - they want to look at the best Flickr has to offer. One of the most common ways to do this is by searching for tags or keywords. So if your picture has a Rabbit in it, tag it "Rabbit". And whilst you're at it tag it with "Lapin", "Animal", "Mammal", "Pet", "Big ears", "Fluffy Tale" and so on. Any words that you think someone might think of and search for. Tip: Google and Yahoo will also search these tags so even people not directly using Flickr might find your image.

• Make contacts

When you spot a picture that you like, after you've commented and fave'd the picture, take a look at the rest of their photostream. If you like what you see, add them as a contact. Every new picture that they add to their photostream will then be reported to you on your home page. This will help you up visits in two ways, first, it means you'll see more pictures from the people you like so you'll feel more compelled to visit and comment on them. Second, they may well visit your photostream and may even add you as a contact too.

You can add me as a contact here, if you like.

• Message people

Flickr allows you to send messages to (almost) anyone on the site. Experienced users know that most of these messages are simply people becoming your contact (see above) or inviting you to join groups. Why not send a personal message saying how much you love someone's photostream - I'll bet you they'll visit your site to check it out.

• Allow others to Blog your photos

Flickr allows you to make your pictures available for others to include on their sites. Its called Creative Commons and giving your photo a Creative Commons licence is a great way for people to visit you and potentially share your picture with the world through their blogging or creativity. There are several licences depending on how willing you are for people to play with your images, the more flexible you are the more likely you are to get visits.

• Get Explored

One of the most entertaining aspects about Flickr is to get Explored. That means your picture is in the top 500 pictures that day (based on a mysterious algorithm), and is also known as Interestingness. This is always guaranteed to lead to more viewings. No-one knows the magic recipe for success for sure - I recommend taking a good look at other pictures that make it to the explored list and try to determine what makes them special.

• Pick your subjects

Some image subjects seem to entice people to view again and again. If you were to happen upon one of the following, I recommend taking a snap of it for Flickr use - Kittens, Cats, Puppies, Dogs, Flowers, Bokeh, Angsty Teenage Girls, HDR shots, pictures of cameras, beach/ocean scenes. Again, research what makes it to Explore to find out what's in fashion.

• Be active

Its a simple equation, the more time you spend playing around in Flickr, the more views you'll get. Why? Because you'll inevitably be commenting, faving, being active in Group's and leaving your mark.

Most importantly, have fun - Flickr can be surprisingly addictive if you choose to let it take a grip over your life!

Links to some more ideas on views
The Flickr Views HOWTO - A very insightful essay on the topic

Top 10 Tips for Getting Attention on Flickr - Thomas Hawks excellent discussion on increasing Flickr views

Increasing your Flickr Views: The Basics. - Alexia Cournoyer fascinating view on views - Part 1 - here, more is promise...

Feel free to drop in at my photostream - http://www.flickr.com/doug88888.