Saturday, October 08, 2011

Google+, some extra thoughts

I may have been a little hasty recommending you go exploring Google+ circles looking for photographers. What will probably happen is you will be overwhelmed with glary self promotion and hype (while the look at me celebrities fight it out for most views or +1 likes. I found it just way too much information and distracting. So I’m now going to suggest you approach circles one follow at a time, but start with someone that might have something to say that interests you. My pick in from my first cacophony, of too many too follow, was Trey Ratcliff, who is both an excellent  travel photographer and knows how to discuss his craft in an engaging way (see also his website stuck in customs) as well as posting his current photo projects, his Google+ post range from personal yarns to almost philosophic ponderings and more importantly he runs regular photo hangouts on Google+. I suggest he is a good guide to things photographic on Google+. As you find your way around first follow others that interest you, make comments and perhaps later friend them.

It is the Google+ app (I’ve only tried out the Android version) and specifically the instant photo upload that I think will give Google+ its greatest traction with new users. It works really seamlessly and most importantly doesn’t share your photo with My first Google+ instant uploadthe world (unless you specifically choose to do so). I have my phone set so it only connects to the internet when I am connected to WiFi (so I avoid the high costs of uploading photos incurs on GSM). One missing feature that does surprise me is in editing, There is no option to run Picnik (since Google now own Picnik) or even swap across to Picasa web and run Picnik there?

Perhaps even better might be to have picnic as an add in to Google+ on the phone or as an android app of its own. I’m not the first to notice this by the way.

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