Testing Photo hosting options

23/08/2017

Test sites for new GP14 Assoc photos.

ISSUE: Picassa was ideal, but Google photos is not so good – it allows people to “follow” and adds their profile pictures above the photo, which looks very naff, and seems no way to stop that!

So what other options are there that don’t cost a lot? Could we use Google Drive, or a Flickr account, or ImageShack ($4/month)?

REQUIREMENTS:

We want to access pictures DIRECTLY from this website without needing a google/flickr account login.
We do NOT want people to be able to download the photos
What options will we accept for sharing?

TESTS

A. Google Photos

Using a normal Link	Google Photos, New Album link
Can use our own image as a link:

B. Using GOOGLE DRIVE

– we have created a new folder “pictures/test” on our google drive, to test access from our website…
– we have shared the folder with “view only” access…

BUT, using the link, it appears anyone viewing can download the folder.
If the link ends in “?usp=sharing”. we get a download icon on individual photos. Remove this and individual photos cannot be downloaded, but there i still a “Download ALL” for a folder download!

We cannot seem to stop this!

– so seems no good, if this is actually correct (for people other than the owner).

Test 1. give an ordinary link to a google drive folder

Link here

Test 2. We can add a (local WP) image to the above link,

which makes it look nicer on the website,

But doesn’t solve the dowload problem:

(there is a Download link at top right of the window)

Test 3. The pictures folder (sharing=OFF) has 2 subfolders.

In “Test” visitors cannot download photos

In “Test2” they Can download photos (hover over the thumbnail)

But ANYWAY CAN download the whole folder for either!

Link to Google Drive Pictures folder

Link to Test Folder
Link to Test2 folder

C. Test Flickr – using my own flickr account…

1. as an ordinary link to a flickr album:

Link to my Fickr Sailing Album – cannot download photos,
BUT CAN share the album?

2 as an embed album link:

(uses flickr client-code.js)

The album and photos are set to prevent downloads.

THIS DOES WORK. Can view the album, or go to view all albums.
1. Cannot link to show ALL Albums, so we would have to
create separate website links for each new Album – doable but a pain!
2. BAD NEWS: As we browse an album, Flickr is inserting adverts –
This is a “free” issue –
PRO+ approx $50/yr

Q. What effect does SHARING the album have?
Need someone else to test this,(as I am flickr owner!)