We have begun developing our new Photo Platform for RunSignUp. There are two key pieces of new architecture that we are using as we build out this new platform, and they are cool for tech geeks.
As mentioned in the 2016 Roadmap, we are developing an open platform for photos for race websites. We anticipate integrations with leading platforms like MarathonFoto, Gameface and new innovators like Pic2Go. The platform will also support connections to photo libraries such as Flickr, Google and Instagram. In addition, we will be providing a mechanism to upload photos to be stored on RunSignUp. We will be providing multiple display options as well as pricing options ranging from free, to pre-buying access, watermarking with sponsor logos, etc. We will also allow for tying photos to results in various ways, which will allow for interesting promotional capabilities.
There are two key areas we are using new technology in this platform – storage of the MetaData (race, bib, name, time, location of photos, etc.) and the processing of photos especially if your race is using RunSignUp to store and display the photos rather than a partner like Instagram or GameFace or MarathonFoto.
We have selected Amazon AWS ElasticSearch for our Meta Database. This will allow a very dynamic set of metadata to be stored and searched quickly and in a scalable manner. This will allow us to create RunSignUp applications like a link in a Results Listing to images of each runner for example.
The second part of the architecture is Amazon AWS Lambda. This is a new way to deploy applications in a Serverless mode (which is growing in popularity and represents the next generation of computing). We will use Lambda for a variety of functions – for example storing the Metadata when an image is uploaded, resizing photos, watermarking photos, sending photos to Google Vision for automated bib tagging, etc.
There will be a number of Lambda functions we will develop – like create thumbnail image, set watermark, scale image for mobile display, etc.
The RunSignUp Photo Platform is a very large project, but we will be able to create a very scalable, robust system much more quickly by using this new generation of technology. We can’t wait to bring it to you!
This sounds good. We (Oregon Road Runners Club) store all of our club event photos using the SmugMug service – we hope you’ll add it to your list of supported external photo storage services.
SmugMug is on our list. They have a good API, and that should fit into our architecture.