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From PHOTOGUIDE.JP
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PHOTOGUIDE.JP FAQ
- What is PHOTOGUIDE.JP?
- As our slogan, "JAPAN: In Pictures & English," implies, it is (or will be) a Web site serving as an image-rich guide to Japan in English. It is a project in progress started in 2005 by Philbert Ono, a photographer based in Tokyo, Japan.
- The site is driven by and consists of three main sections: Photos, Articles, and News. Each section is driven by a different system so the design and layout looks different. Photos is our online photo gallery, Articles is where you find in-depth articles, and News provides site news and announcements.
- Note that for some reason, Internet Explorer for Windows is unable to properly display most pages at the Photos section. I recommend using Firefox (which is free and works great) or another Web browser.
- Since I just started, the site is still largely under construction. It will probably take 10 years worth of spare time to reach the level of site development I would be happy with.
- The main objectives of this site are:
- To showcase my pictures of Japan.
- To write about Japan and my travel experiences here and offer travel tips.
- To help people understand Japan better.
- To entice more people to visit Japan.
- In doing all of the above, to study and learn about Japan on a much deeper level than ever before.
- What motivated me to start this site was:
- I have a lot of pictures of Japan doing nothing but living in shoe boxes and hard drives. It's high time that I give them a little exposure.
- Even the best travel guide books on Japan cannot show that many pictures of Japan and do not cover what I think should be covered.
- Online travel guides also do not have that many photos and do not explain things in depth.
- I like to take pictures of Japan, and I like to write.
- I tried doing something like this on Wikipedia, but I kept running into endless (and mostly useless) arguments about style, etc., and unnecessary editing by amateur or non-expert writers or vandals.
- I think that I have spent enough time (10 years) on my other Web site called PhotoGuide Japan and want to pursue a more exciting project. (I will still be maintaining PhotoGuide Japan and its online business, but there are no plans for major improvements or expansion.)
- PHOTOGUIDE.JP is also a sister site to my first baby (now all grown up) called PhotoGuide Japan, the world's leading guide to photography in Japan since 1996. Since the two sites share common resources, you might sometimes see the PhotoGuide Japan logo instead of the PHOTOGUIDE.JP logo.
- Who's Philbert Ono? Never heard of him.
- I work as a translator, photographer, and online bookseller. I'm a Japanese-American originally from Hawaii.
- Since 1996, I have been working on PhotoGuide Japan at photojpn.org to provide information about photography in Japan. Now, after 10 years, I have a strong desire to write about Japan and show my images of Japan. I hope to spend the next 10 years working on PHOTOGUIDE.JP until it reaches a world-class level like photojpn.org for Japanese photography. In the process, I hope to vastly expand my knowledge of Japan and also help promote tourism in Japan.
- Why am I doing this? Well, it's mostly a labor of love. I'd rather spend my life doing something that benefits people in practical ways. I've always believed in public service, not necessarily in government, but doing something beneficial for the public.
- How often is the site updated?
- The site updated on an irregular basis. New images and updates are announced on the News page.
- What is the roadmap for this site?
- The PHOTOGUIDE.JP online photo gallery first broke ground in 2004, and after a testing period, received major infusions of images from 2005. More images of Japan for all 47 prefectures will be added in the thousands by me and other invited or volunteer contributors.
- Ultimately, I hope to have images of every prefecture, city, town, and village of Japan. And not only images, travel articles and other information complementing the images will be provided. All in English.
- Is the Web site address PHOTOGUIDE.JP or photoguide.jp?
- You can type it in either all capital letters or lower case letters. However, we like to spell it with all caps to distinguish it from our sister site, PhotoGuide Japan
- How can I contribute to PHOTOGUIDE.JP?
- You are welcome to contribute images or articles. You will not be paid, but if your images are approved, they will be fully credited in your name and Web site (if any). Contact Us to send me email.
Photos FAQ
- How are the images organized and how do I search for images?
- The images are mainly organized by geographical location. The image navigation bar (in blue) at the top of each page reflects the geographical location. You first see the Home link, then the name of the prefecture, followed by the city/town/village or place. The Home link shows a list of all the prefectures, cities, towns, and villages which currently have pictures on PHOTOGUIDE.JP.
- All images are organized into categories and albums. The categories (such as prefecture, city/town/village) are reflected in the image navigation bar (in blue) at the top of the page. These categories contain albums which in turn contain the images themselves. Thus, a category is a group of albums, and an album is a group of images.
- Each category (and subcategory) shows thumbnails for the albums it contains. When you click on an album thumbnail, you will see thumbnails of the images inside the album. Click on a thumbnail image to see the larger picture. You can then click on the Previous/Next arrow buttons to view more enlarged images in the album. You can also click the slideshow button to view the album's images as an automated slide show. However, the image titles and captions will not appear in the slide show.
- You can also search for images using key words. Click on the Search link in the site navigation bar (in white) at the top of the page. Each image at PHOTOGUIDE.JP has key words such as the place name, temple name, season, etc.
- Finally, the PHOTOGUIDE.JP link in the the site navigation bar provides subject-oriented categories such as festivals, castles, geisha, etc.
- How many images are online?
- Click on the Photos Home link and scroll to the bottom of the page. You can then see the current number of images (files), albums, and categories. There are thousands of images.
- Can I upload my pictures or make my own online gallery at PHOTOGUIDE.JP?
- Sorry, PHOTOGUIDE.JP is not a public photo gallery. However, as mentioned above, you can contribute images if they are approved. Contact us.
- How can I buy or rent your images?
- Most images are available for sale (prints) or rent (on Web sites, books, magazines, etc.). Contact Us to inquire.
Articles FAQ
- Your Articles section looks similar to Wikipedia.
- Yes, it uses the same software as Wikipedia. However, it is not a Wiki where you can freely create new articles and edit existing articles. Anyone can view our articles, but only sysops can login and create and edit articles.
- How can I write or edit articles at PHOTOGUIDE.JP's Articles section?
- Contact us and tell us what you want to write. If approved, your article will be uploaded and your name will appear in the article as the writer.
News FAQ
- What kind of announcements do you post at the News section?
- Whenever we uploaded more images or new articles, they will be announced there. New articles will also be announced on the Articles main page. New photos are also announced at PhotoGuide Japan.
