Hidden Flickr links and functionality Aug09 '07

If there's one thing Flickr does right, it's usability. To me, good usability means: "If I expect something to happen, it should." Very rarely do sites focus on the user experience in this manner.

However, there are some common features on Flickr that are very hard to find.

Upload link

The "Upload" link is somewhat hidden. It's available only under You > Upload Photos:

Screenshot of Flickr web page

Once you know where that is, it's easy to find, but you still have to click twice just to get there. That extra click is annoying sometimes.

A better solution is to store the permanent URL as a bookmark, and access it that way.

http://flickr.com/photos/upload/

Adding a Contact

Browsing your contacts is easy - the "Contacts" link resides along the top. But how do you add someone else as a contact? This seems like a common request, but the functionality is very hidden.

To add another Flickr member as a contact, first visit their Flickr page. Then, choose Profile from the list of sub-links:

Screenshot of Flickr web page

Then, on the far right side, you'll see Add [member name] as a contact.

Screenshot of Flickr web page

Again, there's a nice, clean URL for this, but the username changes depending on the person you are adding:

http://flickr.com/people/[username]/relationship/

You can't bookmark a dynamic URL, such as this. Worst case scenario, you manually type it in.

Email notifications

Many Flickr users may not realize that you can receive email notifications for activity on your photos, or when your contacts upload new photos.

Again, this feature is buried.

One way to get there is to view your Recent Activity:

Screenshot of Flickr web page

Once there, look for a link along the bottom that says, "Get updates by email":

Screenshot of Flickr web page

You'll be taken to your "Email Notification" preferences page, where you can decide when to have Flickr notify you.

(Personally, I prefer RSS for notifications, but it's nice knowing there is an option for email.)

Guest Passes

A very nice feature of Flickr is Guest Passes. I discussed this in detail before.

Problem is, whenever the time comes to create a Guest Pass, I can never recall how to do it.

You have to select a set first. Then choose Share this set:

Screenshot of Flickr web page

The confusion comes with the naming convention. When I think of a "guest pass," I begin looking for a link that says "Guest Pass," or "Create Guest Pass." Flickr still calls it "Sharing."

If I can remember the word "sharing," rather than "guest pass," then I'll remember to go to a set first. Easier said than done.

Categories: Flickr , Usability

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There is another way to add contacts: If you hover over the user's avatar, you'll see a frame surround it with a drop down arrow. If you click on t ... Read more.

Yes! My head made an appearance in your screenshots. :) ... Read more.

@Fredo - Great tip. I didn't see that one. Much quicker. ... Read more.

matthom is published and produced by Matt Thommes - an independent publishing enthusiast, mobile blogger, content creator, informative writer, web developer from Chicago. Never one to conform, Matt intends to promote the effect the web has on our lives, in an effort to intensify, instruct, and clarify all that is happening around us.

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