We all like to root for the underdog. Slowly becoming a major contender, the ‘little guy’ Fotki has some amazing features, but is it trying to grow to far too fast?

Navigation
If there is a fault with Fotki, it is that there are just so many options (29 in fact) that users can’t help but be overwhelmed. From the perspective of the person uploading and organizing photos, the interface (see below) could use some better organization, as the array of buttons, menus and folders tend to clutter the interface.

When it comes to the photo viewing experience, most of the navigational clutter is cleaned up. Fotki earns high marks for ease of use on the visitor side, offering options for ordering prints, viewing a slide show, and sharing photos all at the viewer’s mouse click.

Fotki also offers a co-branding option for ‘professional’ photographers and it seems to work very well when browsing photos. The Fotki 2-panel interface simply drops in around your branded wrapper and allows clients to view photographs in a familiar setting. This approach works well all the way until your clients attempt to order prints, but we’ll get to that in the ‘Ordering Prints’ section of this article.

Uploading
Fotki offers quite an array of photo uploading options. Although there are many platform specific choices that operate only on Mac or Windows, I found the best option to be Fotki’s Java Uploader. This uploading tool loads in the web browser and offers an interface much like your file browser. Plus, it is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and Solaris. How’s that for options!

If you’re running Windows 2000 or XP, your best option (and the coolest one I’ve seen yet) is Fotki’s Desktop Client. This little client allows you to upload photographs directly from the Windows file browser without having to log into Fotki using a web browser. It’s quick, easy and allows for on-the-fly resizing of your photos to minimize upload time. Neat!

Once you choose an uploading option, the process moves along quickly, depending of course, on your Internet connection speed.

Sharing Options
Sharing photos is also relatively easy. Sending cryptic links out to your friends and family is not part of Fotki’s game. Instead, they offer you a personal Website URL, such as “johnsonfamily.fotki.com”. Pointing your family to your photo album has never been easier! Well, once people memorize the “fotki” part, that is. You can also easily add password protection, print ordering, and an option to allow downloading of original-size files.

Ordering Prints
Fotki has kept their $0.09 pricing for 4×6 prints in-tact and it remains the best deal out there. Other options abound for print sizes at Fotki, ranging from small wallet prints to 24”x36” posters. Print prices are more than competitive with other major online photo sharing and printing Websites and print quality very good. What Fotki misses on is the other consumer-goods such as t-shirts, mugs, iPod covers, etc. Not necessarily a deal breaker, but worth noting. Watch for a comprehensive print-quality shootout between Fotki and the other major services including Kodak EasyShare, SnapFish and Shutterfly.

As I mentioned earlier, Fotki also offers co-branding with the option to sell your prints, either at cost or at custom set prices. This allows professionals the ability to turn a profit when shooting events that would normally require print order forms. The problem Fotki has, is that these transactions take place outside of your co-branded look and feel, most likely due to SSL encryption requirements, so the user does tend to feel a little uneasy during the ordering process. It also does not help Fotki’s professional-photographer report card that the ordering process does not offer an intuitive shopping flow if users are interested in purchasing multiple prints.

Summary
Wanting to print cards, shirts, aprons, and other crazy photo gifts? You might find yourself better off with a full-service Website such as kodakgallery.com or snapfish.com. Looking for a power-house backend for selling prints? I’d look elsewhere until Fotki cleans up their ordering process.

Update 9/15/08: Fotki does offer mugs and t-shirt printing, and has plans to expand their line of photo-related products (thanks, Nick).

However, despite its shortcomings in these areas, for photographers attracted by the co-branding option as a means of simply sharing images with clients, or those who are looking for a Website to share photos with friends and family, in addition to making glossy or matte finished prints, Fotki has some very compelling options in its corner.

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