Replace Approvers' Choices with Members' Choices
There has been discussion recently on the rating system, and this is currently under review. Let us also consider ACs.
ACs probably generate more comments per image on average than non ACs.
Sometimes another image in a series will generate higher scoring from members than an AC in the series.
Many members, and I am purely guessing here, look at and comment on the AC gallery and ignore the weather and outdoor galleries. As a result, many excellent photos may be totally ignored.
There is, amongst some members, a conception that approvers give preference to the posts of other approvers.
Approvers are guided by the requirement:- “If you feel the image is above average quality and a photo that you might find in a magazine, then submit a "Yes" vote. Do not feel obligated to choose an image for Approvers' Choice. As this is not a popularity contest, the photographer should not be a factor in your consideration.” However there are occasions when an approver will look at an image which does not meet the prime requirements and, knowing who the photographer is, they will nominate it for an AC because it is better than a lot of that photographer’s other images. It may be felt that the photographer needs encouragement. However, this can be sending the wrong message to the photographer.
To rectify these possible shortcomings let's do away with Approvers' Choices and institute Members' Choices. These would be generated automatically by the system. The numbers will need refining, but let's say that if an image generates at least 150 members' points (e.g. 15 10s; or 12 10s, 2 9s, and 2 6s; or whatever) it will be shown in the Members' Choice Gallery. (150 points may be too low.) If a subsequent image in the same series ends up scoring more points it automatically becomes the one with the blue border. The Members' Choice Gallery will have 100 images in it. Each time a new one makes the grade the oldest gets dropped off.
This means that an image will really have to stand on its own feet, and will need to have wide appeal, before it gets selected for the Blue Border and the Gallery. I realise that some folk will still just look at the Choice Gallery - they let others do the work for them - but at least all images will have started out equal and one will not get a head start just because it happens to appeal to 5 approvers. It also means that slammers get to add to a photo’s points, even if they give it only a 1.
There is always the chance that someone with multiple handles will vote their way in to the Members’ Choice Gallery, but they would need to be pretty desperate. And if it is obvious that some crappy shots from the same photographer are getting there, I am sure that Admin could check on who has been voting for that photographer and could easily rectify the problem.
Please give this your serious consideration.
fotomacc
shared this idea
7 comments
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janetlorraine
commented
I love browsing through the photos for pleasure and as a way to discover more of the world. I also love seeing what's happening weatherwise in other places and seeing wildlife common to locations I'll probably never make it to. I'd hate to miss seeing photos that might not be art-worthy but share a photographer's experience with me. Having said that, I think a trial run of maybe having top 5 member choice photos per day per gallery (in addition to keeping the AC awards) would be interesting. Do a pilot of it and let members vote on how they like it. If enough like it, keep it.
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luvne32
commented
I like Summer's ideas. Allow viewers a Pick of the Day in both Outdoor and Weather galleries, but definitely keep the Approvers. The system will never be perfect. Of course, those who interact more will get more comments from friends, and also from others since Comments give the photo more exposure and people enjoy the interaction. This is just life. Some folks have the time & interest in making Comments, others don't. // We all know that the timing of upload determines which of your day's photos may get an AC. Ie, if you don't upload your best or favorite first, Approvers may still like your "second best" if you upload it first. So if a "better" image is uploaded later, but a prior got an AC, that is the uploader's issue, not the Approvers. // Again, it is dishonest to display 10 votes when in reality only #7-10 actually determine a score. // Furthermore, if viewers feel that a photo is under-rated (or over-rated), they can affect the score the fewer the votes posted, and may vote high just to boost the score.
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kippic
commented
I agree with Summer in that the Members Choice could just become a big popularity contest. The ratings seem to be a bit like that now. I think something to keep in mind about all this is the number of photos uploaded every day. There are so many that a system of members choice might not work so good. Also keep in mind our directive to not consider the up-loader in choosing the AC. How would that work with members choice when they would vote their 10s and 9s and whatever only for their best friends? It couldn't be as well controlled.
Also I like the idea of the photo of the day from the ratings numbers. That sounds like an interesting way to give the member something to vote on. That could be done in place of the mobile gallery or just added. -
Okiemom
commented
Here's another idea. Make one big gallery for all photos, or keep the separate ones for weather and outdoor. No AC. Keep the vip. Admin will still have the World View gallery to highlight their favorite weather shots every week. Allow ratings and comments. Approvers get to archive or reject, as appropriate, anything they think is not almost close to ac quality. That means essentially everyone gets an ac on every picture that is in the galleries. I don't think it's the ratings that really bother people. I think they think that's how they get ac's. Have a friend that has quit posting because she would rather have a lower score than to think no one even saw the picture. We keep talking about learning from the site. The only way members know what people think is with ratings. Most are not going to slam a photo publicly and I won't either. Would need to change the uploads page so that they know an 8 is not a slam. It gets in the gallery. That's using the idea that 5 is average. All photos that meet the would not be rejected for content now would go into the uploader's personal gallery and into location galleries, as they do now. Great shots wouldn't be missed because there was so much junk around them they were just missed. This would also allow for another 100 photos in the galleries since the 100 in AC would not be duplicating the ones in the regular galleries.
Having said this. Nothing is perfect and the current system is fine with me. I'm afraid a member driven AC gallery would bring out the worst in a bunch of past school yard bullies. And do you remember the clicks that some have complained of? There would be no controlling that with the popular vote.
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CythiaSue
commented
How about no vote without a comment.
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CythiaSue
commented
I think it works the way it is.
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CameraDiva
commented
I don't think that the AC gallery should be eliminated or replaced by popular vote photos. I think that pics could end up getting selected by whoever has the biggest fan club and it would then place too much emphasis on the voting and photog. popularity rather than the quality of the shot...which goes against managment direction about how it shouldn't be a popularity contest. You often see that the less known photographers in the AC gallery have just a few comments and just a few votes. Those who interact and upload a lot in the gallery usually have lots of comments and votes vs those who don’t and yet how many friends you have shouldn’t be considered when selecting an AC.
Here's an idea! Maybe the Mobile gallery could be absorbed by the weather and outdoor gallery since mobile cameras are as good or better than regular cameras and it could be replaced with a PHOTO OF THE DAY gallery where one outdoor and one weather shot makes photo of the day based on the most votes. The weekly Photos the of Day could be displayed in there.
