okay......*gripe....complain* I just uploaded a picture that never made it to the front page and there are TWO IDENTICAL pictures of the same cake there now.....
My spring cake is cute and now no one will look at it!

Another suggestion, if I may.

Also think hard before you upload another Character cake. I mean, just how many Spiderman, Dora or Diego cakes can I look at? lol

Unless it's an unusual technique used.

I am so guilty about not going to the galleries and looking at photos.

If I see something on the front page that catches my eye I will pm my complients to the designer. My comp. goes bonkers at times and kicks me out.

Do you mean the one with the baby Converse All Stars??? I'm so proud of that cake.
As to storage space for pictures, Jackie and Heath keep saying that storage space isn't an issue.
Multiple pictures of the same cakes just aren't necessary, unless they show something totally different, and even then they ask you just post 2 views.

I make my collages in Powerpoint. I posted a thread about that on Sunday but not many folks have seen that either!

Two pictures, different angles is absolutely fine. I agree that dups of exactly the same angle (just closer can be a bit trying.

Great post as have seen many duplicates or many veiws of cakes! It is nice to see everyones cakes get a turn in the new cakes section, as it gets seen most here!

Just going to add my own 2 cents in:

I think posts like these need to be added from time to time as there are always new members joining and not everyone reads or remembers the rules to posting/uploading photos (or other rules for that matter).

In this thread alone at least four people who are new members admitted to not realizing they had made a faux pas and attempted to correct the problem by deleting the dups.

I've also noticed on quite a few occassions that people have posted photos with people holding their creations or standing next to the cakes. I usually just shoot them a short PM explaining the 'problem' and let them know nicely. 98% of the time I receive a PM back and about 99% of those are to thank me because the new member didn't know or realize. I think when people join a site as large as this there is an adjustment period and since we're a community we need to help newbies out a bit and not attack.

[stepping down from my two soap boxes. I'm really short!]

It can get a little confusing about what the official etiquette is on this site, because you can read differing opinions. Just this week, I thought I learned I should thank everyone who helps me on a thread, then that just one thank you would be better for everyone, then back to thanking everyone! So sometimes it is hard to please everyone, for sure!

I would really rather not have posted any pictures. I chose a time to post when I thought not many would see them and I wouldn't knock out someone whose pictures would be much more interesting and helpful. But I went on and posted because: I felt like etiquette dictated that I do so (I'm southern, okay? ) and because I'm a beginner without much talent or experience, and these two things I posted were EASY. So I thought the pictures could help someone like me who LOVES to look at the fancy cakes, and wishes and hopes, maybe someday, but knows there is a lot of distance between here and there!

So, if this were 15 years ago and all I had done were character cakes, I would have probably posted one of those...for the same reason I posted my meager little creations. As long as there is enough server space, that's probably okay, right?

I think sometimes posting multiple pictures comes from the same place that video taping an hour of present opening on Christmas Day does. Seems like a good idea at the time, until you go back and watch it! We all get excited sometimes.

But yeah, I know I need to be reminded of the rules from time to time and the reasons for them. I appreciate those of you who keep me straight!

I am new and have not posted because I do not have a new scanner as of yet. However, I do remember the very first cake that I ever made(using a character pan) and how proud I was of it.
ThanK you for giving even beginning cake decorators a chance to "belong."

Great post, Dinas27/Erin!! I especially like the 'Mom' part, myself!

I agree about the duplicate posting, and I also agree that this is a learning site. Many of us look at the photos of cakes for ideas and maybe to see how it was done, so that we can try it too. I know that I personally use this site for inspiration. I try to post only one pic of my cakes. None of them ever make the front page though. I am not sure why. Anyway, if you look closely at some of those character cakes, sometimes you can see little differences in how it was done. And sometimes that help those of us that are not as accomplished in decorating as others are. It helps us learn. Believe me I need all the help I can get. I really love this site. It has helped me in so many ways.

I have been reading the last few posts and as a new decorator, I too appreciate all the support and comments I have been receiving for my few cakes. I think reguardless of the cakes you have created..if you are proud of them, then POST a photo! Even if it is the 500th version of a character cake. This is not a site for "experienced" decorators only who only do fancy and original cakes. As dinas27 stated, "it is a site for learning, improvement and support." Also, some people only do kids cakes...are they not supposed to post then? I don't think that is very fair.

.....just my two cents...for what's it worth.

Also, being new to the site (and guilty of not reading the fine print), I was unaware of the rule on posting multiple photos of the same cake. I just want to say, I respect this site and the people on it so VERY much. So, I am happy to announce I went back and deleted a few of my photos. Trying to help where I can

Thanks for bringing this up again. I am going to complain too.

I love everyone's cakes and love to see the pictures. However, I am with everyone else. I am tired of seeing the same cake in 3 different views. I think we all get the point on what that cake looks like.

The rule should just be ONE. If I need to see it up close and personal, I will PM the member. It is not fair to upload your picture to be knocked out by 3 of the same cake.

OK, I'm done. I feel better now.

thank you for bringing this up! it's always nice when someone can point something out nicely! It is just a matter of reading the rules!

Wow this is a hot topic I hope I have'nt posted many duplicates. I'am new to the site and pretty much a new baker. I' am only 27 years. I really enjoy getting comments on my pictures. I have been telling everyone about the comments I receive. I never felt that my work was even on the level of many other bakers on this site, so I feel very privaledge when someone makes cooments because I'am still learning.

oh! btw...Heath, Jakie and the moderators already let us know that if you see a duplicate photo you are to press the "report photo" link...it is not a bad thing or an evil thing...JUST DO IT! It saves space on there servers and makes this site faster!

Maybe someone could do an article on how to make a collage for our pictures. Some of us are less computer savy than others and don't know how to make a collage. Please someone???

Melissa

I posted this last Sunday...*lol* hardly anyone read it! But, here you go...how to do a collage in powerpoint.


http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-5897536-.html#5897536


Jodie

I totally agree that collages are the way to go when you may have multiple pictures. I did this recently when I did the cakes for my great great aunts 100th birthday in my photos. I couldn't decide which picture to post so I made a collage. I use powerpoint and adobe photoshop. I recommend powerpoint for those that have it. Photoshop is a lot more complex and probably not for those who are not that into computers.

JanH: thank you for your suggestions. I have found this to be a bothersome topic as well and I did not even think to use the "report photo" button.

I will say this though...What are you doing with my boyfriend's picture up on your profile. Denzel told me that he was only mine!

I agree...I personally am a newbie...but I feel so bad when I post a picture and it never makes it to the front page, and therefore never gets seen. I uploaded one yesterday and that happened.

Please be courteous of others and don't double post, or triple, or quadruple post. lol you get the point !

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought all the photos made it to the homepage. I thought they just rotated from left to right and then off the page to stay in the Uncommented section until commented upon.

I used to think so too, but the past 2 photos I've posted never showed on the front page.

Photos go up in batches, you've probably noticed they only refresh every 5 minutes (or so). To my understanding, the uploading program doesn't have a "queue" to keep a bunch of pics waiting and then upload 6 at a time until the queue is empty. Instead, when the home page refreshes, whichever 6 pics were most recently uploaded end up on the home page. So if you upload when nobody else does, your pic might remain for MANY upload cycles. It's surely happened to me, I had one up there for like 45 mins! Each time a new pic was uploaded it bumped my photo ahead towards the last photo slot until it was finally gone. If three new pics were uploaded in the 5 minute span, my pic advanced by three slots, etc.

But....if someone uploads, say, 4 pics within that 5 minute upload time cycle (even if they're different cakes entirely) and four other people each upload one pic...well that's 8 pics waiting to go on the home page. So only the 6 most recent pics will make it. Of course if 12 people each happen to upload one pic within the same 5 minute window, only the last 6 will be on the home page...so that's why some pics indeed never make it there.

Does that make sense?? BTW I'm not an expert on the topic, it's just my understanding of how the "batch upload" process works.

I agree with the others who say it shouldn't matter what kind of cake it is, nobody should ever feel shy about uploading their cake. I agree about the "comparison/skill improvement" comment - my first cake (which I uploaded 2 views of, naively thinking the 2nd view was wildly informative ) and my most recent show (IMHO) a great deal of progress and I think it's kind of fun to have had the chance to "show off" (ahem) my first cake.

Also remember, sometimes people aren't doing it to get it "seen"...they just want it in their gallery. When I did upload my first two or three cakes I had NO CLUE each might appear on the home page, I thought they just went straight into my gallery. I wouldn't be surprised if most newbies don't realize that (which is why threads like these are important!!) To my knowledge there is no way to "bypass the home page" --wouldn't that be great, you could do that w/your extra pic, and select only ONE to be allowed on the home page, yet you'd still get to keep your nice online gallery. But I think that would be more work than anyone at CC would be interested in programming .

Thanks, ceshell. I don't consider myself a newbie anymore, but I had no idea it worked that way. So again, another good reason for posts like these to pop up periodically.