Flickr’s community has always been at the heart of what makes it special. Our members are photographers, artists, storytellers, and visionaries who come together to inspire and support one another. It’s a culture built on respect and collaboration, not the performative pressures of “likes” or fleeting viral trends.

Whether you’re entering one of our photo contests, engaging with others in a niche photography group, or exploring our Photographer Spotlight series, you’ll find a platform built to celebrate your work and creativity. Flickr members continue coming to Flickr to find their chosen community and much of that community building is done through connections provided through Flickr groups. 

Find a group, any group

Flickr groups come in a variety of sizes, subjects and purposes. Contest groups, for example, challenge photographers to present their proudest photographic achievements which leads to beautiful community curated collections where Flickr members applaud each other, while onlookers appreciate the Flickr community at its finest. Our annual Your Best Shot contest brought out over 12,000 Flickr members this year which culminated in a collection of almost 10 thousand photos. These contest groups not only offer prizes for the winners but also introduce your work to a wider audience leading to an increase in views, favorites, engagement and sometimes new friends.

Creators on Flickr aren’t just joining in some friendly competition through contest groups, they are regularly meeting in niche Flickr groups that are built to encourage sharing photos, shared experiences, a common love for a specific genre and more. Flickr groups like these are where the creator community truly flourishes.

Whether photographers are participating in themed photo challenges, arranging local photowalks and meet ups or simply discussing a shared appreciation for astrophotography, Flickr is the gathering place where photographers can find moments of connection and collaboration. 

Getting started with Flickr Groups

Looking to find your own community on Flickr? We have some tips for getting started! A quick search for theme focused Flickr groups can be done via the search bar at the top of your site.  When those results show up, we’ll provide a drop down menu that will help you tweak those results further to allow a quick sort based on: group relevancy, activity, group membership size, oldest, newest or by name.

Flickr has been around for over two decades and groups come and go over time, so if you want to make sure you’re only seeing active groups, hiding inactive groups (with that checkbox) and sorting by ‘activity’ is a great way to get started. Another way to locate interesting and relevant groups is to check out what groups other photographers are participating in. To do that, first, find a photo you love. If the photographer has shared this photo in any groups, those groups will be listed in the lower righthand side of the photo. Click on the link to follow that photo back to the group it’s been shared to and maybe you’ll find a new community for yourself there. 

Join the Movement Back to Authenticity

With algorithms dominating social media and directing people toward content and ads the platform wants them to see, now is the best time to redirect your focus to a place that thrives on real community building while appreciating the passion and artistry that the community holds dear. Leaving a platform where you’ve invested time and energy isn’t easy, but more photographers are making the move every day, back to spaces that align with their values. Flickr is proud to be one of those spaces. 

Rediscover the joy of sharing, connecting, and growing as a creator on your terms. 

Written by: Crystal D., Director of Marketing, Flickr and Josie P., Flickr Community Content Manager

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