Thursday, January 01, 2015

Train Photo Survey Results and Analysis

I asked "Where do you view train photos" back in late December. Thank you to the 37 people who responded! 27 came from this blog and 10 from my TraingeekImages Facebook page.

Here are the results.

Keep in mind that people were allowed to select more than one option.

I have a few observations:

  • I didn't realize that many people were using Flickr
  • I'm surprised only one person is using Instagram
  • The Google+ numbers are pretty strong
  • I was really surprised to see so many using railpictures.ca
  • The "other site(s)" surprised me too - see below
For "other site(s)" the responses indicated they look at this blog, Trackside Treasure, the Beachburg Sub, and Google Images. One person mentioned 500px and one mentioned Fallen Flags.

I wanted to do this survey to decide where to concentrate my photo sharing in 2015. Here's where I am already active in sharing my photos:


I'm occasionally active on:


I intend to become a lot more active on Instagram as I believe that is where a lot of traffic is going. I'm going to try Railpictures.ca. I will try to remember Flickr but my personal feeling is that it is not likely to grow.

What are your thoughts?

10 comments:

Unknown said...

By "google images" I was referring to the endless hours I have spent typing in some combination of "CN, New Carlisle, or Gaspe" for the most part.

Eric said...

What is the purpose of viewing the photos online. Pretty pictures = Pinterest or Google. Prototype for modelling? Discussion or just viewing?

Some sites are stronger for discussion, and exchange of information. Some sites are just people posting, or to organize their photos.

How about another survey? Why do you view online train photos?

I know that I have several reasons. As Taylor has commented, endless hours are sometimes rewarding; sometimes I give up!

Happy New Year, Steve!
Eric

Michael said...

I dabble in a number of forums -- Facebook, blogs, Flikr etc, but like Taylor mentioned, I often start by googling something that I am interested in or researching, which leads me wherever it leads. I think Eric raises some great questions. I love the photos on blogs such as yours, but I enjoy the stories just as much.

Steve Boyko said...

Thanks for the clarification, Taylor! I sure spend a lot of time in Google Images looking for "town name grain elevator"

Steve Boyko said...

Good question Eric and probably worthy of its own survey. Sometimes I just like to see nice train photos but often it is for research.

Steve Boyko said...

Michael, I think many of us start that way!

I agree that the story is often as interesting as the photo. I am frustrated when I find a photo but have no idea where or when it was taken. They need context.

Eric said...

Credible contest at that, Steve. Sometimes dates are misleading. And I find that Google often misses some things completely - a mile wide but an inch deep. Try not googling specifically enough - CN always gives me things from China!

Great comment thread,
Eric

Steve Boyko said...

I often have to add "locomotive" to my search when looking for CN info for that reason. Searching is a skill and I've discovered that some people are better at it than others.

Chris BIGDoer Doering said...

Love that old rail car in Hathaway. I've come across a lot of these cars turned into sheds myself, many modified with windows such as the one you documented.

Steve Boyko said...

Thanks Chris - I swear I spent more time looking at the old car than I did looking at the elevator!