Sharing photos online

As digital cameras increase in popularity, more people are going online with their digital photos. Online photo sharing services offer a convenient way to store, share, and order prints of your favorite digital photographs.

A number of comprehensive photo sharing services exist on the Web. Some of the most popular include Kodak Easyshare Gallery (www.kodakgallery.com), Shutterfly (www.shutterfly.com) and Snapfish (www.snapfish.com). Some retailers also host photo sharing sites, enabling you to order prints of your digital photographs online and pick them up at your local store in an hour.

Along with providing a convenient way to order prints of your digital photographs, online photo sites also offer the ability to easily share your photographs with friends and family. E-mailing pictures can be time-consuming and inconvenient, and they may fill the recipients’ inboxes. However, when using a photo sharing site, you can simply send a link to your online photo album. Others can then view your pictures at the site and order prints if they wish.

Before getting started with an online photo service, you should first consider your needs and research various sites to find the best match. Allotted storage space varies by site, and some sites charge extra fees for additional storage space. The price and quality of prints also varies. Be sure to find out how long your photos will stay on the site as well—some sites are meant to store photos only temporarily and the photos may become inaccessible after a given period of time.

Once you’ve selected an online photo site, you’ll most likely need to register. It may be necessary to install a plug-in to your computer that will allow you to upload your photographs. After your pictures are on the site, you will have the option to arrange them into an album, add captions, and make minor changes (such as red-eye removal or cropping).

Once your album is complete, you can choose whom to invite to view it. Usually, this involves sending an e-mail to friends and family with a link to your online album. Some sites even feature password protection for your pictures.

You will want to ensure that your Internet connection is appropriate for the type and quantity of pictures you will be uploading to the site. For example, a photograph that is one megabyte in size will upload in approximately three minutes on a dial-up connection, but will take only 15 seconds on a broadband connection. If photo sharing becomes an important part of your online experience, you may want to upgrade your service.

Online photo services should not be considered a permanent storage solution for your digital photographs, however.

"Remember to create and store backup copies of your photos, ideally on a CD, DVD or other long-term storage device," says Ira Oliver, a technical support representative for Socket and amateur photographer. "This will minimize the risk that your memories will be lost forever should the Web site break down or close."

Now that you’re equipped with the basics of going online with your digital photographs, what are you waiting for? Go take some pictures and begin your online digital photography experience!

Socket Tech Talk is provided as a service to distribute general information concerning technology-related topics. Please consult your local computer expert for information specific to your situation.