Flickr Groups

Looking to share your snapshots with similar-minded shutterbugs?  Try joining a Flickr group!  When you join a group, you can share your photos with that group, and hold discussions about topics that interest you.  You can even create and manage your own group!

To join, contribute to, and leave a Flickr group

1. Go to www.flickr.com in your web browser and log in.

2. Move your mouse cursor over You in the top-left corner and click Groups in the drop-down menu.  If you haven't joined a group before, you can scroll down to see some popular groups that you may want to join.

   

   You can also search for a group by using Flickr's search function (see our Flickr Search tutorial for more on how to do that).  In any event, click Join beside a group that you wish to join.

3. Sometimes, a window will pop up explaining the group's rules.  If you are okay with them, click I Agree to join the group.  Otherwise, click No Thanks.

   

   Unless the group is invitation-only, you will be able to join the group.

4. Once you are part of a group, you can add a photo to the group by clicking Add Photo beside "Photo Pool".  Click on your photos on the left to add them to your sharing queue, or click your photos when they appear on the right to remove them.  Click Add Photos to add your photo's to the group's pool.

   (NOTE: Be sure to read the group's rules on posting before posting your photos, or they may be taken down.)

   

   You can also click Start a Discussion if you want to talk about something; just type in a title and an opening post, and then click Start Topic.  Or, you can click on a topic that has already been posted, and click Reply (first button in the top-right corner of a post) or the reply box at the bottom of the screen and add your feedback.

5. If you want to leave a group, move your mouse cursor over You in the top-left corner, click Groups, and then click on the name of the group.  This will bring you to the group's page, where you can click the Joined button (which will change to Leave Group).  You will be asked to confirm that you really want to leave the group, and you can use the check box in the window that pops up to decide whether or not you want to remove any photos or videos that you have added to the group before you leave.  Click Leave This Group if you're sure that's what you want to do.

   

How to create, manage, and delete a Flickr group

1. Assuming that you're still logged into Flickr, move your mouse cursor over You in the top-left corner, and then click Groups.  In the top-right corner of this page, click Create Group.

   

2.  You will be asked to select the privacy level of your group.  There are three options: "Public", "Invitation Only", and "Private".

   

   "Public" groups can be seen and joined by anyone on Flickr.  "Invitation Only" groups can be seen by anyone on Flickr, but can only be joined by those who have received invitations from other members.  "Private" groups can only be joined by those who are invited, and only current members or invitees can see the group on Flickr.

   Click Create below the type of group that you want to continue.

3. On the next screen, you will have to name and describe your group, and give it a safety rating.

   

   Click in the box labelled "What Are You Going to Call It?" and type in a name for your group.  Then click in the box labelled "What's The Group About?" and type in a brief description of your group (this is optional).  Finally, click one of the buttons below "Group Safety Level" and choose whether your group is "Safe for Everyone" or "18+ Only".  When you're finished, click Next.

4. Next, use the check boxes here to decide whether or not you want people who visit your group (i.e. those who aren't members) to be able to see your group's discussion topics or photos.  Then click Next.

   

   The next screen will let you choose custom names for people who hold different positions in your group.  If you feel like doing so, simply click in the respective box and type in a title for administrators, moderators, or members.  Once your okay with everything, click All Done.

5. Congratulations on creating your group!  In addition to the usual group functions (such as adding photos and starting or continuing discussions), you'll also have several Administration functions that you can use to set group rules, control how your group appears, and manage who is in your group and what they do.

   

6. If you want to delete a group, use the Administration options mentioned above to kick everyone else out of the group except yourself.  From there, the process is the same for leaving a group that you don't own (see step 5 in the section above for how to leave a group).

Those are the basics of joining, contributing to, creating, managing, or deleting Flickr groups!