Anyone here using an Image Hosting site?

[W.A.Crider]

I've been trying lately to use DotPhoto to host my images, but it seems every time I try to upload anything it takes forever. I must admit that I am working on an older Mac, and I just don't have the ability to use the latest Flash software or FTP software to communicate with the sever at (probably) any speed for uploads. You know how it goes, if your on an older OS you get left behind cause you can't run the newer app's.. It may also be that my file sizes are a little too big, generally being around 5mb jpg's, but they do take files up to 8mb. The reason I wanted to use this site is for the ability to sell prints thru them at a price that I can set and not have to deal with delivery or take credit cards which I couldn't do anyways. But this consistent problem uploading files is wasting my time and I'm starting to think about spending the cash and doing my own printing and taking PayPal as a payment form to get around the credit card thing. If your using a image hosting site, how do you like it and do you use it as a way to sell photo's?

[Ray Heath]

g'day W.a

why don't you just update your computer and software?

[W.A.Crider]

g'day W.a

why don't you just update your computer and software?

Well I work part time, have no credit and the expense is too much to stay in the Mac camp. My only alternative is to buy the software I need to outfit a faster PC I was given running XP. I would like to do that, but expenses in other areas are primary. So, I need to figure how to get some income off this project to help fund the acquirement of the better software and hardware I could use over the long term. The hosting site makes it work for me if I can overcome the problems. I'm looking around at the possibilities and so ask about others discoveries.

The whole thing here is that I was asked by a long known friend to help her with her need for some pic's for a local musicians newsletter. In the course of the work I can sell prints of/to the various bands to help fund my needs.

[rnwhalley]

I used to use Clikpic and sell (sorry I mean try to sell) images. Good service, quite cheap and the site offered a lot of flexibility. The downside might be that they seem to be geared up for the UK market so might not be what you need.

A cheaper option is PhotoBox as they offer a free pro site which I know a lot of social photographers use to allow clients and friends to order prints. The downside is they fulfil the order with their printing (which isn't bad) but not suitable for fine art work. Again, whilst they do work overseas I'm not sure if they just cover Europe.

[Marco B]

If you are using Mac OS X 10.4 minimum, you might consider installing Firefox 3 and include the "FireFTP" add-on with it. I have very good experiences with FireFTP as a fast and reliable (and free!) FTP software. And the good thing is that it is completely integrated with Firefox, so you can work from within a Firefox TAB.

If your Mac runs an older version of OS X, you might consider installing Firefox on the Windows PC you were talking about, and than use a simple USB stick to transport the data from your Mac to your Windows PC. USB sticks cost nothing nowadays...

Lastly, if you are still on dial-up modem, or a very low rated DSL connection (e.g. with a 250 kbps upload), it will simply take time to upload anything, independent of the service you use. Also, there might be a bandwidth limitation imposed by the service you use...

Just do the calculation: 56 kbps (modem speed) = +/- 8 kByte/second.

5MB = 5000kByte, so it takes 5000 / 8 = 625 seconds to upload your 5MB file, so over 10 minutes! And that is assuming the maximum speed of dial-up, in practice, you may well have less.

And with the outdated DSL of 250kbps upload, it would still be some 2.6 minutes for 1 file of 5MB...