Running a large photography web site

Some of the fun…

Two emails this morning reminded me of why I keep the site running and what you sometimes have to deal with.

First was an anonymous ticking off I received about the content of some of the Google Ads we have on the site.

I’d have rated it as helpful if the writer had had the good grace to contact me directly and had the courage of their convictions to give a name, rather than just tell me that I was getting a ‘bad name in the industry’ (what industry?)

I’d have explained that the content of the ads is picked by Google and depends on where you are, so a person viewing the ads in New York won’t automatically see the same as someone in Seattle, and almost certainly not the ones I see in Leicester, here in the UK. I’d also mention that you can complain directly to Google if you feel an ad is misleading – it’s that ‘Ads by Google’ link.

Anyway, I realise that a lot of people don’t understand where the ads come from, so I’ve repeated the warning I regularly give, that if you see something too good to be true, then it probably isn’t true. Also, in the US, it’s worth looking at Resellerratings.com

So, anonymity and a mildly offensive (made up) return email address turn what could be a helpful comment, into something that gets the delete key.

Why did I dwell on this?

The good news

Well, only minutes later I received another email from someone in the US. This one explains how they had difficulties getting prints looking correct, and how colour management just seemed far too much trouble. However, after reading some of the articles on the site, they were now getting excellent prints and just wanted to thank me for the helpful info on the site. (full name supplied BTW ;-)

That’s why I write the stuff here…

I know it’s a problem that a lot of ‘creative’ people have to deal with – 100 good reviews and you remember the one bad one. I now make a point of deleting offensive comments after I’ve read them – what use are they?

Update: 2016 and the site re-write. The same thing carries on, fortunately a lot more people write in with positive comments and suggestions, and I follow through with this on the comments system – if you want a response, it really does help to use your real name. If I don’t like a comment and it has a made up name, I don’t think twice of deleting it ;-)

Reviews under way

Anyway, back to pictures – I’m currently writing up a review of the Epson 2880 printer.

When looking at a printer I like to try out a few prints I might not have printed before. It give me an excuse to look back through the archives and find some pictures I’d overlooked.

This one, of a pile of Lemurs, has now been printed out for several visitors to the office. Cuteness factor I suppose ;-)

Pile of Ring Tail Lemurs sleeping