Photo Sharing Recommendations?

[Deleted User] · March 2016

I wasn't sure whether or not to start a whole new thread on this, but maybe some recommendations could be helpful to other mommas too. I just started looking for a photo sharing website to use for pictures of baby, mainly for my family and close friends. We aren't huge facebook users, and don't feel entirely comfortable posting lots of baby pictures after she's born. I'm hoping to find something with plenty of space, and ideally free to use, with the option to have a private album only visible to those you invite. Really all I've seen is shutterfly and snapfish, but I'm wondering if there's anything else out there. Anybody have any recommendations for sites you've used/heard of?

ETA I've started looking this early mainly because I've had so many family members ask for belly pics or things we've bought already for the baby, and I don't want to be posting those things to facebook, or constantly sending out group messages! I'm hoping maybe a photo sharing site will help with this, too.

SparkySunshine · March 2016

Dropbox can be invited only I think

LDSJM123 · March 2016

I had a friend that made a private blog through blogspot for this exact reason. You have to know the password (that she created and gives out) to view it. She just uploads the pictures and sometimes a small story or description to go with it.

Y0urm0m · March 2016

There's a free app called photo circle. Only the people who are invited into the group can see pictures that were uploaded and to share pictures that were taken. I've used it for a bachlorette weekend before and it's a great to see all the pictures that are taken.

elenabrent · March 2016

I like dropbox for sharing pictures. I created a private instagram account for the pregnancy/baby stuff so that only people I approve can see the photos. That way they don't have to go out of their way to track the photos down, they're already on a platform they use. We also use shared iPhoto albums for two sides of our family, which has been a great way to share things with specific people.

MrsRo731 · March 2016

We use Flickr - we have all of our photos uploaded automatically from our phones and nice camera and they are only visible to DH and me. Then, we create folders and change the pictures we like most to viewable by our family. You have to specifically add members into the family group so they can view the pictures. Basically we have a Friends group and Family group; family is the only group that is allowed to see any pictures of DD. We don't post much on Facebook and this has really been a great way for us to share pictures with our family without having to send a bunch of imessages all the time.

noelietrex · March 2016

Google photos is free and offers "Shared Albums" where anyone with a google email address can be added and view images from their computer or mobile. My BFF posts very limited baby photos of her son on FB and instead puts the majority in a google photo album. I get notifications on my phone when there are new pics and it's integrated into the iPhone so well it shows up as a shared album alongside all my personal camera albums. It's a great feature and I highly recommend it!

Dubs1978 · March 2016

Two recommendations: 1. If you have Amazon prime, they have free photo storage. Love it. You can share the link and they can download. 2. Notabli app - it is like an iPhone baby book. You can post little videos, photos, quotes...we have used it with my first and it is the best to go back and look at little videos of when she was a newborn. You can add people and it is very private!

DataJane · March 2016

My friend uses something called Lifecake that has like and comment features similar to Facebook. I think it is only free up to a certain point though and then you have to pay for extra storage. Honestly, as long as you are careful you can completely control who sees your Facebook pictures (make specific groups and only share to those people, make their comments private, etc) so I'm not exactly sure what makes a service like Lifecake better but they seem to like it.

Y0urm0m · March 2016

Spin off-

any baby book apps that records pictures, milestones, and stuff like that, that has some cute templates and kinda guides you through it? Ideally one that allows other people to contribute their pictures and stories and you can print it out after the first year?

[Deleted User] · March 2016

Love all the suggestions! @Y0urm0m, thanks for adding that-after reading about some of these apps, I'm thinking a baby book app/website would be kind of awesome too, but I haven't seen anything like that before. Research time!

[Deleted User] · March 2016

I found this article about baby book apps! https://www.babble.com/baby/15-baby-book-apps-for-documenting-babys-milestones/

tigerlilly1983 · March 2016

I have a friend who uses 23snaps- you can comment, like, love etc

Dubs1978 · March 2016

Seriously - love Notabli for the baby book aspect.

whoberry · March 2016

I did a blog through blogspot. You can password protect it. You can also set it up so people can subscribe to your feed over email.

Racso12 · March 2016

I think apple has a photo sharing option, it might be through the cloud. I know my SIL shares pictures of her kids on a photo stream that she shares with her family. I'm not on it but my husband is. So it must be invite only. You would then, obviously, be limited to iPhone/ipad users.

coffeeandcupcakes · March 2016

Not necessarily for just baby books but I love mixbook. You create the whole thing online using their template and then they print it and mail it to you. I've created three family yearbooks and they always seem to have a coupon.