To look or not to look, that is the question

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[dddphoto]

So I am curious at what it takes to get people on this forum to look at an image? I know most people do not like to make written comments, but what about just looking at an image? If you look at the stats on images posted here you will see most have 50-200 or more views, then you have those handful of images that get less than 10-20 views.

Obviously no one can know what the image really looks like without actually viewing it, so it must be something to do with the subject, title or maker. It might be that some people only look at an image with lots of previous views, but that is sort of a catch 22 situation isn't it.

Could it be that early on people were interested and now they are losing that interest?

Any ideas out there?

David W. Kesner

[SpiffyPix]

Hi David -

I don't get it myself.  I frequent http://www.photosig.com.  There is an HDR category there and I get tons of feedback and views there.  Yet here, on a website that only deals with HDR, it's hard to get views, much less feedback.  We have almost 300 members, yet people aren't very involved with the galleries where the photos are posted (creationist/purist).

Any suggestions on how to improve viewership? 

Melanie

[onearmivan]

Heh, good question David. Same as you and Spiffy I don't understand why some images get views and some not - it is weird since there's no way you can know what the image is without looking (in my case sometimes I don't know what the image is even after looking at it if people post too small photos - heh).

Speaking for myself, I have never been interested in cars, motorcycles, planes... and all the transportation "stuff" (I find them boring despite being a male - lol), so I tend not to look at photos of them.
Also, few members here post too small images, images I can't see well nor can I enjoy looking at a photo just a bit bigger than a stamp - heh.
But other than that I like to take a look at every photo before deciding whether it's worth commenting or not. Only logical to me.

In my opinion, having a forum/place strictly dealing with one subject/form might be a problem. Most people - I think - like to look or take "normal" photographs and only sometimes venture into HDR (me included - with me it's mostly laziness to process photos after though), and in that I find the reason why there's no more views and posts here.

[SpiffyPix]

In my opinion, having a forum/place strictly dealing with one subject/form might be a problem. Most people - I think - like to look or take "normal" photographs and only sometimes venture into HDR (me included - with me it's mostly laziness to process photos after though), and in that I find the reason why there's no more views and posts here.

But even if you assumed a tenth of our membership were hard-core HDR people, as opposed to casual, you would hope they would be more involved.  Heck, I need to be more involved!  I get pulled away in different directions and sometimes get sidetracked. 

[dddphoto]

All I can say is that I look at every image and every post on this board. However, I rarely comment as I don't feel my opinion is worth much whether it be praise or criticism *{;-)

[onearmivan]

... However, I rarely comment as I don't feel my opinion is worth much whether it be praise or criticism *{;-)

And that's where you're wrong, David.

Every C&C is welcomed (every attention to your work feels good, as you know I'm sure), especially coming from a good photographer as you clearly are.

[dddphoto]

Well Ivan, I guess I will have to make an effort to post more on others images.

[jkphoto]

David, I am also one to check out all the images here, and I too, do not leave very many comments.  Those that do strike me as spectacular work, I do leave messages, BUT, that doesn't mean that the ones I don't comment on are poor images. I guess my issue is I dont want to offend anyone by saying I see a flaw (to me) in their image. 

John

[SpiffyPix]

... I guess my issue is I dont want to offend anyone by saying I see a flaw (to me) in their image. 

John

But how does someone improve their work if we don't offer (and receive) constructive criticism?  I welcome it.  Sometimes I stare at a photo for so long (while working on it) that  I miss things that are obvious to others.

And David, you're a talented photographer.  We are lucky to have your contributions!

[onearmivan]

... I guess my issue is I dont want to offend anyone by saying I see a flaw (to me) in their image. 

John

But how does someone improve their work if we don't offer (and receive) constructive criticism?  I welcome it.  Sometimes I stare at a photo for so long (while working on it) that  I miss things that are obvious to others.

And David, you're a talented photographer.  We are lucky to have your contributions!

Exactly.

And very true!

[bittermonk]

David, Melanie, et al,

Make it EASIER to select and review the uploaded photos?  Place them together as thumbnails into a Gallery page?  That way one could preview selections, only click on and open those which provoke interest.  The way it now is, it's very ponderous...having to read a textual description / "caption", then opening each image one-by-one...sorry, who has time for that?  I don't know if this forum GUI will permit such a thumbnail gallery approach, but IMHO, that's what is needed to facilitate interaction and greater input.  As it now exists, it's just too "clunky" for viewing.  I know I was trying to pick my way through some images this morning, commenting as I went, and thinking "gawd this takes forever!"  About that time I opened some horribly soft-to-blurry thing which did not possess an element which would lend itself to a proper HDR effect, and I felt ripped off, like I was wasting my time.  If I could have seen a preview or thumbnail image of this particular photo, I would never have selected to see a larger version. 

That's my two-cent's worth...

[SpiffyPix]

Rick, I think your idea is a good one (make the site similar to photosig.com), but I just don't have the knowledge base to pull that off.  I know there is some open source/php stuff out there to make it happen, but I'm just not capable.  If anyone can go here http://gallery.menalto.com/ and make heads or tails of it, lemme know.

If there is someone out there that is willing and capable to write the code to make it happen, then I'm all for it.  Until then, we'll have to live w/this clunky system.   Sorry, folks...