# Why do people post photos on the social websites?



## J.R. (Mar 11, 2014)

Just a question that popped into my mind. Why do people post photos on social websites? 

Today I removed most of my photos off FB because I'm no longer sure why I share them. 

Thoughts ... 

PS: I am a hobby photographer


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## climber (Mar 11, 2014)

Today I post them on FB because I don't have a personal webpage (yet). And I want to share some good photos.
Good photos: it's relative term. I mean good for my current abilities.

Few years ago I posted everything, no matter of quality, but now I'm not doing that anymore. Also I was not so "addicted" with photography, as I am now. A little bit of joke here.


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## mackguyver (Mar 11, 2014)

I mostly post links to my work (versus actual photos) because I'm not too trusting of the social networks who remove my metadata including copyright, but will occasionally share a low res photo to promote myself, especially upon request. For example, the horse competition I covered the other day asked for a photo to use as their Facebook "cover" photo, so I gave them a 850x315 version of the photo and they gave me credit. Yes, I could have asked for payment, but I've already been paid for this shoot and it's a fun photo that's worth more as a promotional tool. You can see it here at the top of their page: Red Hills Horse Trials Facebook Page


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## Eldar (Mar 11, 2014)

mackguyver said:


> I mostly post links to my work (versus actual photos) because I'm not too trusting of the social networks who remove my metadata including copyright, but will occasionally share a low res photo to promote myself, especially upon request. For example, the horse competition I covered the other day asked for a photo to use as their Facebook "cover" photo, so I gave them a 850x315 version of the photo and they gave me credit. Yes, I could have asked for payment, but I've already been paid for this shoot and it's a fun photo that's worth more as a promotional tool. You can see it here at the top of their page: Red Hills Horse Trials Facebook Page


So I guess than makes you Lou. Nice to meet you


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## mackguyver (Mar 11, 2014)

Eldar said:


> mackguyver said:
> 
> 
> > I mostly post links to my work (versus actual photos) because I'm not too trusting of the social networks who remove my metadata including copyright, but will occasionally share a low res photo to promote myself, especially upon request. For example, the horse competition I covered the other day asked for a photo to use as their Facebook "cover" photo, so I gave them a 850x315 version of the photo and they gave me credit. Yes, I could have asked for payment, but I've already been paid for this shoot and it's a fun photo that's worth more as a promotional tool. You can see it here at the top of their page: Red Hills Horse Trials Facebook Page
> ...


Nope, not that photo - the one at the TOP - the sequence photo - here's the link the enlarged version:
https://www.facebook.com/115683211789568/photos/a.375049229186297.91533.115683211789568/759900324034517/?type=1&theater


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## Eldar (Mar 11, 2014)

mackguyver said:


> Eldar said:
> 
> 
> > mackguyver said:
> ...


Ian Anderson, even better! You play flute and sing for Jethro Tull!! I knew you were one of the good guys


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## Ellen Schmidtee (Mar 11, 2014)

Because I want my friends, or my friends' friends to see the photos.

E.g. I've seen a band playing jazz music in a street with half a dozen people dancing, took photos, and posted some on my web page to share a bit of the experience with my friends. Shared it on the band's FB feed, and the people who danced (apparently fans of the band) tagged each other. Apparently they wanted to share the "been there, enjoyed that" story with their friends as well.


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## unfocused (Mar 11, 2014)

Generally, I post personal photos on my Facebook page. Pictures of family mostly, but some vacation pictures to share the experience. Only occasionally do a post my "serious" work on Facebook. I reserve that for my website. 

I've thought about trying to better coordinate the two and use Facebook to drive more people to my website. I may do that eventually, but haven't found the time for it yet.


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## skullyspice (Mar 11, 2014)

why not? we are taught at a young age that sharing is a good thing.


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## stephan (Mar 11, 2014)

simple: that's where my friends and aquaintances see them. I do watermark & downsize them beforehand, though.


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## Chris Burch (Mar 11, 2014)

It depends on your business model. I actively shoot functions that are attended by my friends or acquaintances and posting on FB gives me the opportunity to literally put my work in front of them on a reguluar basis. It's free advertising and allows me to show the full breadth of my work to an audience that may only have a limited understanding of what types of things I shoot or the quality of my work. I post highlights of almost everything I shoot to FB instead of having my own blog-type of site. It's easy and has a wider audience. I also post everything under a separate photography page that isn't my own personal page.

If you have concerns about your images getting taken and reused, you can post lower res and watermarked shots or just opt out all together. 

I just did shoot this weekend based on someone on the other side of the country who briefly met me at an event and later saw my photos on FB that were tagged and shared. This client is likely to turn into a long-term customer, too. That means a $0 advertising investement is turning into cash in my pocket.


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## mackguyver (Mar 11, 2014)

Eldar said:


> Ian Anderson, even better! You play flute and sing for Jethro Tull!! I knew you were one of the good guys


Yep, that's me - the secret's out! Fortunately I have aged very well, but I have completely lost all of my musical ability and lost my British accent altogether. Wait, I'm not that guy - but I try to be one of the good guys


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## Logan (Mar 11, 2014)

Easiest way to share pictures with friends and family. Gets kind of boring discussing photos with myself.


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## 7enderbender (Mar 11, 2014)

J.R. said:


> Just a question that popped into my mind. Why do people post photos on social websites?
> 
> Today I removed most of my photos off FB because I'm no longer sure why I share them.
> 
> ...




Simple answer: because they want other people to see and enjoy them. To me that's what photographs are for. I've been following some of the media hype (especially in Europe where I'm from originally) around privacy, safety and copyright concerns. Fair enough.
But I see no value (apply any meaning here) in keeping my photos private and locked up. Yes, you want to think twice what you post and who you give access to what. But I must admit I enjoy social media - and often for the pictures especially. Despite the occasional over-sharing I like seeing what friends and acquaintances are up to. Especially those who I otherwise don't get to see or hear from much.

And sometimes between all the kids, pets and travel pics (including the "look what's on my plate" variety) there are photographic gems that I wouldn't have seen otherwise. I try to return the favor in limited and (I hope) reasonable way. And that's just Facebook. I also like Flickr and 500px to just go browsing through some incredible work.

And I'm in my mid forties and not some Gen Y kid who doesn't know any different.


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## tianxiaozhang (Mar 11, 2014)

I get a good amount of business just from Instagramming..


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## brett b (Mar 11, 2014)

For the purpose of marketing my work...to attract new customers.


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## Dick (Mar 11, 2014)

J.R. said:


> Why do people post photos on social websites?



A very good question! It amazes me how easily people post up photos of their kids too. I for one like to protect my kids from that kind of crap. I can't think of a thing to gain by posting up those photos. There is a shit load to lose...


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## verysimplejason (Mar 11, 2014)

It's the easiest to promote myself to my friends, colleagues and family. There's no need to say, "hey i'm a photographer".


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## verysimplejason (Mar 11, 2014)

Dick said:


> J.R. said:
> 
> 
> > Why do people post photos on social websites?
> ...



I'm using FB and I restricted it only to my closest friends depending on the album type.


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## maxtrixman (Mar 12, 2014)

J.R. said:


> Just a question that popped into my mind. Why do people post photos on social websites?
> 
> Today I removed most of my photos off FB because I'm no longer sure why I share them.
> 
> ...



Mostly Professional photographers post their photographs on social networking sites like Facebook so that their followers will get a constant update to their new shots on the facebook page which almost everyone visits daily without following to their website.

But posting on Facebook without any sort of protection can lead to photo theft.Many of my images posted on facebook were stolen and re-posted on someone else's facebook page.Had to contact Facebook and wait for a long time to get those removed.What i do now is Resize my large resolution pics ,watermark,add exif with this tool called Mass Watermark.It allows processing pics in Bulk and then i Upload it to facebook.Take a look How to Watermark your Photos and Protect them against Theft 

Watermarking has brought down photo theft to a large extent


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## markwilliams279 (Mar 14, 2014)

It is a good thing to post photos on social networking sites. Your work get exposure and appreciation. But don't forget to add watermark.


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## AcutancePhotography (Mar 18, 2014)

Why do people post photos on the social websites?

To be social?


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## scyrene (Nov 18, 2019)

It's part of us being social creatures. Why do we have conversations? Why do we socialise? Why do we do anything that isn't stritcly essential? Because that's how most humans are. There's pleasure to be had in sharing, seeing others, exchanging information, and just human contact. There's plenty of negative possibilities too of course, but that's life, and they can be mitigated against in various ways (as others have said above, using watermarks to reduce copyright infringements, controlling who sees what with filters, etc).

More specifically in my case, though I share much less than I used to (mainly because I take far fewer photos), I have seen that others respond in positive ways when I post stuff, and I enjoy seeing others' output, so it's for the benefit of us both. I've also learned a huge amount - a lot of my online contacts are botanists, bird watchers, and others involved in nature recording and education, and I've found that the constant trickle of images of plants, animals, weaher phenomena, etc. is an excellent way to learn identification skills, and sharing one's own pics is a part of that. Finally, it's a great way of experiencing the world if you haven't the means or the time to go to all the places and see all the things for yourself. We live in a golden age of recording - but without sharing, next to nobody sees most of it.


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## YuengLinger (Nov 18, 2019)

Funny, our camera club had a big brainstorming meeting about increasing membership. There was a consensus: People now have other places to share their images so camera clubs aren't as important.

I'm not so sure about this specific reasoning, but I do believe that smartphone use has eroded socializing in all areas. Or maybe it's the Web generally? All I know is that much more than brick & mortar shopping is being affected. Clubs of all kinds. Churches. Sports leagues, including bowling and softball. Eating in restaurants. Strolling through malls, strolling down walking streets (though here in the USA, mentally ill, drug addicted homeless panhandlers contribute to the deaths of downtowns--not because of their own intentions, but because of my country's refusal to deal with mental health as a social problem)...

Street photography is more challenging because of social media. People, to me, seem paranoid now when they see a big camera. (Ignoring smartphones!) They are concerned they will be on somebody's blog or Instagram or facebook page, that their privacy is threatened. And heaven forbid a child is in the frame! Almost as bad, so many pedestrians are looking at their smartphones that pictures of spontaneous, interesting subjects are fewer and fewer. Still there for the patient, the diligent, the brave, but not like just a few years ago.

We are enjoying an era of splendid isolation.

So we share selfies and meticulously processed "art" on social media. Some of us are lucky enough to have prints in galleries, but mostly our work is greeted by silence. With a thumbs-up.

In the five years since the this thread was last active, I'd say social media is _______________________ (FILL IN THE BLANK)


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## ERHP (Nov 18, 2019)

TBH, I don't directly. I link from my personal site, just like here and everywhere else. Some people enjoy being 'friends' with everyone which is comedy in itself but many people I work and spend time actually talking with do not have a FB account, an IG account, an <insert social network> account. Its fun to have conversations with friends and new people about something that isn't already a dead horse and that is hard to do if you shared all the details on 42 platforms. 

Social media isn't terrible but after watching the hordes trample formerly pristine areas to get their selfies so they, too, could have their moment of 'fame'...


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Nov 18, 2019)

When I post most photos of people, its to one of several a restricted membership groups. Of course, I post photos to illustrate points I'm making during posts like a photo of a piece of equipment or a broken item. I may post photos of funny things like the turkeys on my bird feeder, or of wild animals in my yard, things that Facebook friends might want to see. I also sometimes post photos of food I've prepared, again to illustrate a point.

Most of the really good photos appear in private groups.


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## Don Haines (Nov 18, 2019)

I do it to show how superior my photography skills are to the rest of the world. Behold!


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## Ozarker (Nov 18, 2019)

Facebook: To share with family, friends, and potential customers (4 paid jobs so far, and I get my rate... I am an amateur that charges at the high end for a portrait session. $350 for 2 hours + expenses). I don't watermark anything and most all I do is TFP. Any money I do get goes right back into buying gear. What's somebody going to do with a stolen low resolution photo? Watermarks can be removed anyway. I only post photos I have asked permission to post first... including those of my grandson from his mother.

Flickr? Because it is fun to post high resolution. Again, I don't watermark anything and the copyright is in the exif.

Instagram: I have a lot of trouble posting to Instagram.

I have some learning/cognitive disabilities that make it very difficult for me to learn all these platforms and how to use them. Any photos I process for anything are very minimally processed. I have to get it right in camera and mostly just adjust exposure a little and resize. That's about all I know how to do. I've really tried to learn, I just can't retain the information unless I do the same thing dozens and dozens of times. Frustrating as heck. It didn't always used to be that way.


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## TominNJ (Nov 18, 2019)

J.R. said:


> Just a question that popped into my mind. Why do people post photos on social websites?
> 
> Today I removed most of my photos off FB because I'm no longer sure why I share them.
> 
> ...



If I didn’t post them somewhere then why did I take them? What else am I going to do with them? Photography isn’t self expression if I just store them on my hard drives and never show them to anyone.


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