Hi everyone,

I'm considering setting myself up a little business providing image retouching for publishers and designers. (I'd love to be self-employed, but gee it's hard to take that leap - especially with a family and a mortgage!)

Anyway, obviously I'd need a way for clients to send me their files. Presently when people send me just one or two images, I tell them to use mailbigfile.com or yousendit.com. That's ok for single files, but not practical for multiple files.

What options are out there for me? Do I need to set up my own FTP server, or are there web-based solutions?

(For really big batches, I'd insist on a disk, of course)

Thanks.

There are hosting services that will rent you all kinds of space. Most will allow you to set up folders that can be accessed via std browsers. Most clients do not want to use FTP clients these days.
Regards, Murray

Thank you Murray, that's food for thought. Can you point me to an example of this? I've only ever dealt with FTP, when I've sent files to printers etc. Perhaps Australia is lagging behind the times ...

Damo, I sent you a PM.
Regards, Murray

I'd go with FTP (which we still do over here in Europe). Professionals know how to use FTP and like it. For customers who don't have or don't know how to use a standalone ftp-client program there's the option of using any webbrowser (yes it works with passwords too - although it's not exactly smart securitywise e.g. due to browser history).

If you have a static IP address it's real easy to set up. Especially if you buy a piece of dedicated hardware for it - which is dirtcheap these days.. That could be a product like TheCus N2100 but there are plenty more to choose from.

You could take an old computer and make an FTP server in your house, that way you dont have to redownload the file from an external FTP service. If you have a mac running OSX, it's very very easy to set up a basic FTP server. You could also tie it into your website for web based FTP transactions, and there's no fee to pay. However paying a 3rd party service would be easier. If you do have OSX and want to do that let me know I have some links to video tutorials for that.

Also if you do go with a home FTP, here is some software that creates a web based PHP FTP client, not sure how good it is.

http://www.mywebftp.com/

Also there's plenty of free PHP based web FTP clients if you google for "web based FTP " , they really lose me though :) One thing about using a web based FTP server with large files become unstable, under 10mb should be ok. You could also make a video tutorial for unexperienced users to show them how to use a freeware FTP client.

Hope all goes well with your website and side business.

make sure you have a good, reliable internet connection as well. don't know what it's like in your parts.

if you work with designers and stuff, they'll more than likely ask for .psds, and hirez can take a couple hours.

what i currently have in ny sucks big time.

...if you work with designers and stuff, they'll more than likely ask for .psds, and hirez can take a couple hours.

what i currently have in ny sucks big time.

Sheesh a couple hours stinks! Are you on DSl or dialup? I live in the boonies and have to use Cingular's aircard with an antenna, and with 4/5 bars I get 170-200 kbps download on average, not sure on upload but it's faster than satalite. I can download a 800mb file in an hour and a 40mb file in like 4-5 min....Not as good as a 10mb cable line but it's all I can get here. If cingular works well in your area you might want to try that.

Gee, if your connection is inadequate, then I'm doomed! In Australia, we are waaaaay behind the technology. I've heard you have connections 100 times faster than ours. I don't know if that's true.

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. Talk of PHP and stuff scares me a little, so I'll probably find someone who can handle it for me...

i have time warner cable....it's all we got right now 'til verizon fios is available.

it's not bad at times, but the inconsistency is what gets to me, and trying to get them to come over if there's a problem is the real hassle.

would love to learn PHP. got bigger fish to fry at the moment, but down the road i would love to be able to program my site, with soom functions and stuff. it's a pain in the ass trying to showcase your work without a zoom. unless your page is full of big time photo names, and celebs!