Feast of the Ravens

[shewhomust]

Feast of the Ravens, a photo by Jan Egil Kristiansen on Flickr.

I do not love the new Flickr layout: the big pictures are shouty, and slow to load, and squeeze the features I am looking for into tiny corners where I can't see them.

But it continues to bring me good things from my contacts. My morning was brightened by this glimpse of the Faroes from Jan Egil Kristansen.

He explains:

I saw about 10 ravens by the roadside. When more than two ravens congregate, it's a sure sign there's a dead lamb there.

The ravens are beautiful birds, but took to the air before I could stop the car, much less get a picture.

So I take a look at what they were eating. Blood red ... strawberries? A few bananas, too. This Vegan thing is going too far.

Comments

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

Hee! That's adorable. A congress of strawberries!

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

But how do you interpret the bananas?

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

Well, sometimes a banana is just a banana.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Boom, boom!

[sovay]

This Vegan thing is going too far.

That's beautiful. The ravens look like they were doing divination.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

I could see it as a stylised bird shape, if I squinted a little...

[cellio]

*laugh* Vegan ravens -- who knew?

[wolfinthewood.livejournal.com]

I had my first chance to take a good look at the new Flickr yesterday evening. Sadly, I think I shall be leaving (like a number of others, it seems). There are many things I dislike about what they are doing, but I object most of all to the fact that that they are automatically applying additional contrast (and perhaps some sharpening) to each individual image. I am very sad. I have learned a lot from other Flickr users.

As someone on the help forum has pointed out, it is possible to get something like the old photostream view back by clicking the Edit menu item at the top of the photostream page (next to Sets and Favorites). But so far as I can see this link is only visible to logged-in users viewing their own photostream. Anyway, this might be useful to you, if you haven't already spotted it. (Along with its other flaws, the new interface is remarkably cryptic.)

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

... they are automatically applying additional contrast ...

Really? Good grief! I hadn't noticed that - or rather, I had noticed a general "in your face" quality, and ascribed it to the "big pictures on black" display.

... clicking the Edit menu item ...

Thank you; that is helpful. I suspect that it isn't intended as an alternative way of viewing the page (because why would they do that?), but as the first step in an editing process, giving you access to your own pictures. But as you say, the interface is cryptic, and I wouldn't have thought of trying that button!

Rather to my surprise, the old uploader, which I prefer, is still there - in fact, behind the glossy cover, there's an unexpected quantity of the old site, looking very clunky in this new context.

If you leave, where will you go? Do you have something in mind?

[wolfinthewood.livejournal.com]

The favourite destination for disgusted Flickr users seems to be ipernity, a French Flickr-type site. Being a cautious type, I am still looking into it. It has a free, ad-supported service or you can join the ipernity Club, which is much like having a Pro account on Flickr. Unfortunately the site's FAQ is currently under revision. I have a few questions...

Some people are heading for SmugMug, but that strikes me as an expensive solution, more useful for pros and semi-pros hoping to sell their work than for amateurs.

The other site mentioned by some is 500px. It is designed for people with a serious interest in photography to showcase their very best photos. Subscription for a Plus account compares with the subscriptions for the Flickr Pro account and the ipernity Club.

All of them allow Facebook 'shares' and 'likes' (which I do not want). If ipernity allows me to turn 'sharing' with other sites off, I shall probably head there. It has groups, like Flickr; I don't think SmugMug and 500px do. I have always enjoyed the Flickr groups.

random bits

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User cellio referenced to your post from random bits (http://cellio.livejournal.com/962490.html) saying: [...] and cuts out before we get to see the expression on the cabbie's face, alas. Feast of the ravens [...]

Bad news, good news

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

Bad news: The picture isn't showing, just an announcement that it isn't available, in English, Chinese, German, Spanish, French, Korean, Italian, and Portuguese.

Good news: The link on the name of the photo is linked to its actual Flickr page.

Re: Bad news, good news

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Thanks - yes, the photographer has amended the colour on the photo, which broke the link. Fixed now, I hope!