- 1). Create your blog. You can turn any existing blog that you already have into a photo blog. You can also make a photo blog for free by using a service such as Google's Blogger software. Set up a Wordpress blog by using Fantastico if you want to own your domain name.
- 2). Choose a photo-friendly template for your blog. The purpose of a photo blog is to show off your photography, so make it the focal point of the design. Many themes or templates allow you to change the header to your own artwork. Magazine-style templates offer small bits of text, leaving more room for pictures. Some photo templates have an automatic gallery installed, which will cause your picture to change every time the page is reloaded.
- 3). Beware of bandwidth issues. This affects both your photo blog and your visitors. Large photos can slow down the load time. If you are using a free service to host your pictures, your host may only offer so much storage space. Resize your photos ahead of time, and place thumbnails on your main page. Thumbnails allow visitors to see small representations of your pictures while loading the page quickly. The users can then click on the thumbnail to see a larger version of whichever photos they want to view.
- 4). Add text. If you want your photo blog to rank well in search engines, you'll need to write text along with your pictures. Search engines usually index words instead of pictures. Include blog posts about your pictures to increase your blog's ranking and explain your thought process to visitors. Tag your photos with descriptive words that users might search for.
- 5). Use ALT tags with your photographs. ALT tags are text that will appear on your blog if the image isn't available. ALT tags also help with search engine optimization. Access the ALT function by right-clicking on your photo in the publishing window of your blogging software. Choose the "Edit Image" option. A popup window will appear that allows you to change the size and alignment of your picture. There will also be a space that says "ALT Tag." Depending on the blogging software, you'll also be able to input the ALT tag when uploading your photo. Write the function or context of the photo in the tag.
- 6). Upload your pictures. Use an ftp program to upload your photos to the server. Drag the photos from the computer side of your program to the host side in your ftp software. You can also host your photos on free sites and then paste the code for each photo into your blog post or template.
- 7). Implement a copyright policy. You may want to use a watermark or copyright over your photos so that your work won't be stolen. You can also list your pictures under a Creative Commons license and choose attributes for them so that other bloggers can use your photos. Outline whether you want to be attributed for your work or notified when it is used. You can also select a license that doesn't allow other users to change or alter your work without your permission.
- 8). Use plugins. Plugins, widgets and gadgets will add more dimension to your photo blog. These free add-ons allow you to display your Flickr stream, add a gallery to your sidebar or choose a photo of the day.
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