Does anyone have any experience with www.smugmug.com or www.photoreflect.com for posting their pictures? Would love to hear some feedback on these two services!
I have not heard of them, but just checked them out. Jeannie, if you are just sharing family type images they look OK. However, I would hesitate to place any serious images there for fear of unauthorized downloading of your work. NPN PhotoPortfolios offer an excellent opportunity to store and display your serious work.
Posted by Lisa Cuchara on May 12, 2006 at 12:30 PM
We have a smugmug account and have had no problems with it. We use it for sharing weddings that we photograph with the guests and recently also for our NATURE photography. You can set custom prices for each gallery. Our wedding prices are very different than our nature prices. You can customize each gallery and the whole look.
Of course no image on the web is 100% "safe" but smugmug seems pretty good. they allow you to chose which photos the viewers can see (small medium, large, original size) plus you can check off "no right click save as" and you can even watermark your photos upon upload. They have a lot of options and a lot of customization. I've also found the customer support very responsive when I've had a question.
They have a free trial. plus members can give you a $5 coupon if you join. Here is our's
Get $5 off when you open your own smugmug account
http://www.smugmug.com/?referrer=iZ9Y5NgFAgMVg
I use SmugMug as well and am satisfied with it as a way to display images online. You can block right clicks as Lisa says and watermark if you want. Uploading is very simple and they keep the original file size -- if you view one of your files in original the detail is excellent.
One of the better photographers on this site is also a SM user -- Mark Adamus -- he has an excellent portfolio there.
Here on NPN you upload small files just for the web, on SM you upload full sized files so no worries about getting the downsizing right -- and you can recover your full sized files using SM for backup -- can't do that with NPN.
What I don't like is their printing service. I've only used it once but it is based on photographic supplies and paper -- as in wet darkroom. They strongly recommend using sRGB because the lab they use requires it and they say images look better on the web in sRGB as the color management profile. I use aRGB because I print my own work on an Epson and like the result better than any lab I've tried.
Another plus is there is virtually no limit to the number of images you can upload -- I'm a 'pro' customer but I think the same is true for all members. I saw a college student's portfolio with about 10,000 images!
The other thing is a SM account is very very customizable. Howard Dean's whole online campaign was run using a SM account.
(I don't know photoreflect -- I'll need to check it out!)
I have a friend who, as a professional photographer, uses SMUG MUG to handle his sales. He seems to be happy with the results. His specialty is sports and special events.You can view his work at : Salesephoto.smugmug.com
I use photoreflect, it isn't too bad, the only nitch is the 18% you loose for every transaction. I don't know what smugmug charges but 18% is a bit high. There are other softwares you can pourchase for around $700 - $1200 that will watermark, copyright protect, and show in thumbnail versions, these softwares also have shopping carts attached where one can use their visa, mastercard, Amex etc.... Can't recall the name of the software but here are two sites using it:
www.ryancarterphotography.com
www.yourlifeimages.com (although he is still working out the kinks with his site)
I know oth photographers and they seem to like the software
I use Smugmug Pro and have over 10,000 images there. They have multiple ways to secure your images. I don't feel this is a problem. Screen grabbers are going to grab no matter what you do unless you have a watermark (which can do easily for you in Smugmug).
You can customize Smugmug to your hearts content and programming knowledge, or use what they offer.
You can price your images individually, by gallery, or by website.
They have a pretty darned good customer service group who respond quickly. I have had multiple suggestions implemented by them.
I had a customer unhappy with a print they purchased. Smugmug asked me to have them take a digital photo of the print cut in half and they then refunded the total price to the customer. Customer bought an old file of mine that was taken from a boat, later scanned at not a real high resolution, and then the customer had the image blown up for a large metal print...resulting image was terrible. None of this was Smugmug's fault and they refunded the customer with NO hassle. MY fault was they have an option that let's me approve sales before they proceed with the purchase and I could have seen the problem and blocked the sale before disappointing the customer - my bad.
I can upload as many images as I want. I do not use Smugmug for a "Sales Website". So, there are lot of images I upload that would not sell. I have my reasons for this and the site works awfully well for my needs.
I think the Pro price is well worth it. Beginners can use their low cost options and get a great website started.
I like smugmug.
Posted by Buck Ward on November 17, 2010 at 6:12 PM
I haven't heard of photoreflect. Smugmug Pro works well for me.
Discussion
7 repliesJeannie
Of course no image on the web is 100% "safe" but smugmug seems pretty good. they allow you to chose which photos the viewers can see (small medium, large, original size) plus you can check off "no right click save as" and you can even watermark your photos upon upload. They have a lot of options and a lot of customization. I've also found the customer support very responsive when I've had a question.
They have a free trial. plus members can give you a $5 coupon if you join. Here is our's
Get $5 off when you open your own smugmug account
http://www.smugmug.com/?referrer=iZ9Y5NgFAgMVg
Lisa
One of the better photographers on this site is also a SM user -- Mark Adamus -- he has an excellent portfolio there.
Here on NPN you upload small files just for the web, on SM you upload full sized files so no worries about getting the downsizing right -- and you can recover your full sized files using SM for backup -- can't do that with NPN.
What I don't like is their printing service. I've only used it once but it is based on photographic supplies and paper -- as in wet darkroom. They strongly recommend using sRGB because the lab they use requires it and they say images look better on the web in sRGB as the color management profile. I use aRGB because I print my own work on an Epson and like the result better than any lab I've tried.
Another plus is there is virtually no limit to the number of images you can upload -- I'm a 'pro' customer but I think the same is true for all members. I saw a college student's portfolio with about 10,000 images!
The other thing is a SM account is very very customizable. Howard Dean's whole online campaign was run using a SM account.
(I don't know photoreflect -- I'll need to check it out!)
Cheers,
Frank
www.ryancarterphotography.com
www.yourlifeimages.com (although he is still working out the kinks with his site)
I know oth photographers and they seem to like the software
You can customize Smugmug to your hearts content and programming knowledge, or use what they offer.
You can price your images individually, by gallery, or by website.
They have a pretty darned good customer service group who respond quickly. I have had multiple suggestions implemented by them.
I had a customer unhappy with a print they purchased. Smugmug asked me to have them take a digital photo of the print cut in half and they then refunded the total price to the customer. Customer bought an old file of mine that was taken from a boat, later scanned at not a real high resolution, and then the customer had the image blown up for a large metal print...resulting image was terrible. None of this was Smugmug's fault and they refunded the customer with NO hassle. MY fault was they have an option that let's me approve sales before they proceed with the purchase and I could have seen the problem and blocked the sale before disappointing the customer - my bad.
I can upload as many images as I want. I do not use Smugmug for a "Sales Website". So, there are lot of images I upload that would not sell. I have my reasons for this and the site works awfully well for my needs.
I think the Pro price is well worth it. Beginners can use their low cost options and get a great website started.
I like smugmug.