Flickr Groups
Flickr is an online photography community for just about anyone interested in taking pictures. Whether you're a snap-happy tourist, an experienced pro, a budding artist or just need somewhere to store all those pictures of your baby with various shades of goo smeared on its face, Flickr is the place to be. There are groups for every kind of photo, of any subject. Once you've signed up for a free account, you can comment on the work of others, join groups and participate in challenges and chatter.
Medway Towns
1. Colonial House, 2. Reaching out to the morning sun, 3. Remembrance no.3, 4. Tied Up, 5. West Hoath Wood, 6. waiting
Most members of this group hail, rather predictably, from the Medway Towns. The subject of much heated debate (honestly), the umbrella of the Medway Towns covers Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham (and others, although I'm not prepared to name them here incase I get a hail of abuse from the Medway Anoraks about my lack of local geographical knowledge). According to Flickr, Medway doesn't even exist, despite the local council's best efforts to re-brand our hometowns.
The members of Medway Towns have created a gallery which shows both the real beauty and the undeniable horror of life in Medway. Members meet irregularly to put the world to rights and the chavs to bed. They are a warm and funny bunch of people, and I am happy to count some of them as friends.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/medwaytowns/
Members' Room
1. Water-colour, 2. South Thames College 1999, 3. thou shall not kill, 4. IMGw3510, 5. Life stamps, 6. The trees seek to regain their golden robes
Members' Room was established on Flickr earlier this year by one of my favourite photographers, Eric Hands. In my head, Eric looks something like the guy from Badly Drawn Boy (whose name I could look up, but I can't be arsed). In real life, he is more like John Peel (though not so old and rather less dead). Eric's commitment to photography recently resulted in a broken ankle, and I am thankful that he has not chosen to document the various shades of bruise on Flickr.
Members' Room is, as I understand it, for those shots of which we are quite proud but would like some serious critique with regards to style, composition, light and such, and for healthy debate about photography related subjects. It is a great little community exhibiting the work of some excellent photographers. You should see our palatial headquarters.