Photo Sharing

Surprise!!! I actually was somewhat familiar with this assignment. I actually had shared some photos before. Although it was somewhat harmless, just posting kids pictures for the rest of the family to see. My brother, in Burma, is able to keep us up to date with photos of his family and adventures, which is nice, considering we only see them every couple of years. This idea of photo sharing and commenting on the photos is a new concept for me. I have used snapfish and photo works in the past to print uploaded pictures or send copies to family. Both are inexpensive and easy to use and I could have used these sights as a link to my photos.

However, I decided to try the Flickr as the photo sharing sight. As our reading describes, the process could not be simpler: sign up for account and start uploading your pictures. There are many features on the sight, including the ability to start online discussions about the images you post. Just add comments under any of the photos. You are also able to keep the photos private or public. This could be important in a classroom setting. As the author mentions, the real power of Flickr lies in the way it can connect people from around the world. If students are studying other countries or cultures, Flickr can be an incredible resource of images and information.

The photos can represent people from all over the world that have taken different pictures in these cities or countries. Students can then have discussion on a particular photo or album that interested them. I also think there is learning potential in photos of a particular job or project being done. For instance the pictures I posted are of a small paver patio that I finished. I did not take a "before " shot of the landscape before I started, I should have. I also included some photos of a deck I am tearing down. I am replacing the deck with a set of stone stairs. I hope to have a finished picture to post in a few days. My point of this diatribe was to tell you that I actually consulted the internet on how to install paver patios. The information made the job much easier just by being able to see some pictures of people doing it. I am convinced that a good photo album can tell a story in itself. Images are a vital method of communication, sometimes offering a higher level of understanding than the written or spoken word. Remember , a picture is worth a thousand words!!!!! Here is a link to my photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40566966@N04/