Stupid Questions

Bob&Glennie

We've been without a website since we moved to a different city and had to switch ISP's. I think that SmugMug is a good choice but there's one thing that bothers me. As I browse the various galleries I notice that I can download (read "steal") pictures from some and not from others. If I set up a SmugMug account for Glennie and I can I disallow downloading from a standard account?
If not, what level do I need for this?

Also, as I read the posts on this forum I see that some people have had problems with older operating systems and I.E.

I have an older computer that I use for internet and misc. stuff ( my good computer is not online and never will be as long as the old one still works). The older machine is running Windows 98SE and I.E 6.02.
Can I manage a SmugMug account with this setup?

Andy

Bob&Glennie wrote:

We've been without a website since we moved to a different city and had to switch ISP's. I think that SmugMug is a good choice but there's one thing that bothers me. As I browse the various galleries I notice that I can download (read "steal") pictures from some and not from others. If I set up a SmugMug account for Glennie and I can I disallow downloading from a standard account?
If not, what level do I need for this?

The pro level account allows for blocking of larges and originals. And right click protecting, and custom watermarking.
http://www.smugmug.com/help/image-protection

Also, as I read the posts on this forum I see that some people have had problems with older operating systems and I.E.

I have an older computer that I use for internet and misc. stuff ( my good computer is not online and never will be as long as the old one still works). The older machine is running Windows 98SE and I.E 6.02.
Can I manage a SmugMug account with this setup?

Good question - you might run into problems with some of the advanced features and some features that are ajaxed. Our trial is 14 days, and free. I'm sure you'll find out fast enough - and btw, let us know of any troubles you have, and I'll be happy to chase them down!

I hope this helps

Bob&Glennie

Thanks for the reply Andy. I could install XP on the older machine but then I might not have enough RAM to run much else and I couldn't run a couple of older programs that I really like as they are incompatable with XP. So I'll take my chances with it as is if I go ahead with this.

As for the standard vs. pro account ... I don't see the need for a pro account just yet. The business and our reputation is growing but our work is highly specialized and seasonal at this point. What do you think of resizing to 600x800 @72 dpi before uploading and just use a standard account for display purposes only?

Thanks, Bob

Andy

Bob&Glennie wrote:

Thanks for the reply Andy. I could install XP on the older machine but then I might not have enough RAM to run much else and I couldn't run a couple of older programs that I really like as they are incompatable with XP. So I'll take my chances with it as is if I go ahead with this.

As for the standard vs. pro account ... I don't see the need for a pro account just yet. The business and our reputation is growing but our work is highly specialized and seasonal at this point. What do you think of resizing to 600x800 @72 dpi before uploading and just use a standard account for display purposes only?

Thanks, Bob

You don't need to resize - you can block originals, and the resized versions by SmugMug will be 800px 72dpi on the long side

Bob&Glennie

Andy wrote:

You don't need to resize - you can block originals, and the resized versions by SmugMug will be 800px 72dpi on the long side

Does this "blocking originals" feature apply to a Standard account or only to a Pro account?

ivar

Bob&Glennie wrote:

Does this "blocking originals" feature apply to a Standard account or only to a Pro account?

Hi Bob you can block the originals on a standard account, you will need to upgrade to block the Large-size images.

I hope this helps.

Bob&Glennie

Andy and Ivar, thankyou both for your help. It looks like a Standard account will do right now even if I can only block our originals. 600x800px @72dpi is not much use to any potential thieves anyway.

This might sound somewhat anal on my part but I've had clients who tried to con me into selling them a CD of their pictures. We do antique cars and hot rods and sell 11x14 or 16x20 inch prints matted and framed. Nobody gets the originals and we retain the copyright on the originals. I just know that if the originals were available online that some joker is going to steal his and attempt to obtain a print himself. We will not release a print unsigned or unframed (or un-paid for) ... period!

Thanks, Bob

JBurt

Bob&Glennie wrote:

Andy and Ivar, thankyou both for your help. It looks like a Standard account will do right now even if I can only block our originals. 600x800px @72dpi is not much use to any potential thieves anyway.

This might sound somewhat anal on my part but I've had clients who tried to con me into selling them a CD of their pictures. We do antique cars and hot rods and sell 11x14 or 16x20 inch prints matted and framed. Nobody gets the originals and we retain the copyright on the originals. I just know that if the originals were available online that some joker is going to steal his and attempt to obtain a print himself. We will not release a print unsigned or unframed (or un-paid for) ... period!

Thanks, Bob

Hi Bob,
I'm going to assume you plan to use Smugmug for viewing and then have your customer contact you for prints. There is no markup with a standard account.

I suggest you put a watermark on the images before you upload them. It won't stop theft completely but it is another deterrent. You will still have the clean original to fill the order.
Or, If you plan to use smugmug for printing and sending to you, then you sending to your buyer.
A public gallery with the watermarked image and a private gallery with the originals for you to order from. A little more work but it can be done.

BTW: Where are you located? I do smaller shows in the Central and Northern California area.

Bob&Glennie

JBurt wrote:

Hi Bob,
I'm going to assume you plan to use Smugmug for viewing and then have your customer contact you for prints. There is no markup with a standard account.

I suggest you put a watermark on the images before you upload them. It won't stop theft completely but it is another deterrent. You will still have the clean original to fill the order.
Or, If you plan to use smugmug for printing and sending to you, then you sending to your buyer.
A public gallery with the watermarked image and a private gallery with the originals for you to order from. A little more work but it can be done.

BTW: Where are you located? I do smaller shows in the Central and Northern California area.

We're in Ottawa, the capitol city of Canada. That's why our work is seasonal. The guys put their cars away in the winter

Actually, our passion is landscape and nature photography (with a little wildlife too) but the cars are where the money is.

Here's a sample ...

Attachment not found.

Cheers, Bob

Bob&Glennie

... and another ...

Attachment not found.

Bob&Glennie

...and finally ...
Attachment not found.

These are a couple that I had handy on my portable USB drive. The rest are on my other computer and on CD.

Thanks for your interest and advice. I'll probably go ahead with a standard account for now and we'll see where it goes.

Double cheers,
Bob

pat.kane

Those are some beautiful shots, especially the red Mustang.

Welcome to dGrin and to smugmug.

If you didn't realize it, you can save $5 off your first year subscription by using a referral code and the person providing you the code saves $10 off their next renewal.

I'm sure JBurt wouldn't mind if you asked for his code (Andy and Ivar are both smugmug reps, so they don't need the help). If he can't help you, I'd be more than happy to

Before you decide on the Standard account, you might want to consider the Power account. I have a Pro account, but I often see reference to "if you had the Power account, you could..." I don't know all of the differences off the top of my head, but clearly one of the biggest is the ability to customize your site and being able to use some javascript routines (I believe this to be the case). Check out the Hacks forum on this site and look for two in particular -- slideshow and bulk zoom thumbnail.

One thing that smugmug is very good about is that if you start with the Standard account, they'll let you upgrade to a higher account later.

You'll find this forum to be a great resource. Good luck and have fun!

Bob&Glennie

pat.kane wrote:

Those are some beautiful shots, especially the red Mustang.

Welcome to dGrin and to smugmug.

If you didn't realize it, you can save $5 off your first year subscription by using a referral code and the person providing you the code saves $10 off their next renewal.

I'm sure JBurt wouldn't mind if you asked for his code (Andy and Ivar are both smugmug reps, so they don't need the help). If he can't help you, I'd be more than happy to

Before you decide on the Standard account, you might want to consider the Power account. I have a Pro account, but I often see reference to "if you had the Power account, you could..." I don't know all of the differences off the top of my head, but clearly one of the biggest is the ability to customize your site and being able to use some javascript routines (I believe this to be the case). Check out the Hacks forum on this site and look for two in particular -- slideshow and bulk zoom thumbnail.

One thing that smugmug is very good about is that if you start with the Standard account, they'll let you upgrade to a higher account later.

You'll find this forum to be a great resource. Good luck and have fun!

Hi Pat, actually Glennie and have hung around DGrin for quite a while. We just haven't been very active because we were caught up in selling our old house and moving to Ottawa. And we've been very busy with our photography.

I wasn't aware of the referral code or the savings that you mentioned but I really appreciate the offer. I'll gladly accept from anyone who'll stick their neck out :

The red Mustang is a '68 and I shot it in a Walmart parking lot. It was crowded so close to another car in front that I had to use a 14mm lens to get it. I didn't think that the guy would like the elongated perspective but he loved it and the people who built the car have contracted with us shoot all the machinery that they are building how cool is that? It took some creative layering, blurring and masking to achieve this.

Thank You for your kind comments and offer.

You rock

Bob

pat.kane

Here's mine in case JBurt doesn't speak up: lspQZXj5xA7vg

Andy

pat.kane wrote:

Those are some beautiful shots, especially the red Mustang.

That was my first Car I'd give a lot to have it back right about now

devbobo

Andy wrote:

That was my first Car I'd give a lot to have it back right about now

mid-life crisis andy ?

JBurt

Bob&Glennie wrote:

Hi Pat, actually Glennie and have hung around DGrin for quite a while. We just haven't been very active because we were caught up in selling our old house and moving to Ottawa. And we've been very busy with our photography.

I wasn't aware of the referral code or the savings that you mentioned but I really appreciate the offer. I'll gladly accept from anyone who'll stick their neck out :

The red Mustang is a '68 and I shot it in a Walmart parking lot. It was crowded so close to another car in front that I had to use a 14mm lens to get it. I didn't think that the guy would like the elongated perspective but he loved it and the people who built the car have contracted with us shoot all the machinery that they are building how cool is that? It took some creative layering, blurring and masking to achieve this.

Thank You for your kind comments and offer.

You rock

Bob

My code is: si2zi3yxenRFs if you want to use it.
I keep forgetting about the referral program. Thanks for the reminder Pat.

Those are great shots Bob!

The biggest problems I have shooting at shows is background and reflections.

Here's some samples of what I do.

JBurt

Andy wrote:

I'd give a lot to have it back right about now

You would probably have to. :oogle They aint cheep anymore.

Bob&Glennie

JBurt wrote:

My code is: si2zi3yxenRFs if you want to use it.
I keep forgetting about the referral program. Thanks for the reminder Pat.

Those are great shots Bob!

The biggest problems I have shooting at shows is background and reflections.

Here's some samples of what I do.

Wow!!! this is soooo cool. I don't see that you have any problem whatsoever with backgrounds and reflections. You've got it licked : :

Beautiful work and the collage (is that how you spell that?) is a wonderful concept. It gives me some ideas for a pair of T-Birds I just finished. The client has a '55 mint and a 2005 50th Anniversary that we spent a Saturday morning with.
Thanks for sharing your work and thanks to all for the feedback and the referal codes. You all are too kind.

Bob

JBurt

Bob&Glennie wrote:

Wow!!! this is soooo cool. I don't see that you have any problem whatsoever with backgrounds and reflections. You've got it licked : :

Beautiful work and the collage (is that how you spell that?) is a wonderful concept. It gives me some ideas for a pair of T-Birds I just finished. The client has a '55 mint and a 2005 50th Anniversary that we spent a Saturday morning with.
Thanks for sharing your work and thanks to all for the feedback and the referal codes. You all are too kind.

Bob

Thanks Bob!:):

Most of the owners end up getting both the collage and the "formal" portrait. I'm in the process now of shooting out some collections, including some former AMBR winners. (Americas Most Beautiful Roadster)

I've got to get my page up displaying my special order work. Anyone have some extra rountuits?

pat.kane

JBurt, I like the fact that you keep the shadows in your cut out images. Really nice job.

JBurt

pat.kane wrote:

JBurt, I like the fact that you keep the shadows in your cut out images. Really nice job.

Thanks Pat. I actually erase the original and add the shadow back in so I can put it where I want and vary the transparency. I do the same with the windows I erase the original and add the appropriate color and transparency back in.

I will occasionally leave the shadow out of a collage but the shadow tends to anchor the car.

Now, back to your original programming.