IFTTT for Photographers – Save Time and Get Organized

I love technology and innovation, and thanks to it, the amazing things we can do in photography. But, like many photographers, I confess to excessive grumbling about the amount of time spent in front of the computer and away from the camera.  I am always looking for something that shifts the balance from computer timto camera time.  I found IFTTT.com a few years ago and by using it, many of my online "chores" are now automated. It's a tool that saves time at the computer and helps keep me organized, all for the low, low cost of free (my favorite price!).

If you are new to IFTTT, this article will get you started, covering how it works and some of my favorite ways to use it. You may even save enough time to go out and do a little photography for a change!

What is IFTTT?

IF This, Then That (IFTTT), is a one stop online automation shop. IFTTT's purpose is to "automate the sharing of information, notifications or processes which are useful in everyday online life." They offer an online collection of small programs that enable you to connect internet based services, and/or web enabled devices, to each other. For example, if I post a picture on Facebook, IFTTT sees this, grabs a copy, and posts it to my Twitter account. The beauty of IFTTT is the first trigger can set off a chain reaction of events. Not only is the Facebook post shared to Twitter, it can simultaneously be posted to dozens of other sites, logged to spreadsheets, emailed to friends, or even set as the wallpaper on your phone.

Why use it?

It's free, it's easy to use, and it saves time. IFTTT allows me to connect all my internet activities together, so I can keep my social media sites up to date, manage my ever-growing digital photography library, update my portfolios with my latest work, and keep my calendar in sync between business and family. This way I don't miss out on the most important stuff; being a dad, husband, and photographer!

IFTTT, The Basics

There are just two fundamental parts to IFTTT you need to know; Services and Applets.

Services – Any internet connected site, app, or device supported by the IFTTT library. There are hundreds of these on IFTTT, with more being added daily. IFTTT categorizes these by type, like Appliances, Cloud Storage, Social Networks, etc. When you create your IFTTT account, you add the services you want connected. This gives IFTTT access to watch these services for changes, and take automatic actions on your behalf in the form of applets.

Applets – (formerly known as "recipes") These are little programs that connect two or more services together. Applets are made of two parts, a trigger (If This…) and an action (… Then That!). Each of these can have ingredients based on information or features from the service you are connecting. When the conditions for the trigger occur, IFTTT executes the action. Brilliantly simple!

5 Applets That Are Favorites for Photographers

Once you have created your IFTTT account, and connected your services, it's time to start creating applets. I use about a dozen different applets to manage my online life, from posting photos to keeping track of my truck's business mileage. Here are a few examples that are perfect for photographers to get started using IFTTT.

Whether you are new to IFTTT or have been using it for a while, these applets will help you streamline your online presence, organize your business, and help get you back behind your camera instead of in front of your computer.

Jason Hahn Jason is a nature and adventure photographer who has been photographing all the amazing creatures and places this planet has to offer for over a decade. Also a Florida Master Naturalist, he enjoys teaching about photography and the natural world. He currently calls Florida home, with his wife, son, and more cats than he would like to admit. When not writing about himself in the third person, he enjoys sunsets and long walks on the beach while carrying 40 pounds of camera gear. He can most often be found wading through a swamp, hunting down a good burger joint, or enjoying time with his family.

You can find out more about Jason, including his photo workshops, at HahnNaturePhotography.com.

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