george_mc_keon

Thanks for the feedback on the site from the community at photo.net .

The feedback recommended that we increased the value to the photographer.

Firstly by increasing the visibility and credit to the photographer for each announcement.

Secondly by eliminating the "ads" beside the announcements. Thirdly by simplifying the site

and eliminating confusion as to what it is about.

We will implement all those changes this week. Many thanks for your contributions.

Thanks for the feedback on the site from the community at photo.net .

The feedback recommended that we increased the value to the photographer.

Firstly by increasing the visibility and credit to the photographer for each announcement.

Secondly by eliminating the "ads" beside the announcements. Thirdly by simplifying the site

and eliminating confusion as to what it is about.

We will implement all those changes this week. Many thanks for your contributions.

Thanks for the feedback on the site from the community at photo.net .

The feedback recommended that we increased the value to the photographer.

Firstly by increasing the visibility and credit to the photographer for each announcement.

Secondly by eliminating the "ads" beside the announcements. Thirdly by simplifying the site

and eliminating confusion as to what it is about.

We will implement all those changes this week. Many thanks for your contributions.

Neil and Mike - Thank you for your point regarding the content on the carousel (the items

on the left hand side). We can and will change that to content more in line with actual

postings so that there is no confusing positioning of the site.

Neil - The primary purpose is not to be a directory but to have the ability for people to

browse by location or by event or by location and event for current human activity

portrayed in photography. The fact that photographers are listed is to provide a means of

crediting them with the content they contribute (if they so wish)

in-public.com and public-life.org concentrates on displays by a few select photographers.

flickr and blogger do not allow for the type of specific geo-location / event search

available on GHQ. (admittedly their content is hugh) and have no standards for entry.

GHQ looks to be somewhere between the two extremes above. Registration as a

photographer to not as high a standard as in-public.com and public-life.org but still to a

certain base standard. This can easily be seen by reference to work on photo.net. This and

the ability for specific searches for the browsers area of interest is what sets the site apart

from the mega sites like flickr and blogger.

I agree with your observation that at heart SP is a guerilla activity. Maybe GHQ could stand

for guerilla head quarters. A big billboard for street photographers. I do not think that we

need the big names to succeed, just good content by good photographers, as in the

photo.net community. Thank you for your comments they are very welcome. I know that I

have a major problem in trying to convey what we are trying to be about.

Neil: Thank you for your reply and the question regarding artistic expression.

"Art is a (product of) human activity, made with the intention of stimulating the human

senses as well as the human mind; thus art is an action, an object, or a collection of

actions and objects created with the intention of transmitting emotions and/or

ideas." (Wikipedia)

Michelangelo's David went on display in a public square juxpositioned with real

commercial life. What is the point of generating "art" if nobody sees it to appreciate it ? .

The point of GHQ is to communicate the art of living shown through photographs.

Communication to the widest public and not just to special interest groups. Art is created

with the intention of transmitting emotions or ideas. GHQ wishes to communicate /

transmit street and other photography. That is central to the entire point of street

photography as an artistic expression.

What appears of "advertisements" is actually a random choice from a carousel of items of

current interest. (Nobody pays for them). They help add interest for the browser to the

site. They will evolve and improve over time. Revenue is not the purpose of the site,

communication is.

May I present an unusual request for the photography community. We have been involved in the GHQ.com

project for some 18 months. The project is now up and running on the limited area of "Weddings", a first

step that was necessary to prove that the technology works.

We would now like to expand the project into a "useful communities of photographers doing street

photography" on a common theme of of human life and events. Would any photographers in the photo.net

community like to become involved and contribute content to the project. Any profits made by the project

will be shared among the participants and the community.

Regards

George

Dave, thank you for the precise question. How does it help photographers market

themselves ? Quick answer, by linking your contributions to your studio contact details

and website.

Directly - You can list your studio details on GHQ .com - Listing with contact details,

gallery of style photographs, link to your website. You can post photographs and

descriptions of your best work utilizing the "Style" category and specifying them to your

state or city. People who browse your state will see those "Style" photographs and relevant

contact details and web link.

Indirectly - If you post actual weddings on your clients behalf, you are credited with the

photographs, anybody who views the wedding and / or adds congratulations sees that you

are the photographer. These announcements of photographs and text can also be listed in

your gallery, increasing your exposure in your state or city.

The value is in increasing your exposure in your target market area. There is no charge. It

is very simple and easy to use.

Please give it a trial with registration and a trial posting of two of your best style

photographs with some descriptive test. If you are not happy we can always remove the

postings. Thanks for your interest.

What is it they do ? : GHQ.com enable the sharing of wedding information in a simple yet

effective manner. Who do they do it for ? : The family and friends of the bride and groom.

The couple can announce their engagement and wedding , with one or two photographs.

The friends and family of the couple can search and find the wedding easily and

participate by adding their congratulations. No registration or log in is required.

Its is very useful for the wider group of family and friends who can't attend the wedding

and want to see some immediate wedding photographs and send their congratulations.

Feedback would be most welcome as it is in the beta stage and all critique and

suggestions would be most welcome. Please tell us what you think.

This is an excellent discussion with some great contributions on the effectiveness of

advertising. I am presently trying to design an advertisement for this forum, with great

difficulty. This great discussion thread has shown me that good advice in that regard exists

within the forum users.

If you are doing wedding and event photography, another option is to use GHQ.com .

It gives you a gallery and advertisement (your name, contact details and links). Usage is

free

and set-up is easy. It can give you an initial web presence very quickly.

However it is a real event, real name web service which, whilst that has many advantages,

may be a drawback to a newbie. Also being a new service its got to grow. Yet it is another

option.

http://www.ghq.com

The aim of GHQ is to be a service to photographers and their public. It is not about

money and big bucks. I apologize if the site gives that impression.

Perhaps I should illustrate how it started. I have been fascinated with the computer since

1982 and the internet since 1994, seeing both as a fabulous way of being creative and

allowing communication amongst people worldwide. I acquired the domain name in 2000

and since then have been experimenting with various communication methods on the

internet.

In March 2006, I met Steve Landers and he added some fabulous creative and

programming skills and the site is a result. We hope that it becomes a central point where

all photographers can now post news direct to the world, if they or their clients so wish.

Money and big bucks: It is not a plan to make money per se other than that required to

keep the service going for ever. I acquired the domain name in 2000 for a very reasonable

sum of money. The sponsorship of the domain is a cost, however it is the best way of

getting our message out to photographers. Please evaluate the service and help us to get

it going. Please be assured that their is no hidden catch, charges or anything of a dubious

nature to the service.

GHQ is a publisher for wedding and event photographers.

Similar to the way that newspapers publish wedding announcements, GHQ enables

photographers to make wedding announcements on their clients behalf.

All the photographer has to do is use the "post announcement" page, to enter the simple

details of the wedding and post one or two quality photo's.

It is a new concept and will take some time to develop and fill with content.

The benefit to the clients is that their friends and family who may be interstate or abroad

can see the announcement and photo's without delay.

The announcement can, if the photographer wishes, link through to the photographers

own web-site.

The benefit to the photographer is that they can display their work and obtain full credit

and referral links. This is not currently possible via the newspapers or newspaper web

sites.

There are other facilities such as congratulations and a gallery facility for each

photographer.