Flock has renewed my enjoyment of Flickr

The social web browser

I recently downloaded the beta version of Flock and it has quickly become my new favourite browser. It is built using Firefox technology (my other favourite browser) and comes with the tagline Flock: a social web browser. It has a large array of in-built features that make browsing the internet, checking email, uploading photos, writing blog posts all possible from the same place/application.

Get connected

Flock allows you to set up connections to your personal web network and you can activate your numerous online profiles from within the browser. There are many! Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket, Gmail, Yahoo!, Digg, Wordpress (in fact I’m writing this post from Flock’s Blog Editor) and much more.

Let’s concentrate on Flickr

Setting up Flickr on Flock is easy. On launching the browser go to the Accounts and Settings tab on the Sidebar and enter your Flickr account details. Now you can see your Flickr contacts when you click on the People option in the Sidebar. It’s pretty cool as you can see who on your contact list has recently uploaded photos (and therefore potentially online) without being on the Flickr website. The sidebar also informs you of new messages in your Flickr inbox and recents comments on your photos.

Check out this 53 second video to see just how easy it is:

Upload photos from Flock

I uploaded a photo to Flickr using the Photo Uploader. Flickr isn’t the only service you can connect to. It works in a similar fashion to other uploaders. One thing that wasn’t very useful was that it only let me add the photo to one set.

Do you use Flock?

Surf the net while keeping an eye on your social networks. The Sidebar is full of features. I like the interface too, very cool and slick. Just another feature … lucky today is not a work day. Whenever will I get the time to take some photos!

Are you already a Flock user? Let us know your tips in the comments. For instance, if you know how to add an image to the blog editor I’d be forever grateful!

I am so behind in my reading that this may well become a very weighty list.

Fireworks with a point-and-shoot

As my only digital camera is a point and shoot I found this article very useful. See the tips at A Matter of Memories for shooting fireworks – including some impressive examples:

• How to take great fireworks with a point-and-shoot
  

Flickr-ing

Neil Creek tells us the 10 things he hates about Flickr – and its users – and raises some interesting points. For me, my use of Flickr has changed as my photography experience has grown. I still very much enjoy being a part of the community and no doubt will for a long time to come. It’s what you make of it, right? I’ve even been known to give some unruly banner awards myself ;-)

• 10 Things I hate about Flickr (and its users)

How to hold your DSLR

A tiny tip from Beyond Phototips:

• Hold your camera right

Whiten your whites

Planet Photoshop has a quick tip on ensuring your white background is, in fact, white:

• Making sure your whites are really white

Sharpen from in-camera

Fotohacker explains why in-camera sharpening mightn’t be such a bad idea:

• Use of in-camera sharpening

Effects using a long exposure

Beyond Megapixels shows a variety of ways in which you can use a slow shutter speed to great effect. I especially like the zoom blur:

• Shooting with slow shutter speed

A stock partnership

JMG Galleries sheds lights on a new partnership between Flickr and Getty Images. Could this be a good thing for Flickrites?

• Getty and Flickr enter into a limited stock partnership

Storing your precious photos

Hyperphocal shares a few different ways to ensure you don’t lose your photos:

• 5 Ways to store your photos

Getting the focus right

Photodoto has excellent advice on the when, why and how of focus. No doubt your photos will improve after reading this:

• The importance of focus and quick tips on how to get it right

And last, but by no means least

Martin Gommel, incredible photographer, has another round-up of tips over at Digital Photography School:

• 20 More things I’ve learned about photography

Enjoy.