TrekEarth
Encyclopedia
TrekEarth is an online community
of travel photographers
who upload their images to the site. The goal of TrekEarth is to learn more about the world through photography
; it uses an encouraging critique system to enable users to comment on each others' photography. In addition to uploading their own images and critiquing those of others, members can upload post-processed workshop images. The site also contains forum
s covering topics ranging from tips and techniques to note-writing.
As of October 2011, the multilingual site hosts over 1,060,207 photographs from 192 countries across the world. TrekEarth is also related to its sister sites TrekLens and TrekNature, which cater to the creative and nature communities of photographers.
All photographs in TrekEarth are under the copyright
of the members. Any use (commercial or not) requires permission. There is no close account option, and users will have no luck in contacting site administrators.
change, causing some members to leave the site .
More recently in December 2009, TrekEarth is considering a paid membership class that removes advertisements and enables members to post more than one photo per day..
s. Other data (usually from the EXIF) are also visible of the photo page, along with other photographs uploaded by the member. TrekEarth does not allow, and actively removes photographs of family or pets. In addition, uploads cannot exceed 800x800 pixels in image resolution
and 300 KB in size. Photographers can if they like also provide the coordinates of the photographing location.
others' photos, and upload up to 2 workshop
s per day. They are also encouraged to elaborate on the techniques used, ensuring that the edit is as instructive as possible
Online community
An online community is a virtual community that exists online and whose members enable its existence through taking part in membership ritual. An online community can take the form of an information system where anyone can post content, such as a Bulletin board system or one where only a restricted...
of travel photographers
Travel photography
Travel photography is a subcategory of photography involving the documentation of an area's landscape, people, cultures, customs and history. The Photographic Society of America defines a travel photo as an image that expresses the feeling of a time and place, portrays a land, its people, or a...
who upload their images to the site. The goal of TrekEarth is to learn more about the world through photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
; it uses an encouraging critique system to enable users to comment on each others' photography. In addition to uploading their own images and critiquing those of others, members can upload post-processed workshop images. The site also contains forum
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
s covering topics ranging from tips and techniques to note-writing.
As of October 2011, the multilingual site hosts over 1,060,207 photographs from 192 countries across the world. TrekEarth is also related to its sister sites TrekLens and TrekNature, which cater to the creative and nature communities of photographers.
All photographs in TrekEarth are under the copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
of the members. Any use (commercial or not) requires permission. There is no close account option, and users will have no luck in contacting site administrators.
History
Trek Earth was created by Adam Silverman in October 2002 as a wider version of his previous project TrekJapan. In May 2009, the TrekEarth website underwent a major user interfaceUser interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
change, causing some members to leave the site .
More recently in December 2009, TrekEarth is considering a paid membership class that removes advertisements and enables members to post more than one photo per day..
Uploading
TrekEarth members can upload only one photograph per day. This limit is intended to ensure quality in the gallery . Members can add a title and a short note describing the photograph. Photo notes on TrekEarth are examples of "word bytes", the textual equivalent of sound bites . The photographs are categorized by location, and can be grouped in themes, or travelogueTravelogue
Travelogue is the second full-length studio album released by the British synthpop band The Human League, released in May 1980 before the band achieved any degree of commercial success....
s. Other data (usually from the EXIF) are also visible of the photo page, along with other photographs uploaded by the member. TrekEarth does not allow, and actively removes photographs of family or pets. In addition, uploads cannot exceed 800x800 pixels in image resolution
Image resolution
Image resolution is an umbrella term that describes the detail an image holds. The term applies to raster digital images, film images, and other types of images. Higher resolution means more image detail....
and 300 KB in size. Photographers can if they like also provide the coordinates of the photographing location.
Critique System
The critique system enables users to comment on each other's uploads. Quality of critiquing is strongly encouraged, and replies to critiques can continue in discussion forums about the photograph. The critique system also enables users to give each other "points", which are shown next to the member's user ID. Members can also rate the usefulness of each others critiques; these "usefulness" points can accumulate into Silver or Gold icons, reflecting the ability of the member to write critiques or notes, or edit workshop photosWorkshops
Members can post-processImage editing
Image editing encompasses the processes of altering images, whether they be digital photographs, traditional analog photographs, or illustrations. Traditional analog image editing is known as photo retouching, using tools such as an airbrush to modify photographs, or editing illustrations with any...
others' photos, and upload up to 2 workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
s per day. They are also encouraged to elaborate on the techniques used, ensuring that the edit is as instructive as possible