I consider myself to be only an average amateur photographer but I am very pleased at the opportunities that Flickr gives us for sharing not only photos but also ideas and encouragement. I am particularly pleased at the positive comments from fellow photographers; especially from those who clearly know what they are doing better than I!

Because I am disabled, and use an electric mobility scooter, most of my photos are of pavement-side views such as flowers in suburban gardens; but if you look at photos I have faved, you will see that I love to look at other people's shots of motorway intersections, scuzzy post-industrial wastelands and dodgy back alleys. I'm so glad that others feel it's important to go to such places and immortalize them.

I notice that many flickrers upload many thousands of photos, irrespective (in my opinion) of quality, and fave many thousands more. I feel that selectivity in these areas is important. I'm trying to keep my photostream in the lower hundreds, and my faves under a thousand. It's tempting to try to photograph the whole world and save the entire internet, but appreciation has to be balanced with selection. (God, am I really that pompous?)

Decades ago, my mother, who barely knew what a camera was, told me: don't cut off people's heads or feet, and don't photograph someone with a tree, telegraph pole or lamp-post behind them so that it looks as if it's growing out of their head. Our family album and 'shoe-box' did indeed contain some such absurdities. For example, one fabulous photo of my brother-in-law has an armadillo sitting on his head. It was actually a picture of an armadillo on the wall behind him; but you get the idea.

She also said: don't lean over backwards to fit in the top of a high building. It will look as if the building is falling over backwards. (She might have added that one risks falling over backwards oneself.)

Early on, I took advice from Paul Gannon. Thank you Paul. More recently, I have received faves from highly regarded photographers Bart van Damme, Jack B and Fred Hoerr, all of whom have had their work commented on in the press. What greater accolade?

I was advised to put photos into groups, to increase their visibility. It seems to have worked.

(( P.S. I notice that some Flickrers have "disabled the downloading" of their photos. Being a disabled person myself, I have not added to the sum total of disability by disabling the downloading of "my" photos. They are of the world. They are the world. They are for the world. They are the world's. They are for you. They are yours. Enjoy! ))

Ralph.