a suggestion....

audi

this is in part to really clean up galleries and give the buyer/browser just bit of control...

im thinking it would be really neat if the viewer could click on, say, a color image in the gallery and have a pull down option box near it to change that photo to b+w or sepia tone. This could possibly be done by allowing the photographer to submit three versions of the same photograph(just with different colors) but not have them display as separate images in the gallery. The photographer could select the desired default display ...and then have the rest as pulldown options. I know that something like this would really clean up my gallery from doubles and triples of the same photos and also speed up the buying process (instead of having people request a different toning from me, and then having to wait for it to be posted in the gallery).

Im just shootin the breeze here - i have no clue how to make this happen - just hoping the smugmug geniouses may have some tricks up their sleeves :thumb

Mac Write

I think this is an excellent idea. Just how to implement it.

JamesJWeg

That should be easier than you might think since they already have a tool to do it on the fly for preview of the color tool.

James.

{JT}

The problem with this is that it is yet another option that pros will want complete control over. They'd want options for not only what photos this could be done to (site wide, gallery wide, individual photos prefs), but what choices would appear (some would want b/w but not sepia for instance). It would quickly turn out like the pricing tool (which some pros still don't understand).

I think I can speak for Don when I say that we would rather have you eat up more disk space by duplicating a photo and running our color tool on it. Or better yet; do the job yourself in photoshop and then upload it, since our filters are tweaked to do a good job on a broad range of photos and not fine tuned for your exact photo.

But who knows, we may end up doing something like this some day. But we have much better things in store for you short term! Keep the ideas coming!

JT

JamesJWeg wrote:

That should be easier than you might think since they already have a tool to do it on the fly for preview of the color tool.

James.

marlinspike

I know I for one would want control over it, and would most likely just shut it off and upload each photo how I want it to be.

Khaos

Control would be an issue. I don't just click desaturate and let my pic be when converting to B&W. Most of us have a process and the process will vary at times depending on the photo. Sepia tone is a whole different thing also.

winnjewett

Khaos wrote:

Control would be an issue. I don't just click desaturate and let my pic be when converting to B&W. Most of us have a process and the process will vary at times depending on the photo. Sepia tone is a whole different thing also.

I think that this very thing is the reason why such a tool would be useful. It would give the photographer control over his b/w and sepia photos, but at the same time make it easy for the customer to choose the style he prefers.

Here's an idea:
In order to use this feature, the photographer would have to adhere to strict naming conventions. For example:

the_photo_color.jpg
the_photo_bw.jpg
the_photo_sepia.jpg

In this way, the process could be completely automated, and simple. There is no need for control panel implementation. If you want to use the feature, you adhere to the naming conventions, if you don't, you use some other convention.

What do you think, JT?
-Winn

{JT}

It is an interesting idea that merits some extra thought, keep them coming!

winnjewett wrote:

I think that this very thing is the reason why such a tool would be useful. It would give the photographer control over his b/w and sepia photos, but at the same time make it easy for the customer to choose the style he prefers.

Here's an idea:
In order to use this feature, the photographer would have to adhere to strict naming conventions. For example:

the_photo_color.jpg
the_photo_bw.jpg
the_photo_sepia.jpg

In this way, the process could be completely automated, and simple. There is no need for control panel implementation. If you want to use the feature, you adhere to the naming conventions, if you don't, you use some other convention.

What do you think, JT?
-Winn

Mac Write

The way to do it is the user uploads the already converted versions this eliminates allot of stuff (I think). Now below each image (browser) have a drop down for "Select image type" or whatever you call it. Isn't that all thats needed? Simple?

marlinspike

Here's my thing. If I shoot black and white, it's because I wanted black and white, if I shoot color, it's because I wanted color. If the buyer doesn't like how I wanted it, he can go buy somebody else's stuff.

audi

marlinspike wrote:

Here's my thing. If I shoot black and white, it's because I wanted black and white, if I shoot color, it's because I wanted color. If the buyer doesn't like how I wanted it, he can go buy somebody else's stuff.

...well then be sure to direct them my way!

JamesJWeg

I think you are right, that is much easier to implement than the SM tool, and you would be able to use your own process. Dang we are some picky bastards.

James.

winnjewett wrote:

I think that this very thing is the reason why such a tool would be useful. It would give the photographer control over his b/w and sepia photos, but at the same time make it easy for the customer to choose the style he prefers.

Here's an idea:
In order to use this feature, the photographer would have to adhere to strict naming conventions. For example:

the_photo_color.jpg
the_photo_bw.jpg
the_photo_sepia.jpg

In this way, the process could be completely automated, and simple. There is no need for control panel implementation. If you want to use the feature, you adhere to the naming conventions, if you don't, you use some other convention.

What do you think, JT?
-Winn