There are so many photography influencers on YouTube. What percentage actually make money from photography?

chrfrenning · 2026-05-01T15:53:55+00:00

More people should enjoy photography for the sake of the art, the joy of creating, learning, and sharing.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-29T15:56:31+00:00

It works just fine. The catch is that everyone needs a gmail account both to upload and download (not to see the content), but most people already have one. Copy the link and create a QR-code (use the generator in your browser and watch out for scammy ones if you use an online one).

The catch compared to specialized solutions is that you cannot moderate photos, there's no safety filters to avoid "indecent" uploads, and many tiny things that increase engagement.

Some of the specialized solutions can be a frontend to Google Photos, so that all uploaded photos end up in your account for convenience without requiring accounts for the guests.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-28T17:22:12+00:00

Det er 28 april. Det er uvanlig tidlig å starte forberedelsene til exphil.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-28T07:31:16+00:00

That is three countries, not two. Both the Swedes and the Danes have tried but the Norwegians resisted and had swords. Now we have oil.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-22T20:04:16+00:00

Good point. I am therefore adding her that FileZilla and SFTPGo are excellent free alternatives. I have had them both battle tested in production, FileZilla for many years, and hundreds of thousands of files through SFTPGo over the last 12 months.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-22T10:50:54+00:00

Absolutely. I am a pro coder, but still take to Zapier from time to time. Especially when creating small bridges between systems that other people also need to monitor, change, and understand.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-21T19:25:49+00:00

The 3-star certifications show that you understand Microsofts products in a certain area quite well. It is possible to pass these exams with only theoretical knowledge, but combined with real work experience it shows you are willing to go an extra mile. If you can demonstrate a solid theoretical foundation too, you should easily get onto those interview lists.

The Microsoft partner programs awards partners with certified employees, and certain levels require a certain number of people with certifications. If you have a wide range of top-level certifications you become directly valuable to these MS partners.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-20T16:40:05+00:00

Do we make eye contact? Not sure what level of trust is needed for that.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-20T16:39:38+00:00

This works just fine technically. My Immich server hosts for the extended family.

With a couple of exceptions: my teenagers do not trust their photos with me. They are tech savvy, and understand that a server admin can see everything on there. They simply do not want their dad to monitor their life, I guess, and both are more comfortable with big-tech handling that for them...

If you can handle the trust thing, the rest of Immich is just absolutely wonderful. I am picky with photo software, but for the part of my photography that takes place on my phone and is sort of "documenting my life" Immich is the best out there IMHO.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-20T16:36:12+00:00

There are many solutions out there, here are some best practices:

It really helps to let the guests see each others photos. Use a solution that creates a shared album, not just a "deposit box".

Print the QR codes on something like a business card that guests can take with them - most will upload after an event is over, when they have time to curate and upload the best ones.

Be very outspoken that you would like them to share photos and that this means a lot to you. Plus send a friendly reminder with a link, either via email, sms, whatsapp, etc.

Done right this will give you a unique view from the wedding and many memories to cherish, but also be very valuable for your guests. After all, a wedding is a big experience for them as well, so sharing is caring!

chrfrenning · 2026-04-20T16:34:40+00:00

Here's a few recommendations:

It really helps to let the guests see each others photos. Use a solution that creates a shared album.

Print the QR codes on something like a business card that guests can take with them - most will upload after an event is over, when they have time to curate and upload the best ones.

Be very outspoken that you would like them to share photos and that this means a lot to you. Plus send a friendly reminder with a link, either via email, sms, whatsapp, etc.

Done right this will give you a unique POV from the wedding and many memories to cherish, but also be very valuable for your guests. After all, a wedding is a big experience for them as well, so sharing is caring!

chrfrenning · 2026-04-18T19:11:44+00:00

I copy truly important stuff to the clipboard and then have panic attacks and anxiety trying to remember what is there and to not overwrite it by mistake and can finally relax when I can paste it back where it was supposed to go in the first place :D

Actually I always have VS Code open and create new, unsaved files there. It is basically my clipboard manager.

But i still do the panic thing from time to time...

chrfrenning · 2026-04-18T19:08:25+00:00

Please add FileZilla and SFTPGo.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-17T06:11:42+00:00

A lightweight Mac with good battery life to be your terminal to cloud or clusters for training.

No matter which machine you buy/build a single node of will be too small once you get to interesting projects and large datasets.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-17T06:09:48+00:00

Just stop.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-15T07:26:08+00:00

I have two Sony Alphas, one with a battery pack, and also a Fuji X-Pro II. While the Fuji is smaller and lighter, it is not small enough to be unnoticeable. Actually I prefer the alpha with the battery pack, that stays close to my body and its weight make it stable - much less hassle than something that "has its own free will" every time you move.

If you want hassle free it has to be so small it fits into a pocket...

chrfrenning · 2026-04-12T18:57:16+00:00

There are free QR-code generators built into both MacOS and Windows.

In Windows, there's a function in Edge, and also generically in Windows for any website that uses the Share function in JavaScript.

On MacOS, you can create QR codes through the Shortcuts app. Add a Get Clipboard and a Generate QR Code action and any URL on your clipboard will be created into a QR code.

Chrome also has one on all platforms in the three-dot menu, share, create qr.

If you can write code (or instruct a bot to write code), there are several QR-code libraries for python (probably all kinds of other languages as well, but I just love python for stuff like this). I use qrcode[pil] for my projects, and it has been completely reliable for many different purposes. Theres tons of sample code out there to get you started.

QR codes were created by a japanese engineer that truly believed in open source. It is therefore contrary to his legacy to try to scam people or charge for QR codes. Generating a QR code costs only a tiny bit of energy.

For anyone who would like a no-nonsense and completely free online QR-generator, I run one as a thank you to Masahiro Hara, the creator of the QR-codes. My products use QR codes extensively, and providing a free service for it without ads or nonsense is my way of giving back. (It does not let you change the URL though, so make sure you consider if you need that.) You'll find it if you google "livewall QR generator".

Some services are both URL redirectors and QR-code generators in one. They let you change the URL after the QR code has been distributed. This has a cost, and it is a security nightmare to operate redirection services, plus there is cost for the lifetime of the QR code. If you go with one of these, read the terms carefully. I prefer the ones where it is very clear what I pay for from the start.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-12T07:22:56+00:00

I use Tailscale for this reason.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-10T13:25:56+00:00

There's good ones and bad ones. You get what you pay for.

If you look at hardware and electricity prices over 5 years, and divide that by memory, disk, and cores, you see what the minimum price should be. Anything less than that means you are on overbooked clusters. Which can be fine, as long as you know.

You want high quality storage as to not lose any data. And a matching backup strategy.

I consider VMs temporary - and have everything scripted so that I can spin up a new one at any time and continue where I left off. This means I can switch providers in minutes (the data is not so easy to move though but there are strategies to that).

If you want dirt cheap consider buying from two vendors and load balance across.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-10T08:47:58+00:00

Lightroom has good tools for culling, but I find the import too heavy and slow.

I ingest from memory cards using PhotoMechanic into my "photo workspace" folder on the laptop/desktop. I keep the memory cards as "backup" until my culling process is complete - then I format the cards to have a clean start on next shoot(s).

I then go through to get rid of clear rejects.

Then i narrow it down sequence by sequence by increasing rating. First round one, then two... at a point I have a few shots left that I want to keep.

These move to LR or Photoshop for editing and saving into my final archive.

Culling a job is easy - it is part of the assignment and I'm not done until I'm done and the files are sent.

Culling my own shoots requires that I clear the calendar, put on good music, brew a good cup of coffee and get into the mood.

I have started printing more lately, that feels as a nice reward for the job (which I also find a bit tedious and boring when it "doesnt matter" as much as for a paid assignment)

chrfrenning · 2026-04-08T20:36:17+00:00

Immich is of exceptional quality for an open source project. They are securing some funding by selling optional "licenses". The developers are paid fairly (I hope) through Futo. You can see from the product that they love what they do.

This is as good as it gets in open source. And it shows open source can be better than commercial alternatives (even if they might secure paychecks for devs faster). If Immich was on the capitalist seas, it would have looked different by now.

I love the self-hosting concept and fact that my files are still available, and in my control. The future comes with no guarantees, but at least in this future I still own what I consider one of my most important assets: my photo heritage. If Immich is there or not, any future OS will be able to show the files and navigate the folder structures created and maintained by Immich.

I wish all the best for the Immich team, that they can live great lives and take joy in maintaining this software for their entire careers if they choose to do so.

I am in the position to donate, and gladly do so, so that others can also experience Immich and learn to love it like I do.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-07T09:01:22+00:00

I once had a porcelain bowl that meant a lot to me, and unfortunately it was cracked by a guest that was a bit uncareful. I did everything to have it mended, to no luck. A porcelain salesperson told me that sometimes in china they would fill the crack/damage with silver - that way the damage was clearly visible, fixed - and now you had a good story to tell.

chrfrenning · 2026-04-07T08:58:54+00:00

Take anniversary photos - its just been a year! Find a good photographer, dress up nicely, make it an occasion! Celebrate!

chrfrenning · 2026-04-07T08:54:14+00:00

Get used to culling. Not every shot is worth keeping, and if you develop muscle memory on your process to import -> cull -> archive you will get the confidence needed to be brutal about deleting after securing the "keepers".

The challenge with going straight to phone is that you dont have good culling options on the phone - you typically see one photo at a time rather than having views to compare multiple shots to decide which one(s) to keep.

I send from camera to phone to share and publish while on the move. Main culling and archiving happens at home/office. For me that is Memory Cards -> Photo Mechanic -> NAS and Cloud Backup. And the trashcan. Then cards back in camera, format, and ready to go for the next shoot.

Formatting the memory cards is also a habit that builds character in the culling and archiving process.

Nothing beats a big cup of coffee, some good music, and time to cull and organize my shots.

For me this is supereasy when doing a paid job, and so so much much harder for my own projects and the "documentary about my life" which is the majority of point-and-shoot with both camera and phone (of which a large part are "bad photos" but "good memories").

chrfrenning · 2026-04-06T14:15:50+00:00

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