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Photos... Tons of Photos For You To Use... Ask Ambassador

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408

Time from time I see blogs starting with “Ask the Ambassador” and I feel like a lazy bone. Every time I promise myself to write something meaningful, but it is darn difficult nowadays to say anything, which is not common knowledge. Feels like I am a darn good learner, but a lousy teacher…

So here is something, which is not unique … but there are may be those, who do not know about it and do not use this excellent resource.

It is about images. It is about where and how. And while there are plenty of places where you can get your images, I only use one, and it is www.Flickr.com

Flickr.comHere is what they say about them:Flickr - almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world”. At least the sheer number of photos on Flicr.com is staggering.

Obviously, it is much bigger than what I use, but I am OK with using even only 1% of the resources. I am slow in learning new tricks, and I am still believe that the main purposed of my phone is to make and receive calls (add text messages and photography), and the rest of its 99% functions are foreign to me…

There are several reasons why I am using Flickr.com.  First of all, I only use photos with Creative Commons license.

Creative Commons"Creative Commons is a non-profit that offers an alternative to full copyright."

However, even under Creative Commons, there are different groups with different limitations each with millions and millions of photos.

For example, there are:

Flickr.com Creative Commons

I only use the first one: Photos with attribution license, the least restrictive group on Flickr.com. All you need is to include the attribution.

If you go to Flickr.com, there is a lot of stuff there and finding Creative Commons is not easy. At least, I couldn’t figure it out simply by using the navigation on site.  However, you can write “Creative Commons” in the search line on site and it will take you straight to this page, or simply follow this link to the page

There are 55,401,436 photos in just this category. Yes, it is not a mistake: over 55 Mil and counting. This number is steadily growing. Click on “See More” and then type any criteria in the search line and there will be an endless list of photos.

You can even open it to full screen and/or scroll large size images if you like.

Scroll until you find the one you like and click the photo. It will bring you to:

Photo / All sizes

Right click on PC or click with 2 fingers in Mac and you will see available sizes. I always choose Medium 640. Click the size you want and it will open the image in chosen size, and you will see all other available sizes, so that you can change it right there. I woldn't worry about it, as you can change it later in AR.

Under the Page title you will see:

License           Some rights reserved by _________________

This is the attribution, which you need to use in your blog. Copy and paste it in your blog post. It is hyperlinked, and whoever wants, they can click to follow to the author’s account on Flickr.com.

Next line is:

Download     Download the Medium 640 size of this photo

Click and this is it. You got the photo in your downloads. Now go to AR and insert the image.

I take a lot of photos, but when I write blogs and need a photo, Flickr.com is my first choice. It is easier and faster to find a photo there, than look for my own. Below are the links to my recent blogs, where not only I used the image from Flickr.com, but also added a line of text to the image in Photoshop.

How To Use MLS or Watching Dolphins Play

Is "I told You So" Enough?

BTW, you can also become Flickr.com contributor. Have a happy Flickr.com navigation.

* Image by Paul Downey via Flickr.com

Comments (18)

William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired
Hi Jon, This was very interesting and I am sure quite useful for many here in the Rain.
Nov 29, 2013 02:05 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

William - you are alway very supportive, actually, from my day one on Active Rain. Thank you.

Nov 29, 2013 02:20 PM
Ginny Gorman
RI Real Estate Services ~ 401-529-7849~ RI Waterfront Real Estate - North Kingstown, RI
Homes for Sale in Southern RI and beyond

Thanks Jon, a good reminder since I haven't used Flckr in a year...to go back and do again...thank you for sharing!

Nov 29, 2013 08:33 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Ginny - I use it for all my AR needs. You can find anything there, and I always do, or I use a photo and modify it.

Nov 29, 2013 10:46 PM
Geri Sonkin
Douglas Elliman Real Estate 516-457-7103 - Merrick, NY
Long Island Real Estate & Staging Expert

Jon, I haven't used Flickr in years, but I think I'll go back to it and take another look at those Creative Commons, attribution license photos.  I have used Morguefile for a long time and usually do well there and I occasionally buy photos from Fotolia, but for the most part, I take my own photos these days.

Nov 29, 2013 11:47 PM
Lynn B. Friedman CRS Atlanta, GA 404-617-6375
Atlanta Homes ODAT Realty - Love our Great City - Love our Clients! Buckhead - Midtown - Westside - Atlanta, GA
Concierge Service for Our Atlanta Sellers & Buyers

Dear Jon,

GREAT CONTRIBUTION!
I will definitely look into this myself soon.

Have a happy day -
Lynn

Nov 30, 2013 02:13 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Jon- you are right when you say that finding creative Commons is not that easy, but once you do, you can find photos you can use.  We can also become contributors as well, thanks for the reminder. 

Nov 30, 2013 03:23 AM
Mitch Muller - Charlotte NC Real Estate
ProStead Realty Charlotte, NC CRS SRES mitch@prostead.com - Charlotte, NC
Certified Residential Specialist

Jon you are an excellent teacher and a legend here on AR! I've learned a TON from you and I definitely need to get on the flickr bandwagon!

Nov 30, 2013 04:43 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Geri - you are more knowledgeable than me. I only use Flickr, and the reason is that it satisfies my ideas perfectly, so I never really fell for any other service. When I was initially looking for some, and Flickr then had just a bit over 20 Mil photos, others had very limited number of photos, so I got stuck with Flickr.

the other reason is their size, which means stability. I am afraid of small sites, falling apart and then someone blaming me for using the image at one time. Flickr looks stable enough to stay and this is my protection

Nov 30, 2013 05:21 AM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I don't use flicker because I have no idea if the person who uploaded it and said it could be used had the right to do so.  And with so many lawsuits I'm just NOT taking a chance on it.  I just take my own photos.  Okay... sometimes I steal them (with permission) from my daughter also.

Nov 30, 2013 05:24 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

If all I neede were photos of properties, I wouldn't need them, but you can never figure what you might need for a blog. I believe, they somehow protect users. to become a contributor, you have to go through some steps. At least, i believe it would not affect us, but I as well could be worng

Nov 30, 2013 06:09 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Thank you, Lynn

Nov 30, 2013 06:10 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Kathy - isn't it strange? I spent quite some time trying to get there using all available navigation, and couldn't find. Another example of company never using their own site.

Nov 30, 2013 06:11 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Mitch - you flatter me big time, but thank you... :)

Nov 30, 2013 06:12 AM
Jill Sackler
Charles Rutenberg Realty Inc. 516-575-7500 - Long Beach, NY
LI South Shore Real Estate - Broker Associate

Suggested. This is perfect for an ask the Ambassador post. I do exactly as you do - I only use the least restrictive of Flickr Creative Commons pics.

Nov 30, 2013 07:18 AM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Jon, you find some great photos on Flickr. Also, even things you have written about before and think are common knowledge may not be to newer readers. Everytime I write about my favorite app, TurboScan, new people discover it and how it can help them in their business. Thanks for demystifying a little bit of Flickr :)

Nov 30, 2013 12:55 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Jill - I am sure I wouldn't surprise you :), but thank you on your kind words

Nov 30, 2013 01:31 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Sharon - you are absolutely correct on that. It sometimes surprises me, as I tend tothink that something I know on a lazy person wouldn't kow, and this is very wrong on many levels.

Nov 30, 2013 01:33 PM