6th Diary Entry


Introduction to a Web Presence...


So I went on holiday, to Spain, to stay with some amazing friends (and their 4 terriers) and consequently took over 2,000 photos! In 2 weeks! I think I spent half my time with the camera stuck to my face. Over a 3rd of all photos taken were of the dogs... hardly surprising really when I tell you they are the cutest, loveliest, funniest little mutleys!

Anyway, I edited a couple of the photos on my tablet (using Aviary) and uploaded them to Facebook and Flickr. On returning home, I examined all 2,000+ photos on the big screen, deleted about 1,500, put another 300 into the maybe editing will improve them pot, and kept about 220. About 75 of them are good with about 40 of them being really good! Again, the ratio is okay (for a beginner)!

It was at this point I halted... the tip provided about only displaying one of a type of photo stopped me! I understood the premise for social media, but I wanted a way to show just the one, but allow someone to see all those I thought were good and be able to comment on them. An idea began to take root, but only really got fed when I read an article (on weeder) about losing the copyright to your own photographs when posting on many social media sites.

Although I'm new to all this, I want to retain ownership until such time as someone wants to buy (with cold, hard cash) the right to use one of my creations! So, I paid a visit, online, to my ISP, 123-reg. Would my name be available? I entered the details in the search engine and, hey presto, seemingly my name is unusual enough that no one else has snapped it up! (exchange 'unusual' for your own word as you see fit!)

So, internet presence purchased (both .co.uk and .com) I then began to think about a website. Just after the invention of the internet, or at least not long after it came into the world of us 'normals', I discovered how to write in HTML, and have designed many sites using XHTML, so to create my own shouldn't be beyond the realsm of possibility. So, one website hosting package purchased, I then stopped again! I had never built a site to display photographs before, the previous sites had all been static, displaying individual photographs for aesthetic reasons, but never a moving, scrolling display of many photos. No small amount of panic set in. What if this was beyond my capabilities? What if I had bought the names and hosting package and could use none of it? Aaargh!!!

Oh, hang on, what's this link... over 2,000 website templates... we like templates, they can be adapted. I start looking, download the first one I like and almost cry with relief! Written in HTML 5.0. I am a happy snapper! I download the template, change a few bits of code and viola! one website (yes, the one you're reading this diary on!) Just call me Chuffed of London!

Oh, hang on a minute, this site looks great with the pages and text and static photos, but where is my gallery, how can I upload and display my photos... back to panic mode!

So a search online brings me to my saviour... jAlbum! Simple, effective and impressive widget that brings a photo album to life. A couple of hours to understand all the complexities and I'm away! 2 albums uploaded, complete with counters and comment functionality. Now, how the 'eck do I get people to come to the site?

Contrary to popular belief, the point of social media is not just to give people a place to list the contents of their last meal, nor to wish the world good night, nor to moan about their partners/kids/parents/neighbours/bosses/people on the tube etc. It also allows for self-promotion for individuals, small, medium and large businesses. So, I popped over to Facebook and created a page for my new-found photography site Jo Mitchell Photography. The intention is very simple... promote my own website - this way I get to keep ownership of my photos at the same time as encouraging others to visit, peruse the contents and comment, thereby giving me insight into what others think about my progress. **To date, there are NO comments despite most photos being viewed over 50 times... I may have to rethink!.


Santa was Good to me