Getting started with Flickr

Go to Flickr.com and click on the 'Create Your Account' button.

If you've already got a Yahoo ID you can probably sign in with it here but usually you'll need to get one. Click the Sign up button at the bottom.

Just complete the information. And click on 'Create My Account'

Check the information and click 'Continue'.

You now need to sign in again for some reason.

As long as all the information is correct click 'Finished'.

Choose a Flickr name. This can be anything you want and you can use any characters and numbers etc. Many of the common names have now been taken, but you can change your name whenever you want. Then click 'CREATE NEW ACCOUNT'.

This page allows you to change things on your account. You don't have to do anything but you may want to change your 'buddy icon' or write something about yourself for 'your profile'.

Buddy icon:
This is a small icon that easily identifies you. This grey boxman icon is slightly frowned upon as people like to know something about you.

If you want to change your 'buddy icon' you'll need a 48x48 pixel image that you can upload here by clicking 'choose file' and 'UPLOAD'.

If you've got a photo(s) to upload choose 'You' and then 'Upload photos & videos'.

Click 'Choose photos and videos' and then navigate to the image you want to upload and then click 'Open'.

You don't have to do anything here but if you want to prevent everyone being able to see your image you can set some privacy settings to restrict it before clicking the 'Upload Photos and Videos' button.

Your image should now be visible to you.

You may have noticed a Flickrmail icon in the top left corner. This message will be a welcome message from Flickr. Click it to read it.

Flickrmail
Flickrmail is a Flickr email facility that allows you to send messages to other Flickr users.

This page will show all your messages. Click this to read it.

You've now set up your Flickr account. Now you'll probably want to join the Heswall Photographic Group.

Joining the HPS group

Heswall Photographic Society is a private group. This means that you have to be invited by an existing member. Colin will invite you, if you ask nicely.

Colin's Flickr name is colcambv. Type this into the search box and click on 'Flickr Members' in the dropdown box.

Groups
Flickr allows people to form groups where they can have their own discussions and share photos. Groups can be private or public.

This is Colin. Notice how much nicer it is to have a personalised buddy icon. Click to see Colin's profile.

On Colin's profile page you can see his other contacts. You must add Colin as a contact for him to be able to invite to the HPS private group. Click the link.

Contacts
You can add any Flickr member as a contact. They may return the compliment but not always. If you Click the 'Contacts' link at the top of every page you'll see the latest images from your contacts. They are an easy way of keeping in touch with other Flickr members.

You need to send a request to Colin for him to invite you to the HPS group. Click the 'Send Flikrmail' link.

It might seem obvious but when you write to Colin make sure you identify yourself in case it isn't obvious from your images or name etc.

When Colin's read your mail he'll reply to you with an invite. This will be a Flickrmail. This is not automatic so depends entirely on how busy Colin is, so don't expect an instant reply.

Click the message.

Click 'YES' to join the group.

This is the HPS group page. If it isn't obvious who you are from your name, profile, images or buddy icon it would be nice if you could introduce yourself.

1. This is to add your images.
2. This is 'Group pool' of images have been added by other members.
3. Colin's latest message. This may be an encouragement to join a competition or a mention of a pub to meet up at on Friday evening during the summer.
4. The discussion area. This could be anything from requests for critique to competitions to arguments about which pub to go to. Feel free to start a new topic or join in an existing one. This is where you would introduce yourself.

Wherever you are in Flickr you can just Click the Groups' link to get back to the HPS page.