If I photo blogged in the woods and no one read...

If I photo blog in the woods and no one read it, would it still exist?

I have a zenfolio website and I post on flickr, and occasionally toss up a pic or 2 on 500px.com and some here also. I also post on my fan page at facebook, and once in a while my personal page too. All of these are vanity projects, I am NOT commercial, and this discussion assumes no commercial use.

However, in the end, I really don't get much exposure.... pun intended... I had a great day shooting yesterday, and I finally got a shot I have been trying for for many years. (A duck, or goose in this case, just as his feet start skidding across the surface of a pond during a landing, in focus, lit right, decent background, etc). I wanted to share the photos, and the story, a perfect blogging opportunity. Or maybe a story about the hill you have to climb up to get a decent shot of the Grand Prismatic spring in Yellowstone. Also a great blogging opportunity.

Problem is I blog in an empty room. I feel a bit strange telling my story, knowing no one will ever read it. It feels like talking to myself, and I can do that without typing anything.

Now also look at the problem from the other side. I don't have the time or patience to just read others photo blogs. Each on their own site, each having various update cycles. Some topics are a hit, and some are a miss with me. Then there is the photo blog of a captivating experience or a wonderful shot, that I simply would never see, because for one reason or another I just don't read that particular blog.

(Keeping up so far?... thanks for reading this much already...)

So it there a solution? Certainly there are blogs with 100's and thousands of followers, who keep up it, read it, even look forward to new entries. But I have to imagine that is the exception. Most I imagine are like my sites, I have about 120 "fans" on facebook, and I get about 3 visitors to my website per week. I appreciate the site, and am not looking to get rid of it.

Is there anyplace where the story is as important as the photo(s)? A forum type place where people see the subject that captures their reading attention, rather than having to know the specific photographer? Somewhere a person can post a blog/trip report/etc daily, weekly, or even once and done.

I love POTN, it is my #1 and nearly only photo website I visit, but it is very photocentric.. and thats o.k.much of the time.

Is there such a place? Should there be such a place? Discuss........

You and I are in the same boat, but I don't really care who reads my blog posts or not. I have 0 followers, and that's ok with me. Mainly because I blog for 1)fun 2)a historical record for my own benefit to see how far my photography has come / what was interesting to me at certain points in time 3)more fun.

If you're trying to get famous from a blog, either be a hot girl and take your clothes off, or post pictures of hot girls taking their clothes off. Then people will follow you, but not for you.

Just keep posting my friend. If fame is what you're after, maybe you should find a different hobby. Remember, we're always behind the camera, while what draws people is in front of it.

Not looking for famous. Definitely not. I am thinking of the small stories I sometimes feel like telling, and consider that there may be others who's stories I would like to hear. I have gotten some great inspiration from others. I have discovered new shooting opportunities, and new ways of looking at some shots from some others blogs that I have read.

What I am getting at is that I was thinking of creating a community (likely forum based) that would give myself and others the opportunity to share and discuss the stories of their photos, or there photographic journey's, both actual trips as well as artistic explorations. Certainly not in competition with POTN; Something basically different in its goals.

The members of this forums tend to be brutally honest with their thoughts on, everything. I didn't know if any other "mini" blogs sites existed like this or not.

BTW, you have 1 more follower. Nice work, I like it.

boufa wrote in post #16334768
Not looking for famous. Definitely not. I am thinking of the small stories I sometimes feel like telling, and consider that there may be others who's stories I would like to hear. I have gotten some great inspiration from others. I have discovered new shooting opportunities, and new ways of looking at some shots from some others blogs that I have read.

What I am getting at is that I was thinking of creating a community (likely forum based) that would give myself and others the opportunity to share and discuss the stories of their photos, or there photographic journey's, both actual trips as well as artistic explorations. Certainly not in competition with POTN; Something basically different in its goals.

The members of this forums tend to be brutally honest with their thoughts on, everything. I didn't know if any other "mini" blogs sites existed like this or not. (Twitter uses the term micro blog)

BTW, you have 1 more follower. Nice work, I like it.

Well from my experience, POTN members love reading / sharing their experiences and the experiences of others. I've only been on this site about 2 months and have learned immensely.

It seems to me that possibly you're stuck in a rut and simply are looking to add to your creativity? Maybe tell a story with not only your photos but with words as well?

Just have fun blogging. I'm not out for fame and fortune. My blog is mostly a stress relief lol. Just showing some pictures and sharing a story as Jarvis said. It might detail a particular shot I did, or just a rant about something photography-related.

I do have followers, but I don't go out and actively advertise my blog. The most advertising I do is putting a link in my signature here on POTN, and on my flickr uploads. If people are curious, they'll click.

Hello Boufa - I'm just down the road from you, about 10 miles to the west .

I found your post interesting, and also made a visit to your blog. You have some really solid work there. I've been blogging myself for several years but do it mainly for my own pleasure, to show current projects and also do a little story telling if I'm in the mood. I understand what you're saying about preaching to the empty woods. We've always had this challenge, and digital has tremendously accelerated the process.

Do you get out and exhibit, show, or lecture at all?

So many folks have galleries and a strong online presence that we often forget about the basics of face-to-face interaction and presentation and how important that can be to generating interest. I do voluneer competition judging for several local photo organizations and those are great opportunities to see what others are doing, give advice, get suggestions, and generally have a handle on what is out there. This in turn generates interest in my own work.

I also try to have at least one exhibit a year and this is usually in conjunction with a lecture on the related topics. What I'm saying is that it's very easy to put up a gallery of good material - so many are doing it these days. We almost become shell-shocked by all the great images, to the point of insensitivity, because it gets repetititve. So that's where it comes back to personal involvement.

There is no simple solution to this or an easy formula for attracting a following or generating buzz. So much goes back to the individual, and how that person interacts with others. Like Phillip I also put links in my posts, etc., but I also try to be active in the community in arts related organizations and projects.

boufa wrote in post #16334751
I had a great day shooting yesterday . . . I wanted to share the photos, and the story, a perfect blogging opportunity . . . problem is I blog in an empty room. I feel a bit strange telling my story, knowing no one will ever read it.

Now also look at the problem from the other side. I don't have the time or patience to just read others photo blogs. Then there is the photo blog of a captivating experience or a wonderful shot, that I simply would never see, because for one reason or another I just don't read that particular blog.

So it there a solution?

Is there anyplace where the story is as important as the photo(s)? A forum type place where people see the subject that captures their reading attention, rather than having to know the specific photographer?

I love POTN, it is my #1 and nearly only photo website I visit, but it is very photocentric.. and thats o.k.much of the time.

Is there such a place? Should there be such a place? Discuss........

I think there is a solution, and you hinted at it with the part I made bold above. You are on to something with the idea that the subject itself is what may draw people to read further.

I am very passionate about certain subjects. When I want to read something that truly holds my interest, I google subjects that I am most passionate about. Take Whitetail Deer, for instance. I am obsessed with them, and with photographing them. So, I google search for terms such as "Whitetail Deer buck photos", Whitetail Deer national wildlife refuge", "Whitetail Deer Kansas", Whitetail Deer photography", "Whitetail Deer oak forest", "Whitetail Deer native prairie habitat", "Whitetail Deer subspecies", "Whitetail Deer worldwide distribution map", "Whitetail Deer pre-rut behavior", etc, etc, etc.

When I find web pages that contain my search results, I read what they have to say. I dig deep into all of the content on those pages, because I want to learn more about Whitetail Deer, and I also want to get ideas for all of the different types of Whitetail Deer photos I might be able to create.

When I find a well-written, informative article (or blog) involving Whitetail Deer, I frequently contact the author - either via email or via telephone. I communicate my passion for Whitetails, and tell him/her how much I appreciate the content that they shared. Then I pump them for more information - there is always a lot more to someone's experience than what they write in the blog, and I want to know all of it. I then offer to share any of my Whitetail knowledge with them, if they are interested.

Hence, I make contact with quite a few bloggers, wildlife photographers, and wildlife biologists throughout the course of a year. And all of those people who blog and post no longer feel as though they are doing so in a vacuum. They all know not only that someone read what they had to say, but they know who read it, and they also know exactly how much it meant to me. And all of this happened, not because of their blogging . . not because of their photos . . . but because of the subject itself - the Whitetail Deer!

So, my suggestion for you is to write about what you are most passionate about.

Also, be sure to reach out to others who are also passionate about these things. This is a two-way street; those who comment on other's flickr images and facebook pages are the ones who garner more comments for their own postings.

Find photo-sharing posts here on POTN that feature the subjects you are most passionate about, then make some thought-provoking, insightful comments about the photos. I guarantee you that after doing so consistently and prolifically, others will seek out your own posts and visit your website. And you will gain a small "following". Then you must retain the "following" by consistently reaching out to them with new posts, and by continually commenting on their photos, blog entries, and facebook postings.