Photowho is a social network about photography photosite. Social network of photographers “FotoKto. Russian-language social networks

The best photos for inspiration

Many popular sites have special sections where photos of professionals are published. Here are some resources to help you find inspiration:

National Geographic Photography. Known for his stunning wildlife photography.
BBC News In Pictures. Maybe a little conservative, but very high quality.
Great Photojournalism. A community of professional photojournalists.
World Press Photo. Archive of photographs of participants in the annual competition, held since 1955.
file magazine. A magazine of extraordinary, challenging pictures and illustrations.
magnumphotos. Works professional photographers Magnum agencies.
Royal Photography Society. Gallery of the community of British photographers.
phase. Magazine with interesting projects photographers from different countries.
Flakphoto. A collection of individual shots and photo projects.
Unsplash. Gallery of high quality photos.
500px . A popular resource for photographers.
Pinterest. A rather chaotic resource, but with a well-formulated request, it can be useful.
inspirationgrid. Huge collection of high quality photos.
planetpics. Photos of the most beautiful places on Earth.
weatherscapes. Website of amazing photos of weather phenomena.

Educational materials

As in any field, anyone who is willing to learn can become a professional in photography. You should also not be afraid of English-language resources: the meanings of most terms from this area are intuitive.

Fototips.ru. Councils for the selection of equipment, shooting, processing.
"Simple tricks". Daily articles on a wide variety of topics for photographers.
Photo monster. Photography tips from the pros.
"Cultural Enlightenment". Section on the website Photograher.ru with articles on theory and practice and inspiring interviews.
Russian Photo. Photography lessons categorized.
"The Photo Industry". Lessons of photography, processing, retouching.
Photomotion.ru. Inspirational Tips.
Prophotos. Large collection of lessons and instructions.
Digital Camera World. Helpful Hints for photographers.
MorgueFile Classroom . Ten photography lessons from freelance photographer Jody Koston.
Photonet learning. A section with lessons from one of the largest photo resources in English.
photomanual. Just about difficult things in photography.
"Photography for Beginners". Photography Basics for Beginners full course on Coursera.
Fujifilmru. Educational project, from which you will learn common myths about composition. Also, learn how to choose the right lens.
Photo-monster. Video tutorials on different directions photography: from portraits to landscapes.

Photoshop Photo Editing Tutorials

Clubs manufacturers

2. We shoot and process

Processing pictures on a smartphone

In fact, there are many alternative applications to the popular Instagram that allow you to process photos using built-in filters:

VSCO Camera ( , iOS).
Eye Em (Android, iOS).
Pixlr (Android, iOS, WP8).
PicsArt (Android, iOS, WP8).
Adobe Photoshop Express (Android, iOS, WP8).
Photo Editor by Aviary (Android, iOS).
Repix (Android, iOS).
Snapseed (Android, iOS).
Afterlight (Android, iOS,) - 35 rubles (Android), $0.99 (iOS, Windows Phone).
Mextures (iOS) - $1.99

Photo editing software for PC

Even perfect photos need a little retouching. For this purpose, there are various paid and free programs:

Photoshop. Needs no introduction.
Lightroom. Another Adobe product for photo editing. Less cumbersome than Photoshop.
GIMP. A free alternative to Photoshop available for all popular operating systems.
Paint.NET. A rather primitive, but quite suitable editor for Windows to perform basic operations.
PixelMator. Powerful photo editor for macOS.

Online processing

You can carry out many basic photo processing operations directly in your browser for free and without installing additional software. Resources differ only in the set of proposed tools.

3. We publish

Posting on your blog

Paid resources often allow you to create a real portfolio and attract viewers easily and quickly. But the free ones should not be neglected either.

Facebook. Why not just create an album. There are no restrictions on the number of shots, privacy settings are very flexible.
"In contact with ". Likewise.
livejournal. A well-known resource suitable for photoblogging.
deviantart. Huge multidisciplinary community, within which photography has a large section with many subcategories.
SmugMug. Here you can not only collect a portfolio of author's photographs, but also receive income from the use of photographs. Two weeks of free trial are offered.
Esposure. A great resource for creating photo stories.
Photoshelter. One of the most popular online portfolio platforms.
carbonmade. A very nice resource for publishing your portfolio with limited number free photos.
Flickr. You can post photos to high resolution and join interest groups.
Google photos. Reliable storage for your pictures, it is possible to create albums and stories to share them with friends.
Adobe Spark. Another service that allows you to create web pages with your photo stories.
Behance. This service was chosen by designers, but here you can also talk about the creative process and share your best work.

In fact, the authors managed to create a very democratic project, where even novice amateur photographers feel comfortable. Here you can feel free to show your work and find out how other participants rate your photos.

Main page

Most characteristic of Photokto.ru- section "I want criticism". Dozens of photos are posted here every day and receive comments, recommendations and friendly advice. Quick feedback from experienced craftsmen turns communication into Fotokto.ru into an effective learning process.

Works for the section "I want criticism"

Another plus site - contests. At any given time, there are between three and four contests on different topics. The competitive moment powerfully stimulates the learning process.

Works for the competition called "Smile"

In addition, on Photokto.ru The top 20 photographs submitted by readers are determined daily. All their authors receive a corporate diploma. So the opportunity to become a winner is present every day!

And let's not forget that Fotokto.ru is a social photo network. This means that here you can:

create a portfolio;
post a resume;
keep a blog;
add friends and chat with those participants whose work you liked and who have something to learn.

Photokto.ru will help amateur photographers with theory - there are many lessons on the most important subjects: choice of photographic equipment, secrets for great photos, how to edit them in photoshop. Lessons can be found in the "Blogs" section.

One note: on Fotokto.ru You can upload up to 5 photos per day. The fact is that each photo is moderated here. And since there are many participants, you yourself understand ... the input stream is limited.

From the TOP-20 photos for 19.08.2013 - "Praskovya"

From TOP-20 photos for 20.08.2013 - "Early morning"

And what can this social photo network give to experienced photographers? On the Photokto.ru there is a search engine (section "People") that helps customers find good photographers, and those - to receive orders for work. And, of course, do not forget about self-expression, about the desire to share experience with novice amateur photographers, about the joy of communicating with like-minded people.

Finally, about one more advantage of this project. Fotokto.ru cooperates with the New York Institute of Photography and organizes with it free online conferences on the art of photography.

They are held regularly, so it is easy to seize the moment and take part in such a conference. A lot of time is devoted to the analysis and evaluation of photos taken by the participants. Submit your work by the agreed deadline and you will have a chance to get it professionally reviewed.

From TOP-20 photos for 21.08.2013 - "Evening"

From TOP-20 photos for 22.08.2013 (no title)

There are several good sites on the web on the subject of "photography as art" - such as or. Photokto.ru helps to take the first serious steps towards mastering this level of skill.

It can be said that Fotokto.ru- a site that turns amateur photographers into photo artists. Two factors are excellent motivators for learning and improvement. This is an assessment of the photo by the project participants and the opportunity to constantly compete. See how others take pictures! Think about how you can do better! Participate and win!

No need to post photos of food and cats on Facebook,

and brag about your accomplishments.

/Randy Zuckerberg/

Over the past 5 years, the situation has changed: those who were laughed at, we are talking about Odnoklassniki, are rushing to the first positions in the country's ranking; those who once set the development vector, talking about Twitter, do not know who to sell themselves to, everything is so sad; and all this in anticipation of dark horses - "Google" (Google+ opportunities are growing) and "Apple" (working on their own social network).

In the long run, any participant can become a favorite, but for how long? And most importantly - where does the photographer?

From this article you will learn:

Why does a photographer need to use, if he really wants to, 1 or 2 social platforms, and be present in the rest only formally.
Why social networks, at the moment, are not the most effective tool for promoting a photographer on the Internet.
Why photographers are turning into marketers and when will it all end.

But first, let's talk about the reasons for writing the article.

Promotion of the photographer in social networks

My presence on Facebook and VKontakte is a mere formality, temporary. This decision was made in 2014, after 2 years of studying the possibilities and assessing the prospects:

Social networks are closed on themselves. This is most noticeable on Facebook: paying publications for top-rated content, quick pages (Instant articles), integration of modules that replace offline solutions, etc.
Social networks are an entertainment format. This means: it is necessary to slide into the service sector or into "clownery", and this is stagnation and extinction.
Social networks are an inconvenient tool. I recommend reading.
Social networks - temporarily, if we talk about the photographer. The owners of social networks are businessmen, their goal is profit. Therefore, Facebook will become a video platform, and others will follow the trend. Who will need photos in the feed?
Social networks are platforms for testing technologies: machine learning, neural networks, personal assistants, augmented and virtual reality.

In addition to this, when communicating with a customer, I always ask two questions:

How did you know about me?
How do you find the products and services you need?

As it turned out, among my audience, the priority in sources looks like this:

Recommendations. Word of mouth and partners.
Search engines. Surprised though yes what could be easier than asking "Google" or "Yandex".
Blog. As it turned out, they read.

- Yes, go figure out what is there in the case, and where is disposable.

Of course, marketers say otherwise: a photographer needs social networks, scheduled posts, tracking mentions, etc.

And I say differently: you need to choose 1-3 advertising tools that will work for the photographer and will not distract him from his main activity - photography.

Social networking opportunities for promotion. Is there any use for a photographer?

Marketers realized the fading of SMM and, in order not to be without work, they went into teaching. They quote books, each other and are indifferent to the fact that through their efforts, a gullible listener will end up in the dustbin of history.

Let's analyze the main problems that social networks should solve and find errors:

Recognition and appearance of an expert

Recognition - human glory, comes and goes. What's the point of her? You know about the harm.

The appearance of an expert is zilch, because in the profession of a photographer, experience is valuable, not words.

I've said it before, I won't repeat it.

Customer Reviews

It was relevant, but already in doubt: a series of high-profile revelations of copywriters and marketers, whose actions spoiled this promotion tool as well. Alas.

Fictitious tools, imaginary values and floating price tags are opportunities that will leave the photographer face to face with unresolved problems (small audience segment and lost time; marketing practice, instead of the photographer’s experience, etc.) and awareness of the morality of social networks: “Today they will notice but they won't remember tomorrow.

The future of social networks, or what a photographer should expect from social media

Of course, not all companies inform about their plans, but something is known from reliable sources and it is possible to assess the future of social networks. I am not Vanga and I will not name dates, but I will only explain the difficulties that the photographer will face, wanting to interact with the audience in the open spaces of social media.

There will be fewer potential customers. The well-being of Russian citizens is falling and the demand for photography is following. People come to social networks in order to be distracted, to show themselves and to see others. For purchases - search engines and "call a friend."
Decline in advertising effectiveness and growth advertising budgets. Obvious and annoying. Reliable alternative online - contextual advertising in search engines. Satisfies the current demand, gives sales here and now. Expensive.
Format change. As mentioned above, and, the attention of all owners of social sites is drawn to the video. The photographer and his portfolio, as information that attracts users, does not represent the former value for social media owners: a decrease in organic issuance and depreciation of content.
Technology and the struggle for leadership. Oculus Rift is a tool for the future of Facebook as an entertainment portal. Neural networks are the basis of intelligent assistants, the main market players are involved in the development: Google, Apple, Microsoft and, of course, Facebook. Who will become a monopolist, taking into account the "smart home" technology, is unknown. The photographer needs to prepare in advance: access to the online portfolio under a single protocol, outside the venues; adjustment business correspondence by email, etc.
Machine learning and marketing. The visible results of machine learning are the quality of search results. SEO has changed. Following him, SMM will change, and the manipulation of an emotional post according to the schedule will become part of history. The algorithm itself will find the owner of the required artist and connect him with you, then - the experience of communication, organization and photography.
Losses. They are inevitable. Over the years, the photographer has invested in third-party development. If they do not withstand competition in the market, they disappear, like all the photographer's achievements. Smartresponder recently closed. Imagine the feelings of users, business owners. Better yet, think about the problem that you may have if your favorite social network “loses its positions”.
Subscription. Subscription access is gaining popularity in foreign countries. I do not rule out that after magazines and corporate blogs, social networks will think about paid access, but first - the creation of a monopoly, otherwise the one who has "free" will win.

Do not rush to delete accounts. 🙂

P.S

The basis for the existence of social networks is advertising revenue. But in order to show it, you need content created by users, including a photographer. Hence the recommendations and generous advice: stay within limits, publish more often, write about everything, etc.

Real network. 🙂

At the beginning of the creative path, the photographer is limited in finances and social networks are a logical set of tools for presenting a portfolio, conducting correspondence and advertising.

As it grows, it is necessary not only to update the equipment, but also to eliminate dependence on third-party solutions. A separate incentive is the annual reduction in the cost of maintaining personal resources (technological development, competition, etc.).

There comes a time when the leaders of the industry are those who created their resources 10 years ago, and now, if necessary, add the necessary modules: a photo school, equipment sales, a notification system, affiliate network, personal portfolio presentation (based on metadata), etc.

Think. Discuss. Share with friends.

Sincerely
Andrew Bondar.

Someone will say: oh, I'm tired of these social networks - there are a couple, and that's enough! And he will be partly right: there are so many of these social networks of the same type on the Internet that you already want something new. Such that affects a hobby, profession, work. A photograph, for example.

Well, there is a social network about photography - it is located at fotokto.ru. A young, dynamically developing portal where people communicate, share impressions, experiences, emotions and earn money for whom the camera is not just a toy, but a chance to escape from the gray everyday life and give joy to others. And capture this world as it is at this very moment.

And here you can learn the basics of photography: there are educational articles and video materials. And there are people who are ready to help at any time of the day or night - after all, we all live in different time zones. I personally liked this social network - those who are really “sick” with photography gathered here. Those who are interested. Those who want to make this world brighter.

And how to earn? Identify yourself as a retoucher, florist, photographer, and so on, and share your skills and successes on your blog. Spread your work and communicate, communicate, communicate. Learn and communicate again. Which is generally easy :).

By the way, I learned about PhotoKto.Ru from the Vkontakte social network - if it’s more convenient for you to communicate there, check out the vk.com/club36104544 community, chat with users, ask questions, take a closer look. And you will probably register on fotokto.ru - a social network of photographers. Have a good mood!

Hello dear guests of my blog. I decided to open the “photo sites” section with this article, where I will review useful and interesting sites for people who are fond of photography.

So, the first in my review will be the site of the social network of photographers "FotoKto". I registered on it quite recently (about a week ago), but already during this time it “sucked” me close to itself and I became an avid visitor. Every day the site is gaining more and more popularity. This is because the network has a narrowly focused theme - photography. People associated with photography register and communicate here: professional photographers, amateur photographers, models, retouchers, fashion designers, assistants, designers, florists, videographers and others.

With the current development of digital photographic equipment and its availability, there are more and more amateur photographers every day, and, consequently, the popularity of the FotoKto social network will gain momentum every day.

So let's take a closer look at the site. After registration, you have the following options:

- you can create your own albums and add photos there, or you can just add your photos without albums (you can add no more than 5 photos per day). Your photos will be viewed by other users, rate and comment on them. There are many professional photographers on the site, their criticism will be useful. Well, if they praise, then it is also very pleasant;

- you can create your resume and offer your services;

- you can rate and comment on photos of other users yourself, and add the best ones to your favorites;

- you can immediately maintain your blog and leave your notes and thoughts in it;

- you can view all comments and ratings on your photos and blog entries in the "News" tab in your account, which is very convenient, you do not need to open each of your photos to read comments on it;

— on the “Contests” page, everyone can participate in photography contests and win cash prizes and gifts from sponsors;

- if you want criticism of your photo, you can add it to the "I want criticism" section, where you will be criticized and given advice on correct staging frame, light, etc.

Everything on the site is so well done that even a child will figure it out.

True, I was heavily criticized there, and especially, but I still like this social network. Criticism spurs me on to get better and better. I would like to express my gratitude to all users

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