Wordpress and SmugMug

FlorianBaaske · February 12, 2017

Hi,

As I would like to start a photo blog, I'm looking for easy and reliable ways to integrate my SmugMug page with WordPress. My main concern, how to use the pictures, hosted with SmugMug in my posts? Simply insert the link, or are there any plugins or tricks to insert them automatically, so that they get resized, depending on the client resolution and device type. Any experiences you would like to share?

Many thanks,
Florian

Hikin' Mike · February 13, 2017

I use WordPress as my website/blog and I use Smugmug to power the galleries. If I want to post some pictures to my blog, I just upload them via the WordPress 'Add Media'. Those are only uploaded at around 950px as most of the photos I post to my blog are not for sale. My Smugmug is for the photos I sell (and family stuff).

With that said you can just use the 'Share' button on Smugmug and insert the URL to your WordPress site. The "bad" thing is it isn't uploaded to your WordPresss database, so if you're using a theme that shows a Feature Image, it may not work/display. You can look at these two posts I found online:

https://photowebo.com/embedding-photos-in-wordpress/
https://photowebo.com/wordpress-smugmug-without-plugin/

denisegoldberg · February 13, 2017

I use the share button on smugmug to get the URL for photos that I post in my blog. The reason I do this is to allow the viewer to easily click into the gallery to see more photos.

Allen · February 13, 2017

@denisegoldberg said:
I use the share button on smugmug to get the URL for photos that I post in my blog. The reason I do this is to allow the viewer to easily click into the gallery to see more photos.

That confuses me. Every "share" URL of a photo from Smug has no clue what site it's from.

denisegoldberg · February 13, 2017

@Allen said:

@denisegoldberg said:
I use the share button on smugmug to get the URL for photos that I post in my blog. The reason I do this is to allow the viewer to easily click into the gallery to see more photos.

That confuses me. Every "share" URL of a photo from Smug has no clue what site it's from.

I use the HTML share code which is an inbound link to my site. The <a href= statement references my URL. If the viewer clicks on the photo it opens in lightbox on my site. Closing lightbox leaves the viewer in the gallery. Hitting the back button takes the viewer back to my blog.

Kentinada · February 14, 2017

Very timely topic for me as I've been trying to figure this out lately too. I have a Business account on SmugMug under a private domain name of adahighlanderphotography.com. I have used SmugMug for several years. I just started a blog last year on Blogger and created a subdomain blog.adahighlanderphotography.com for it. My SmugMug site links to that Blogger site. It works but it looks completely different than my website on SmugMug. Now I am fairly familiar with Wordpress and I manage and maintain on wordpress.org my church's website. So I understand setting up a website on a hosting service, using plugins, backups, etc. I was thinking maybe I should move my blog to Wordpress but now I'm wondering if more of my website presence should be on Wordpress and just use SmugMug for the backend photo storage and ecommerce functions. Does that make any sense. Hikin' Mike, I saw your website and it looks very nice. Maybe you have crossed these bridges already. Suggestions from you or others? Thanks.

denisegoldberg · February 14, 2017

@Kentinada said:
...a private domain name of adahighlanderphotography.com. I have used SmugMug for several years. I just started a blog last year on Blogger and created a subdomain blog.adahighlanderphotography.com for it. My SmugMug site links to that Blogger site. It works but it looks completely different than my website on SmugMug.

Have you considered changing the look of your blog to match your smugmug site? It is possible to do this on Blogger; I have done this with my site.

Kentinada · February 14, 2017

I have not looked at the much yet. I have gotten a little frustrated lately with some of the limitations on what you can do in the site builder for SmugMug. I know in Wordpress there is almost nothing I can't do which has some attractiveness to it.

Kentinada · February 14, 2017

@denisegoldberg said:

@Kentinada said:
...a private domain name of adahighlanderphotography.com. I have used SmugMug for several years. I just started a blog last year on Blogger and created a subdomain blog.adahighlanderphotography.com for it. My SmugMug site links to that Blogger site. It works but it looks completely different than my website on SmugMug.

Have you considered changing the look of your blog to match your smugmug site? It is possible to do this on Blogger; I have done this with my site.

Denise, thanks for the tip. I did my best to make my Blogger page look like my SmugMug site. Blogger has some limitations beyond what SmugMug has. e.g. I can do nested menus on SmugMug but can't on Blogger. So my Portfolio menu which is nested couldn't be duplicated on Blogger. Anyway I'd appreciate any feedback you or others might have.

Website: adahighlanderphotography.com
Blog: blog.adahighlanderphotography.com

Thanks!

Hikin' Mike · February 14, 2017

@Kentinada said:
I have not looked at the much yet. I have gotten a little frustrated lately with some of the limitations on what you can do in the site builder for SmugMug. I know in Wordpress there is almost nothing I can't do which has some attractiveness to it.

Honestly other than not allowing Javascript, iFrames etc on Smugmug, you can do anything. Having some experience with HTML/CSS is helpful too.

My website is run by WordPress and my galleries are powered by Smugmug. I started with a child theme in WordPress and edited it to my liking. I then matched my Smugmug to match my WordPress. I doubt too many people can tell the difference

Smugmug: http://gallery.imagesinthebackcountry.com
WordPress: http://www.imagesinthebackcountry.com

FlorianBaaske · February 14, 2017

HI, thanks for the great feedback. looks like the best way is to embed the photo using the embed code. What would be your bet regarding the size? It shouldn't be to large to make the page load fast but it shouldn't be to small to still look great? Any thoughts on this?
Many thanks,
Florian

Kentinada · February 14, 2017

@Hikin' Mike said:

@Kentinada said:
I have not looked at the much yet. I have gotten a little frustrated lately with some of the limitations on what you can do in the site builder for SmugMug. I know in Wordpress there is almost nothing I can't do which has some attractiveness to it.

Honestly other than not allowing Javascript, iFrames etc on Smugmug, you can do anything. Having some experience with HTML/CSS is helpful too.

My website is run by WordPress and my galleries are powered by Smugmug. I started with a child theme in WordPress and edited it to my liking. I then matched my Smugmug to match my WordPress. I doubt too many people can tell the difference

Smugmug: http://gallery.imagesinthebackcountry.com
WordPress: http://www.imagesinthebackcountry.com

Mike do you use SmugMug's e-commerce tools (shopping cart etc) or do you do that on Wordpress? Thanks.

denisegoldberg · February 14, 2017

@FlorianBaaske said:
What would be your bet regarding the size? It shouldn't be to large to make the page load fast but it shouldn't be to small to still look great? Any thoughts on this?

Since my blog entries are not full width on the page I use a Medium image for horizontal photos and a custom size (550x550) for vertical photos. I think any of the display sizes would be fine from a speed standpoint, it just depends on what look you want for your blog.

If you want to see an example from my site just click on the blog link in my signature.

I just took a quick look at your site. Are you aware that you can remove the smugmug header and change to the mini footer? Click Customize... Content and Design... Settings to change the settings.

Hikin' Mike · February 14, 2017

@Kentinada said:
Mike do you use SmugMug's e-commerce tools (shopping cart etc) or do you do that on Wordpress? Thanks.

I used to use a few plugins on WordPress, but not any more. I use Smugmug to show the galleries (Portfolio) and the e-Commerce only. WordPress shows all other pages like my About Me, Blog, Purchasing etc.

Kentinada · February 15, 2017

@Hikin' Mike said:

@Kentinada said:
Mike do you use SmugMug's e-commerce tools (shopping cart etc) or do you do that on Wordpress? Thanks.

I used to use a few plugins on WordPress, but not any more. I use Smugmug to show the galleries (Portfolio) and the e-Commerce only. WordPress shows all other pages like my About Me, Blog, Purchasing etc.

One last question (I think) Mike, is there a Wordpress plugin you use to display your SmugMug galleries? Thanks.

Hikin' Mike · February 15, 2017

@Kentinada said: >

One last question (I think) Mike, is there a Wordpress plugin you use to display your SmugMug galleries? Thanks.

No. My SmugMug Galleries are from SmugMug, not WordPress. All of the categories listed under my 'Portfolio' is from SmugMug. Every thing else is WordPress. The only non-photo related that is SmugMug is my 'SmugMug Customizations'.

pabloconrad · March 3, 2017

I have a Wordpress site (http://blog.paulconrad.photography) that I've made to look nearly exactly like my SmugMug site so swithcing from one to the other appears seamless. When I write a blog, I use the embed code and then in the "alt" tag, copy and paste the photos caption. I then modify the click back URL to go straight to the gallery it is hosted in.

For example, in the "HTML" tab in the post, or the "Text" tab for those who like the older interface, I copy the HTML share code.
This is the embed code for a photo: a href=htp://www.paulconrad.photography/Portfolio/The-Bellingham-Herald/Lynden-Defeats-Bellingham-62-to-46/i-XJbw8x4/A></a

I then copy and past the caption in the "alt" code to make it like this: a href=htp://www.paulconrad.photography/Portfolio/The-Bellingham-Herald/Lynden-Defeats-Bellingham-62-to-46/></a

I also take out the code past the last "/" so when people click on the photo, it goes to the full gallery or I use the "Buy" code if I want.

I then go to the "Visual" tab, center the photos, and copy the "alt" information into the caption information. And in the blog, I have link to the full gallery so This gets people to my site to view the whole gallery. Again, I have my wordpress site mimicked like my Smug site.

Email me if you need more info at paulconradphotography@gmail.com.

Hope this helps.

BeautifulWorld · March 3, 2017

Hi @FlorianBaaske I am learning to do this too and so far I have managed to write the blogs in wordpress and have the galleries in smugmug. To use photos in my blog,
1. Click on the share button on the photo on smugmug and in the Embed Photo section, choose a size.
2. Copy the code and in the wordpress site, I click on Add Media and and then in the section for Add Media by URL, I paste the URL from Smugmug.
3. Wordpress then copies the photo into its database and I can use it in my post.
4. I also then add a link on my wordpress blog to the Buy Photo option (In the Smugmug site, under share, use the link from Cart) or sometimes to the gallery or photo on smugmug,.

Hope that helps.

Cheers
Karthik

Lille Ulven · March 6, 2017

@Kentinada you can do nested menus on blogger too. Only trouble is you have to do some html coding and add a little css.
css to add:
.no_bullet{
list-style-type:none;
}

Example for a nested menu with this structure:
+Portfolios
++Travel
+++Europe
++++Denmark
++++Germany
++Macro

<ul class='no_bullet'>
  <li>Portfolios
    <ul class='no_bullet'>
       <li>Travel
            <ul class='no_bullet'>
               <li>Europe
                   <ul class='no_bullet'>
                        <li>Denmark</li>
                        <li>Germany</li>
                    </ul>
              </li>
            </ul>
       </li>
      <li>Macro</li>
    </ul>
</li>
</ul>

This you would have to add into a HTML/Java widget and place it "where you need it". It is a pain in the ... to maintain though, but it works
You can have a look at my current blogger-blog to see how it might look like (blog.lilleulven.com). This blog is however going to be moved to Wordpress within the next few month-depending on how fast I am in transferring all posts over to a Wordpress blog and stuff like that.

Good luck

Lille Ulven

Hikin' Mike · March 6, 2017

@Lille Ulven said: This blog is however going to be moved to Wordpress within the next few month-depending on how fast I am in transferring all posts over to a Wordpress blog and stuff like that.

Not sure if you know this but there is an option to import your Blogger posts and comments to Wordpress. In your admin go to 'Tools > Import'.

Lille Ulven · March 6, 2017

@Hikin' Mike thanks, yes I have seen it yesterday, tested it too...but didn't quite like it (all my keywords became categories...yes I could of course change that back afterwards too, but there are some small adjustments that I need to have in every post anyway). Not to mention I do want to change all those links and get them "nicer" (yea, including 301 redirections). It will take a while, but so far no hurry.

Kentinada · January 3, 2018

@Hikin' Mike Happy New Year! I am biting the bullet and creating a Wordpress front end for my SmugMug site leaving the galleries/shopping functions on SmugMug. You said in an earlier post that your galleries are on a domain called gallery.imagesinthebackcountry.com as I recall. When you were ready to execute that setup, did you go through SmugMug/GoDaddy to change/register that domain? Thanks.

Hikin' Mike · January 3, 2018

@Kentinada said:
@Hikin' Mike Happy New Year! I am biting the bullet and creating a Wordpress front end for my SmugMug site leaving the galleries/shopping functions on SmugMug. You said in an earlier post that your galleries are on a domain called gallery.imagesinthebackcountry.com as I recall. When you were ready to execute that setup, did you go through SmugMug/GoDaddy to change/register that domain? Thanks.

Same to you!
No, I don't use GoDaddy. I use ICDSoft and I set it up there.

Kentinada · January 10, 2018

@Hikin' Mike did you find any other plugin options other than Photonic Gallery or Smugmug Responsive Slider? I don’t see any other real options. I have been playing with Photonic but haven’t found it easy to use.

Hikin' Mike · January 10, 2018

@Kentinada said:
@Hikin' Mike did you find any other plugin options other than Photonic Gallery or Smugmug Responsive Slider? I don’t see any other real options. I have been playing with Photonic but haven’t found it easy to use.

I may have looked at a few to try and use the photos from SmugMug into my WP site, but they either didn't work or I didn't like them. The slideshow I'musing on my home page is the 'MetaSlider' plugin. The photos that are NOT in my galleries are just uploaded via the Media Library.

sayontan · October 2, 2018

This took a good amount of time and effort on my part, but hopefully you will find version 2.00 of Photonic easy to use. It takes the sting out of trying to find the album ids and makes the process of creating WordPress galleries a tad easier.

Also note that I actively support Photonic for free on the WordPress site since it is a WordPress product (often responding in hours if not minutes), so if you have any questions, please feel free to send them my way over there.

jerryr · October 8, 2018

I have used Photonic on a few Wordpress sites to display SmugMug images in posts. Very easy to use and @sayontan thank you for your support.
Example blog posting that uses Photonic
http://janicefolmar.net/listing/1073-royal-mile-hoover-al-35242

Wordpress and SmugMug

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