MicrostockGroup

Agency Based Discussion => Mostphotos.com => Topic started by: Magnum on June 07, 2008, 02:45

Title: Need professional opinions!!!
Post by: Magnum on June 07, 2008, 02:45
There´s a tread at the MP Forum http://www.mostphotos.com/forumviewthread.php?thread=1049

We need to come up with a new way for voteing that brings the right photos to the top.  The best way would for sure be reviewers, but I guess that is currently not an option.

It´s a democratic site, so what we come up with is important!

Let´s give them our proffesional thoughts
Title: Re: Need professional opinions!!!
Post by: runamock on June 07, 2008, 06:43
Agreed it would be good to have a bit of a debate on this question. I think MostPhotos is an interesting site but the voting and ratings cause problems.

I have given my opinion on the link that Magnum has left, but If the site for whatever reason can’t provide reviewers it would be good to put forwards some constructive ideas for a solution to the problem.

Then again you may like things as they are!
Title: Re: Need professional opinions!!!
Post by: fotografer on June 07, 2008, 08:14
I hope that they decide to scrap the ratings as I will then seriously consider uploading my portfolio there.
Title: Re: Need professional opinions!!!
Post by: snurder on June 07, 2008, 09:20
No matter how many "rules" or guidelines you try to impose, there will always be those that are there just to muck things up. The snipers will still attack because they have little else to do with their time. Best just to dispose with it.

It's just like the keyword spam guidelines - thera are those who will just do it anyway.
Title: Re: Need professional opinions!!!
Post by: madelaide on June 07, 2008, 18:27
We need to come up with a new way for voteing that brings the right photos to the top.  The best way would for sure be reviewers, but I guess that is currently not an option.

There had been similar discussions in SP in the past, and I got tired of defending image submission.  People who are serious about photography mostly agreed.  A few of them argued that sometimes a low-quality image sold.  But then there were the people with mediocre images but who believed they are masterpieces, and who often complain about low ratings, and they defended the current no-review model often using as an argument that art is not so easily judged.

Which I agree, except that I don't see art in an unfocused macro with vignetting on a white background that turned out grey....  ;)

Regards,
Adelaide
Title: Re: Need professional opinions!!!
Post by: runamock on June 08, 2008, 08:12
In the absence of reviewers and the ratings, would there any way to get the best pictures to the front pages of a search. I can’t see many buyers wading through pages of mediocre shots to find the one they want – I would rarely go past the 5th page of a search on Google.

This could all be academic as the owners may have other ideas, but they do advertise themselves as democratic!

Title: Re: Need professional opinions!!!
Post by: MicrostockExp on June 08, 2008, 08:22
The way I would see it is made a review  at the entrance to assess the quality of the  photographer with less say 10 pictures for the initial submission, then no review for the subsequent submissions , make sense?
Too bad it is too late to implement that at MP...
Title: Re: Need professional opinions!!!
Post by: Lukasphoto on June 08, 2008, 14:28
At least in seems as if MP are willing to remove the impact of votes on the index

http://www.mostphotos.com/forumviewthread.php?thread=1049&page=2

where Arian says

"I suggest for the voting to still be ... But that it wont effect the index. . a lot of members here actually enjoys the votings. It is a part of the community. But like I said I suggest we remove its impact from the index. What do you guys think of that?"

Although it doesn't solve the problems with no reviewers....
Title: Re: Need professional opinions!!!
Post by: madelaide on June 08, 2008, 15:51
The way I would see it is made a review  at the entrance to assess the quality of the  photographer with less say 10 pictures for the initial submission, then no review for the subsequent submissions , make sense?

This was suggested at SP, and also that people should pass a "rating exam" before they could actually rate.  Mind you, when you join SP you are asked to answer a short test that covers the basics of photography, but this is not mandatory.

In their case people buy storage space in the site, so from a commercial point-of-view it is comprehensible that they don't want to drive new members away just because they don't have the slightest clue about aperture, depth-of-field, etc. 

In MP however, since they don't make money unless images sell, it should be advisable that some quality control was introduced.  Not necessarily a picky one, but checking a new photographer's first submissions to see what he can produce.

Regards,
Adelaide
Title: Re: Need professional opinions!!!
Post by: runamock on June 08, 2008, 16:58
Just curious, does anyone have any idea of how many reviewers there would be on a site of a similar size?