NewsFlash 20

ShutterPoint is excited to introduce an enhancement to our content filter. In the recent past, some members expressed concerns that the Adult content filter did not do its job filtering out inappropriate content. The filter was great at catching only the most obvious forms of the adult content, but it missed in the areas where an image could be viewed as adult content by some people, while others perceived it as a perfectly appropriative and "safe" image.

To remedy this scenario, we have introduced three filter modes, instead of the original two "on" and "off" states. They are:

• Moderate - works the same as the "on" state of the previously used filter and is set by default;
• Strong - blocks images that may be inappropriate for minors or in strict corporate environments;
• None - works the same as the "off" state of previous filter.

Similar to the way the original filter functioned, each image is automatically assigned a degree of safety based on the keywords and categories (or lack of them). If needed, we are also able to override the safety level on the case by case basis.

A word of caution to contributors: we notice that some photographers use keywords that are not truly relevant. For example, some photographers use keywords like "nude" or "sexy" on photos of trees or cars. This practice will block your images for those who use the content filtering now more than ever before. We strongly advise that you only use keywords that apply to subjects of your images not figuratively, but literally.

ShutterPoint members may now upload custom watermarks to be displayed on their photos. This enables you to use your favorite image editing program and create the watermark exactly the way you want it, then just upload it and use it the same way as it is done with the site-built watermarks.

The basic steps in the process are as follows:

1. Create your own design that will be used as your new watermark. You can use colors, text, images, shapes, or anything else you like. Because your image will be stamped over the photo, we recommend keeping it simple - you do not want the watermark to distract any attention from a photo. Ensure your design is on a transparent background and is within 700x700 pixels.
   
   
2. Save your work as a PNG image file with transparency. This is extremely important since you need transparency to allow your photos to show through the watermark. If you create a file with no transparency (sometimes called Alpha channel), the watermark will completely block your photo.
   
   
3. Upload the new watermark design file to ShutterPoint using Watermark Manager (located in My Account section).
   
   
4. Apply it to any of your photos as usual (edit a photo and change the watermark). Be sure to hit Shift+F5 (works for most browsers) to refresh the photo page if the new watermark is not shown instantly.
   
   
5. If you like the result, you may set it as default for all new uploads in the Watermark Manager. You may also fine-tune the opacity of the watermark by specifying the opacity percentage in the Watermark Manager tool. Remember that to see the change, the watermark needs to be re-applied to an image.

We are happy to inform that the site has undergone another round of upgrades that dramatically improved the site's performance. We are now able to accommodate more users at the same time and serve pages faster, minimizing the likelihood of hick-ups and slowdowns.

RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feeds are a great way to stay updated without having to visit ShutterPoint. We host a variety of feeds that let you use your favorite RSS feed reader to view images and read forum updates. If you are new to RSS feeds, you can find information about them on the Wikipedia site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_feed

ShutterPoint offers two general types of feeds - forum post feeds and image feeds. A small icon like this: is displayed on pages where RSS feed is available. Simply click on the icon to subscribe to the feed. Your web browser may also show a similar icon for pages that allow subscribing to ShutterPoint feeds.

For those who integrate our feeds into their own websites, the RSS/XML feeds and HTML syndication functionality has been improved to address members' suggestions. Some of the changes are outlined below:

• Added support for filtering images by album in the RSS feeds;
• Added support for album and sort URL parameters in the IFRAME src;
• Added more examples on usage of optional feed URL parameters;
• Added support for RSS-based retrieval of user albums.

Please refer to the link titled For Your Website on the bottom of any page for details on using the new features.

We would like to inform you that the Ratings and Comments section has been improved. The redesigned section now has a modern look and feel that simplifies presentation. The new Reviews (Ratings and Comments) section encourages a strong sense of community by bringing more prominence to comments and less to ratings.

The new layout was not intended to alter the existing rating system or its rules, only the presentation of the feedback received via comments and ratings has changed. Some of the concepts incorporated in this design are:

Comments Tab

• Displayed as the first selected tab when a photo is viewed
• Shows comments only – both identifiable and anonymous
• Shows full comment as is (without truncating it) regardless of whether a user is logged in or not
• Shows a thumbnail of a random image by the person who submitted an identifiable comment (obeying the content filter preferences)
• Allows linking to the photographers’ summary by clicking on the name, and linking to the photographer's images section by clicking on the small thumbnail
• Magnifies thumbnails when a mouse is over them (not shown in the screenshot)

• Shows feedback accompanied by numeric ratings only
• Preserves raters' anonymity
• When viewed by guests, shows full aspect rating instead of truncating it to only report on the composition

• More prominence is given to the number of views and less to numeric ratings
• When a photo description is omitted, the contributor's About Me is displayed under the Views and Ratings section
• The redesigned section is entitled Reviews

In the past, some of you have expressed interest in wearing the ShutterPoint logo. We are thrilled to accommodate our proud members and meet their request.

We are proud to introduce the ShutterPoint Merchandise E-Store that offers our official logo tees. We plan to add more funky t-shirt designs really soon, so check the store often for new items. Both men's and women's apparel can be found at this website: http://www.printfection.com/shutterpoint. You will also notice a small t-shirt link on ShutterPoint.com in the lower right hand corner:

Secure your relationship with potential clients and promote your ShutterPoint gallery with business cards! ShutterPoint has partnered with MagicPrints to offer you a choice of branded business card designs.

MagicPrints uses highest quality color printing and offers the best value for your business cards. Together with MagicPrints, we have designed five cool business card templates. Simply select one of the templates at http://www.shutterpoint.com/Home-BusinessCards.cfm and proceed to customize with your information. Processing and printing with MagicPrints is very easy and timely, so you can have your own cards ready quickly.