Picture Stories by Stephen Alvarez

@thephotosociety on Instagram

above, the @thephotosociety feed

I've been using Instagram for over a year now and still really like it. Figuring out who to follow is daunting and collected feeds make life easier on the viewer. The @natgeo feed has a great collection of contributing photographers posting their different magazine pictures. 1.7 million people follow it. But did you know those same photographer also post their personal photos to @thephotosociety? 

If you love photography it is a great one to follow.

Stephen Alvarez

Facebook App sells your photos, no, this is not an April Fools joke

A facebook app called photos at my door -if given permission- lets your facebook friends create and purchase printed merchandise with images from your facebook photos. 

Details here and here.

I'm not certain how this can be legal, but if you don't want your photos turning up on other people's coffee cup and mouse pads go to Facebook Settings / Apps / Apps other people use and make sure "My photos" is turned off. 

Professional Photographers, this is a pretty good reason to watermark your Instagram photos. Whether you know it or not your IG pictures are being copied and re-posted by other social media users. A visable watermark doesn't prevent the copying but it does allow your photo credit to travel with the image. If your photo is going to end up on a coffee mug without your permission at least you should get credit.

Stephen Alvarez

 

The Photo Society Instagram feed is live

This year's National Geographic Photography seminar was fantastic. One of the most exciting developments for me was the launch of The Photo Society's Instagram feed. 95 past and current National Geographic Magazine contributors posting work. Follow us at @thephotosociety

I'll write about JR and Salgado's presentations later. They were wonderful.

Stephen Alvarez

Phone Friday: @Fisheyedreams instagraming wonderful images of Istanbul

I thought I'd start posting about who I follow on instagram. One of my favorites is @fisheyedreams. Wonderful images from Istanbul. 

Stephen Alvarez

Sewanee, TN

Phone Friday: the Marksta app for iPhone. For $1.99 you can watermark your phone photos

Photojournalist John McHugh has developed a watermarking app for the iphone. He says he did it because he was tired of people stealing his work (BJP here). It looks like a good idea to me so I just downloaded the app for my phone. I don't think that it will keep people -and companies- from taking pictures but at least some of a photographers branding can travel with the image now.