How to Use Flickr: Basics and Beyond

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  • This page tells you how to set up an account with Flickr, and how to get the most out of your account once it's up and running. Soon you'll know How to Use Flickr: Basics and Beyond.

  • This page tells you how to set up an account with Flickr, and how to get the most out of your account once it's up and running. Soon you'll know How to Use Flickr: Basics and Beyond. Before you know it you will be an expert with using Flickr.

  • Introduction

    • Flickr is one of the most popular photo-sharing sites on the Internet. Owned by Yahoo!, Flickr offers its users a website where they can create free accounts that let them store, share, and explore digital photos. Flickr is also an online community, whose members share photos and mutual interests. Just read on and begin your Flickr experience!

  • Step 1: Register for a Flickr Account

    • To get started on Flickr, you'll need to register for an account. Don't worry - it's free and it only takes a few moments.

    1. Go to http://www.Flickr.com.
    2. Click on the "Create Your Account" button located in the top right corner.
    3. If you currently have a Yahoo! ID for email, you can use this to log in.
    4. If not, click on "Sign Up" to register for a free account.
    5. Fill in the information requested in the three sign-up steps.
    6. If you're creating a new Yahoo! account, you'll receive two emails:
      • a confirmation email with a link you need to click to activate your account.
      • an email with a clickable link that will verify your email address.
    7. Open both emails and click on the provided links.
    8. Now your account is active! Return to Flickr's home page and sign in!
    2. "Batch Organize" will let you work with multiple photos at one time. If you have a group of photos you know are going into the same photoset with the same tag(s), working here will help you.
    3. "Sets" lets you create new sets, and move photos into these sets.
      • Users with free Flickr accounts can create up to 3 sets. If you need more, upgrading to Pro user status gives you unlimited photo sets.
    4. If you belong to a Flickr group, the "Groups" tab lets you post photos to your group(s).
      • Step 5 has information on how to join and create groups.
    5. "Map" lets you show where the photo was taken. You can make the information as public, or as private, as you wish.


    • To change the license on a photo, go to the Additional Information section and click the "edit" text next to the rights statement. You can update the licensing rights for this photo, or set a default for all photos you add to Flickr.
    2. Search for people you know by typing in their Flickr usernames.
    3. If you see a friend, click on his or her profile image.
    4. Then click to view your friend's profile.
    5. Click on the link on the righthand side of the page to add this person as a contact.
    • If you don't know anyone on Flickr, don't worry! You can invite friends to join or meet people through groups.


    1. Search within everyone's photos to see what else is out there on Flickr.
    2. If you see a photo you like, or one you just need to say something about, write a comment in the comment box at the bottom of the page and hit "Post Comment" when you're done.
    3. Or, if you'd rather communicate more privately, you can send a Flickrmail.
    4. Click on the username of the person you want to Flickrmail.
    5. Then click on the Profile link.
    6. Select "Send Flickrmail" and then write your message!
    2. You can search for groups to see if there's a public one you'd like to join.
    3. If you find a group, visit its home page to see the posted photos and discussion boards.
    4. If you want to join a public group, just click on "Join this group?" Confirm your request on the next page and you're in!
    5. If you want to join an invite-only group, click "Join this group?" and fill out the form making your request. The site administrator will either issue you an invitation to join, or reject your application.
    6. Once you're in a group, you can post photos (free account holders can post one photo in up to 10 groups, Flickr Pro users have privileges for up to 60 groups).
    7. Or you can always create your own group, either public or private!

  • Step 2: Upload Photos to Flickr

    • Now that you have a Flickr account, you can begin uploading and sharing your photos.
    VideoJug: How To Share Your Digital Photos Online

  • Upload Via Flickr's Website

    1. On Flickr's home page choose "Upload Photos."
    2. Click on the "Choose Photos" button.
    3. Select the photo(s) you wish to add to Flickr.
      • To select more than 1 photo, hold down the "Ctrl" key on a PC, or "Apple" key on a Mac as you select photos.
    4. When you are ready to upload, click "Open."
    5. Select the privacy level for your photos.
      • You can make the photos private (visible only to yourself).
      • You can make it visible to you and friends and family who are also on the site. They must be registered with Flickr for you to make images visible to them with this option.
      • You can make the photos visible to the public - anyone who searches in Flickr will be able to see them.
    6. Click "Upload Photos."
    7. Once your photos are uploaded to Flickr, you need to describe them.
    8. Give each photo a title, a short description, and tags.
      • Tags are keywords you use to describe each photo. You can search your photos by tag, so choose words and phrases that make sense to you!
    9. When you're done, click on "Save This Batch" and your photos, with descriptions, are saved in the system.

  • Upload Via Desktop Application

    • Flickr offers multiple desktop application uploading tools. These tools are faster. They're also more convenient. Many are drag-and-drop, and they often have robust functionality that allows you to group images into sets, tag, rotate, and set privacy levels on the fly. Just download one that's right for your system.

  • Upload From Cellphone or Computer Via Email

    • Flickr lets you upload by email by providing a unique email address to access your account. This allows you to both email photos to Flickr from any computer and from your cell phone.
    1. Make sure you're logged in to Flickr.
    2. Get your unique email uploading address at this page.
    3. Email any photo you wish to upload to that address. (You can only email one photo at a time.)
    4. The subject line of your email will be the title of the photo.
    5. Anything you write in the body of the email will be the description of the photo.
    6. If you wish to add tags via email, hit return after your description and type "tags: " followed by your space-separated tags.
      • For example: "tags: bulldog puppy cute"
    7. A few minutes after you email your photo, it should appear in your Flickr stream.

  • Step 3: Organize Your Photos on Flickr

    • Flickr lets you organize photos by "Sets." Sets are like folders or photo albums, where you can group photos together. You can organize your photos in any way that makes sense to you. For example, you may start with three folders called People, Places and Things. Or you might have a set called Paris Vacation which contains all your photos from that wonderful trip.
    1. Click on the "Organize" tab.

  • Licensing Photos on Flickr

    • You may choose to license your photos on Flickr with Creative Commons. You select the level of licensing: commercial or non-commercial, with or without attribution, etc. This means that people may use your photos for other projects, as long as they follow the license restrictions.

  • Step 4: Share Your Photos on Flickr

    • Now that your photos are on Flickr, you want others to see them - here's how!
    1. Click "Send to a friend" (in the bottom right corner of any Flickr photo or Photoset page). Add the email address of your friend, write a short message, and click "Send."
    2. You can also click on the "Share this set" tab at the top of any Photoset page. Enter email address(es), write a short email for whomever you wish to send it to and click the "Send" button.
    3. To send a single image, click on that image. Select the URL from your browser's window and copy it. Paste this into your email.

  • Add Contacts on Flickr

    • You'll want to build a network of friends and family on Flickr - the more people you know on Flickr, the more fun you'll have on the site!
    1. Click on the "Contacts" tab at the top of any Flickr page.

  • Step 5: Share Your Photos on Your Blog with Flickr

    • Want to post your photos to your blog or LiveJournal? Flickr makes it easy. You can even configure it so that it will automatically post photos you take with your cell phone to your blog!

  • Set Up Your Blog on Flickr

    1. Go to this page and select the blogging service you use.
    2. Click "Next".
    3. Enter your account details. You'll need to provide your password for Flickr to validate your account. You will be able to choose not to let Flickr store your password information.
    4. Click "Next".
    5. Check the account details Flickr shows you. Are they correct?
    6. If you don't want Flickr to store your blog's password, uncheck the "Store your password?" box.
      • Flickr must store your password if you want to post photos to your blog directly from your cellphone.
    7. If everything looks good, click "All Done".
    8. You'll see a link that will allow you to choose a posting template layout.
      • If your blog is focused on your photos, you may want to choose the template that will post your photos at 500 pixels wide.
      • If people on dial-up read your blog, you may want to choose one of the 100 pixel options.
    9. Now, so long as your photos are public, you can put them in your blog!

  • Posting Photos to Your Blog From Flickr

    1. Go to any photo you've stored on Flickr.
    2. Above the photo, in the middle of the row of buttons, you should see a button that says "Blog This". Click it.
    3. If you've got multiple blogs registered with Flickr, you can choose which blog to post to.
    4. Give your post a title and some text.
    5. Click "Post Entry".
    6. Your photo should appear in your blog!

  • Posting Photos to Your Blog From Your Cell Phone Via Flickr

    • At this time, you can only phone post to one blog from your Flickr account.
    1. Go to this page to set up photo phone posting to your blog via Flickr.
    2. From the pulldown menu, select the blog you wish to post to.
    3. Choose which photo size you'd like to display. Consider your audience. If your audience is reading specifically to see your photos, pick the largest size. If most of your audience is on dial-up, pick the smallest size.
    4. If you'd like the text of your phone message to be the text of your blog post, select "Yes, please". If not, select "No, thanks."
    5. Click "Save".
    6. On the next page, in the lower right-hand corner, under the headline "Upload to Blog?", you'll see an email address. Enter this address into your cellphone. By emailing photos from your phone to this address, they will be posted directly to your blog!

  • Step 6: Participate in the Flickr Community

    • Flickr isn't just a way to share photos with people you know, it's an online community. Participate as much, or as little, as you like. For example, you can comment on any photo on Flickr.

  • Groups on Flickr

    1. Click on the Groups tab on any Flickr page.

  • Step 7: Upgrade and Improve Your Flickr Account

    • If you want to increase the number of photos you can upload onto Flickr, visit http://www.flickr.com/upgrade/ to upgrade your account. For $24.95, you get a 1 year Pro account with unlimited storage and uploads.

  • Use Cool Tools on Flickr

    1. Don't forget about Yahoo! Go Flickr. You can not only upload photos, you can manage them from your cell phone.
    2. The free browser Flock offers advanced features for Flickr users.
    3. Mashable has a great list of over 100 tools for Flickr. If you can't find something cool here, you're not trying!

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