How To

How The Wet Lens Works: A Guide to Our Ocean Photography Community

Welcome to The Wet Lens, a dedicated space for surf and ocean photographers to share, connect, and celebrate their art. This guide will help you navigate the platform, understand its features, and make the most of your membership.

Why We Are Different

We have chosen not to integrate with established social media platforms. This means no log-ins via Facebook, Google, or similar services, and no pixels or algorithms from those networks within our coding. Why? Because their intentions and data usage are not always clear, and we want to protect the integrity and independence of The Wet Lens from sch potential intrusions.

You’ll also notice we don’t allow sharing or posting directly to these platforms. This decision reinforces our commitment to creating a space that is purely about the art of ocean and surf photography, free from the noise of external algorithms or advertising agendas.

Key Features of The Wet Lens

  • Photographic Uploads:
    Share high-resolution ocean photography directly with the community, showcasing your best work to a like-minded audience.

  • Video Uploads (Links):
    Share surf and underwater videos by embedding links to platforms like YouTube or Vimeo, keeping video content seamless and accessible.

  • Online Community Forum:
    Engage in discussions, seek advice, share techniques, and connect with other ocean and surf photographers in dedicated topic threads.

  • Special Interest Groups:
    Create and join groups tailored to specific interests such as freediving photography, surf culture, or underwater macro photography, fostering niche communities.

  • Blog Feature:
    Publish and share articles, personal stories, tutorials, or reviews, allowing members to dive deeper into your insights and experiences.

  • Customizable Profile Pages:
    Build a personal identity within the community by tailoring your profile with bio information, portfolios, and favorite uploads.

Note: At this time, The Wet Lens does not accept memberships from commercial entities. Membership is exclusively for individual photographers and those with a deep appreciation for ocean and surf imaging, fostering an authentic, personal, and ad-free community.

Image Sharing: Quality Over Quantity

To upload imagery you will simply see a 'plus' icon in the top right of the latest uploads section. Simply click on that '+' icon and you will then be taken to the upload section. At this time we request that members only post a max of six images per day until we can find our feet with the platform and ensure our servers are handling everything accordingly.

Our community values the power of the photographic image, both as a tribute to the ocean's beauty and as a documentation of surf culture. When uploading your work, please consider:

  • Focus on quality. Share images that best represent your vision and passion.
  • Use tags thoughtfully. Tags make it easier for others to discover related content. Keep tags simple and descriptive, e.g., "Surfer," "Wave Rider," or "Ocean Sunset."
  • Select categories. Each image requires at least one default category for better organization and future searches.

Building Your Profile

Your profile page is your professional storefront within the community. Here are some tips for making it stand out:

  • Use a clear, professional profile picture.
  • Write a bio that reflects your photographic journey and style.
  • Showcase your best work in your gallery.
  • We discourage overt spamming and self-promotion in the activity feed. We much prefer that your contributions to the community inspires curiosity and organic interest from other members.
  • Please note the Wet Lens is more about organic growth as opposed to the immediate and now approach on most social platforms. At the Wet Lens, we take the less noise, more professionalism approach, less is more.

Community Guidelines

Accepted Behavior:

  • Share content that aligns with our mission: celebrating the ocean and surf photography.
  • Engage respectfully in discussions, offering constructive feedback and support.
  • Tag and categorize your images properly to enhance the community’s search functionality.
  • Report inappropriate content or behavior promptly to the moderation team.

Prohibited Behavior:

  • Spamming or overly self-promoting your profile, content, or external links.
  • Harassing, trolling, or engaging in inflammatory discussions.
  • Posting content unrelated to surf or ocean photography.
  • Sharing copyrighted material without proper permission.

Members who violate these guidelines may have their accounts suspended or removed from the community. On that note, we don't ban people based on their emails or membership names, we ban the IP Address associated with that member. This means that banned member will have to use another machine in another location to log on. If such behavior is detected we will again ban that IP Address and so on so forth. 

Help Us Improve

Your feedback is vital as we refine The Wet Lens before its public launch. If you encounter issues, have suggestions, or notice anything that could enhance the user experience, please let us know. Together, we can make this platform the perfect home for ocean and surf photography enthusiasts.

Thank you for being part of this journey. We’re thrilled to see the creativity and community spirit you’ll bring to The Wet Lens!