Photoblogs, like any other type of blog, require a number of tools and strategies to succeed.
Some remain the same, such as SEO techniques and blog design. Photo bloggers need to utilize additional resources to effectively maintain their blog above and beyond beginning tips.
Chief among them are tools to maximize the blog’s visual elements, such as software and services. Some resources can benefit the photo blogger and better attract viewers.
Photosharing Services
A powerful tool in any photo blogger’s arsenal is a good photo-sharing site such as Pexels.com and Unsplash.com. Not only will it save a blogger or photographer time, photographs, and images hosted on there can be used for other projects.
A photo-sharing site allows the photographer to embed photographs into the blog, or even set up a photostream of select images. It serves as a central source of images and offers exposure for photographers outside of their blogs.
Also, depending upon the services provided by such sites, it would further secure a blogger’s images and prevent them from being used without their permission. (Photographers should still place their name in the copyright metadata and on any sites, and ensure they are not in the public domain. A strong measure would to be register them with the U.S. Copyright Office.)
Photo editing software
Editing, cropping, and organizing photographs is a must for any photo blogger, but not every photographer might be able to afford a program like Adobe’s Photoshop. Also, not all photographs might require a powerful program. So they need to carefully choose the right photo editor for their projects.
Fortunately, there are a number of free or relatively low-cost programs that can achieve simple photo editing and organizing tasks. Both downloadable and online ones offer many of the basic features that Photoshop utilizes (albeit to a much lesser degree). Canva for example, offers bloggers and budding photographers a powerful but simple program to organize, edit, and view photographs. Photographers can also caption, add keywords and edit the metadata, and even publish to blogs.
Alternatives include Photoshop Elements, a stripped-down version of Photoshop that comes with many digital cameras. For those who want a little more flexibility, Adobe Lightroom offers a number of options, and while more expensive, it is quicker to utilize than Photoshop and can generate photo web galleries and catalog images for bloggers and photographers alike.
Slideshows
Slideshows can be a hassle for some photographers, especially if they are using a blog host’s native software. There are a few options that offer a lot more flexibility and a host of features that can turn static images into multimedia pieces.
Soulforge’s Soundslides Pro program offers a very simple alternative to generating photo slideshows and also create audio slideshows for ambitious photobloggers. The program, free to try, allows a blogger to upload his or her images (and audio files for multimedia aspects) into the program. Soundslides is fairly simple to use, and all one needs to do is simply upload the finished product to a server or web host and embed it in the blog post’s HTML text.
Alternatively, the web service Vuvox offers a powerful tool that allows photographers to create a slider-based slideshow that can incorporate audio, images, and video into a powerful presentation, allowing great flexibility in creating a memorable project.
Online Storage
Backing up data is a crucial thing for any blogger, writer, or photographer. Computers crash and drive can be corrupted, often causing unprepared people to lose months or years of work. Online storage has made a gigantic leap forward in recent years, offering photobloggers an alternative to backing up their work.
Not only can photographers store their files on these services, but they can also use them as an alternative to link files (photos, slideshows, etc) to their blogs. But the main importance of such services allows bloggers to preserve and access files from any computer with an internet connection.
Some services vary in size and cost, from premium brands like Carbonite for a flat fee of $55 a year to free ones. Fortunately for often cash-strapped photographers there are a number of low-cost and free alternatives.
Online service Dropbox, for example, offers a very generous 10-gigabyte storage for free (20 GB if you complete a few extra steps), and allows users to share their files and easily access and upload their files.
Use good judgment when using online services. Like any other storage system, they are as vulnerable to data loss or system crashes. Bloggers and photographers should regularly back up their files on a separate hard drive for good measure.
One of the best things that benefit a photo blogger is utilizing and streamlining how he or she manages their blog. From backing up data on a regular basis to efficient tools to edit and publish their content for their audience, these tips tools can provide just that benefit and make work just a bit easier.
