Photographers love Flash-driven websites, editors do not. This is what Scott Mc Kiernan, photojournalist and head of ZUMA Press agency, recently told me. His comment was geared to photojournalists and the editors in the realm of editorial photography, but Mc Kiernan’s point is an interesting one for all photographers to be aware of.
Mc Kiernan made it clear that he has nothing against Flash, and actually loves the beauty of this visually delivery method. However, he said, the downside of Flash is that if there is the slightest incompatibility issue, editors cannot see images, and they are much more likely to move on before upgrading their Flash or working out compatibility issues.
Another peril of Flash, which is often seen as a benefit by photographers, is that editors can’t drag and drop images for sorting and further review. In essence, Mc Kiernan said that what seems like “anti-theft” protection could actually be an “anti-client” mechanism.
After all, wedding clients are web-savvy enough to drag and drop samples from various sites, narrowing choices over time. So, while Flash might be the rage, and while Mc Kiernan was only discouraging journalists for using this presentation tool, the possible pitfalls of Flash are something for all photographers to keep in mind.