Photo Sharing

[GutIt]

So I’m thinking about finally breaking down and opening an account with one of the photo sharing sites.

I’ve seen several different ones around and on here as well.

Could you all please advise me on which one’s you like and why you use that particular one?

I would be forever indebted!

[msullivan57]

I use Picasa. This is a free photo organizer, editor, and web album program provided free by Google. You have to sign up for Google's Gmail to get access to the Picasa download. Gmail is also free, so it just takes the time to set up a google account. Picasa was actually a retail product before Google purchased it several years ago. The part you are interested in, web albums, are easy to create out of the Picasa program. The program is very intuitive and easy to use. I can not give you the limits for storage. I have between 15 to 20 albums and hundreds of photos uploaded and have not been notified of any limit. I have not uploaded any videos which would take up a lot more space quickly. The Picasa program itself has some good basic editing and organizing functions. If you use a digital camera it will automatically organize the photos by date. Any new photos are added each time you open the program. I've used this program for three or four years and have no complaints. Can't compare other programs since this is the only one I have used. From viewing photos in some of the other programs, I see nothing that entices me to change.

Good luck,

Mike

[DMG]

I have a Picassa account, too, and get along with it pretty well. I had a blog on blogger.com before Google bought that company. Google then bought Picassa and created a Picassa account containing all my blog photos for me without my knowing it. I liked it once I discovered it but I don't use it often since I got started on Facebook.

My wife just opened a Snapfish account, the attraction being that she could order prints and pay for them herself but have them printed at a Walgreens in Houston where my mother could pick them up. Snapfish also offers free software that automatically copies photo files from a memory card on to your hard drive in just a few seconds. It creates a folder using that day's date. After copying the photos to your hard drive, it asks you whether you want to copy them to your web account as well. I haven't used Snapfish's editing or album creating features so I can't comment on them. I love the memory card downloading software, though!

Hope this helps.

~Dave

[RandyJ]

Picasa fan here, too. Give it a try - if you don't like, you can flush it. But I bet you'll like.

[GutIt]

Thank you for the responses, guys.

So far the responses are unanimously Picassa (got one PM stating the same thing).

I was kind of hoping for an unlimited file size, and unlimited storage, and you can get that if you go with a “pro” account (meaning “pay”), but I’m going free!

Most likely a free account will take care of what I need and if anyone would like to have a shot or two, I guess I could email a full size photo rather than someone trying to pull down a photo resized for the file size limit.

Also was maybe thinking I might not want a “public” site but I am finding that most of the more popular sites give you a choice. I also have my own editing software I prefer, so that is not so important. But I did want something user friendly and fast.

Also might upload a video clip or two at some point.

Randy has a good point, though. You can set it up for free, and you can flush it just as free!

Thanks again guys, I’ll keep considering for a little while, but kind of leaning to Picassa thanks to you. Meanwhile if there is more advice out there I’m open.