Comments on: Flash Websites for Photographers, good idea or kiss of death?

By: Blossom Mcdow

Blossom Mcdow — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 22:54:08 +0000

I am happy to report that Christopher, after a time away, will be writing for WorthPoint again! Watch for his return soon.

By: Angel

Angel — Thu, 20 May 2010 16:56:40 +0000

Anyone can write an article citing 90% of sources that back-up their point of view. It takes a big person to write an article looking at differing view points and achieving balance. It is no secret that Photoshelter hates Flash (saying it is very bad for SEO so, so frequently). Alas, the facts don’t bear this out. In addition, Flash makes it harder for images to be stolen. This fact alone would make this worth reading…yet it is mentioned nowhere. Could have been a great article….

By: marlonrichardson

marlonrichardson — Thu, 13 May 2010 15:50:39 +0000

@Stefan in regards to J at emilie inc: Your livebooks-website is not only flash-based for browsers that can display flash. livebooks too generates a html-based ghost page in the background (and since few days a new version for iphon/ipad) for browsers that can’t display flash, like iphones. That’s what you see at the iphone, not your flash-website. So your website isn’t a real flash-based site and the most of your ranking is generated by the html landing-pages in the background of your site. —- You could not be more wrong. A properly coded Flash website can easily be indexed by google. I don’t have an alternate HTML version of my wedding photography website and I show up on page 1 for all the keywords I target. Many photographers all over the world have good flash websites that rank very well. In fact I would say almost all the photography websites that rank high seem to all be flash these days.

By: Helder Cervantes

Helder Cervantes — Thu, 13 May 2010 10:47:29 +0000

This is BS as far as I’m concerned. If you want one size fits all, just post your pics on Flickr. And don’t tell me recent html+css can achieve the same effect flash does because if you do, you don’t really know each technology’s capabilities. Plus, moving to HTML5 means dumping older browsers. Just move 1 version back on IE or Firefox and immediatly your site will look buggy. Did you see Alice for the Ipad (if not search youtube)? Great huh? I can do that whole thing on Flash in a week or less, and have it running on every windows, mac, linux, and android in the world, ONLINE!!! Because Stevie wants to turn the world against flash, it’s an AMAZING Ipad app that makes it (the ipad) the coolest thing in the world. You can have flash WITH SEO and look cool, you CAN deeplink if you do it right (which most out of the box photographer sites do), and you CAN have free alternatives to make sure your work gets everywhere, just by using flickr, facebook, whatever. There are simple solutions for everything these guys say about flash’s limitations. Done properly it’s not a CPU hog as you say it is. I say it’s still an extremely valuable tool, where you can make very cool things that you just can’t make anywhere else.

By: Ron

Ron — Tue, 11 May 2010 19:28:52 +0000

I was quite dissapointed at the largely one-sided view in this post. More than anything else it made me question PhotoShelter’s ability to thoroughly weigh all options before making a business decision.

By: j amethe

j amethe — Tue, 11 May 2010 19:10:10 +0000

I was always against exclusively flash websites, but as a tool flash is useful, and of course Apple refusing to use flash because “it is not an open standard” is the very definition of hypocrisy.

By: Gerald Holubowicz

Gerald Holubowicz — Tue, 11 May 2010 18:48:32 +0000

“Dump your Flash website.” Great post! Sure there’s still a place for Flash, but since Apple is working on an alternative, I’m not sure it’ll last for a long time from now. What about the photoshelter Flash player. Are you working on a JS slideshow? I’m more more a “No Flash on my webiste” photographer.Css3 is great, HTML5 is coming, jquery is becoming more & more powerful, I really don’t know why I should rely on an unsecured technology, to display my work.

By: Stefan

Stefan — Tue, 11 May 2010 07:28:18 +0000

@J at emilie inc: Your livebooks-website is not only flash-based for browsers that can display flash. livebooks too generates a html-based ghost page in the background (and since few days a new version for iphon/ipad) for browsers that can’t display flash, like iphones. That’s what you see at the iphone, not your flash-website. So your website isn’t a real flash-based site and the most of your ranking is generated by the html landing-pages in the background of your site.

By: Gabriel Morosan

Gabriel Morosan — Mon, 10 May 2010 21:55:26 +0000

I like to see PRO and CONTRA arguments! it makes the whole game more interesting ^_^ Gabriel - no Flash for me http://www.finestreetphotography.com

By: suprfa

suprfa — Mon, 10 May 2010 17:32:59 +0000

I really appreciate this value added to ps guys! fabulous “thought leadership” to gnaw on here.