Pondering building a photo sharing website ...

[stix]

I have been dabbling with the idea and have a proof of concept going ... i would be interested to know what people / photographers would like features wise.

I am not trying to replace flickr or facebook or anything to that effect - i am aiming more for a sort of local photo club - with a platform that encourages sharing and feedback on work and anything photo related in terms of links - books, advice and obviously image sharing.

Current features :

Profile - > Includes contact details, websites, flickr feeds, avatar, tiwtter feeds with some basic privacy control
Activity - > Your and everyone elses - latest images posted , forum posts, comments etc
Friends -> Need i say more
Messaging -> Need i say more
Groups -> Ability to collect and perv gear by brand etc
Links -> A link aggregator - submit links, vote on them, filter them
Album -> Ability to create albums to display images and allow other users to comment
Forums -> Simple forum system linked to groups ( Possible making this stand alone )
Status -> Simple one line status updates if you so choose

Potentially thinking about adding a classifieds section, but this has potential to allow spammers and scammers etc to come into the picture. But it could be handy

Definitely include some kind of monthly theme competition with one collective gallery - that allows comments and image ratings.

Potential to add blogs and or guest colums if there is interest.

A news aggrgator picking up RSS feeds of DP review etc

A possible Event calendar to share info about exhibitions, photo walks etc

Is there anything else you as photographers would want to see? Not want to see?

Anyways this is just a feeler to see what kind of features folks would be interested in.

* Note to Mods - I put this here and not Web Dev - as its aimed at photographers not code jockeys

Thanks

 

[froot]

w00t!!

Would be awesome. Sure, there are a lot of these. But I'd definitely use your site =)

 

[DylanS]

I think that is a good Idea +1

 

[BigAl-sa]

Check out the competition first (facebook is not competition).
Outdoorphoto
Smugmug + DGrin
Zenfolio

etc...

 

[stix]

Check out the competition first (facebook is not competition).
Outdoorphoto
Smugmug + DGrin
Zenfolio

etc...

Indeed. I have looked quite extensively - i am trying to avoid building another forum site - tending more towards smugmug.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[stix]

Bleugh - dam forum double posting.

 

[bwana]

How will it be funded?

 

[stix]

How will it be funded?

Hmmmm a question outside of my vision at the moment.

Cheap Hosting

No i have a few models in mind - but the aim is to provide a free account with a decent limit in terms of space for images, a pro account - with a minimal cost ( i say minimal mainly because the idea is not to fleece end users and i haven't really paid to much attention to the nuts and bolts of finance ) and then to approach players locally - Orms, SA Camera etc and aim for preferably sponsorship through somekind of advert - but nothing that rules the site at the expense of its core idea.

The core idea is to try and create a local photo community not retire on the profits ( a nice side effect - but not the goal)

 

[BigAl-sa]

Hmmmm a question outside of my vision at the moment.

Cheap Hosting

No i have a few models in mind - but the aim is to provide a free account with a decent limit in terms of space for images, a pro account - with a minimal cost ( i say minimal mainly because the idea is not to fleece end users and i haven't really paid to much attention to the nuts and bolts of finance ) and then to approach players locally - Orms, SA Camera etc and aim for preferably sponsorship through somekind of advert - but nothing that rules the site at the expense of its core idea.

The core idea is to try and create a local photo community not retire on the profits ( a nice side effect - but not the goal)

That is Outdoorphoto's model.

 

[stix]

Well competition never hurt anyone and the focus tends to be on well outdoor photography - forming a group within the site would allow folks to still keep within theses genre's but not be limited by it. IE i am looking at a site that spans creative, commercial - hell any kind of photogrpahy.

Yea but they are primarily forum based - while including forums within the site - this is not the way i want the site to run - ie thread based

I suspect its a lot of photo sites model and to be honest when cash becomes an issue we will look at implementing a pro model - but the ultimate goal would be for sponsors and brands to foot the cost in exchange for exposure.