I think some aspiring doctoral candidate should do a study on the very fickle nature of photograph popularity. I have certainly learned that I can almost never predict when something will catch people's attention, but I have some theories. I like comments on my pictures, but what I like more is views. Just knowing that people take 10 seconds out of their busy day to look at my pictures is one of the things that drive me. But sometimes it really surprises me when a certain picture will be wildly popular and some other picture I feel is more deserving will quickly be swept into the dustbin.
Here are some random thoughts about this
1. Most views come from your followers. The only other way for someone to click on your picture is if they see it on browse latest and you happened to just post it. If you do make the popular page then there is an explosion of views since now people see it.
2. If the picture does not look very interesting when it is shrunk into an icon then people are less likely to click on it, even if your bigger version would reveal some subtle genius.
3. High contrast and high saturation pictures seem to draw people to them.
4. Nature beats nurture. I sometimes feel that photographing nature almost feels like cheating since nature paints the picture and I am just capturing it. And yet that is what my followers seem to really love. Whenever I try to get clever with a staged shot or an object study it turns out to be unpopular.
5. People really like water reflections.
6. Work does not equal popular. I sometimes put hours into picking, scaling, cropping and processing a picture for the day and then get 6 views. Another time I will put almost no work into a picture and have everyone love it.
7. What I like is not necessarily what others like. I should listen to my wife more, because her instincts of what makes an interesting picture are more accurate than my own, even thought I am the one producing the pictures.
I think you got this exactly right. I'd just like to add that I think people are more drawn to animal photos and people photos. In my project, those are the things that seem to get the most attention.
I think its so hard to predict also,Ive had quite a few that have made me think Yeah this is good & not many people seem to agree lol.But your points are very true & everybody seems to love water reflections going from some of my shots.
I would agree. It is extremely hard to predict what may be popular. Don't forget, the 'monkeys' are choosing the popular pictures ;).
I don't put much value in pictures hitting the popular page either anymore as one time there was a dead fly on the popular page. A dead fly! Not to say that it wasn't an interesting looking fly, but for the popular page?
I've had several on the popular page and like you, am always surprised when one makes it over the other. I guess those monkeys can be unpredictable! :)
Thank you so much for posting this, as I, too, was thinking the exact thing.
Just the other day, I put so much effort into my "Chuck Close" portrait. I went out, bought cigarettes for the first time EVER, and took about 50 pictures. I also filled my apartment in yucky smoke and argued with myself as I edited it. I was certain it would be popular.
Then... nothing. The two other self portraits I've taken have been so random and easy. Just a true capture of the moment. Those have madeiot to the popular page.
I think people just like to see ordinary things in a different perspective.
@wndswptlady haha i missed the dead fly but yeah i had one do really well the other week & i was hoping it made the top 20 then realised i had no chance when they come out & i saw the amount of views,comments etc.
Its really a mystery at times,i know animals do well & if you put up a good animal there a pretty big chance i will fav it as im animal daft.
I used to get excited by the popular page but then realised that a shot i saw on it had only a few views & 4 comments so i was confused as to why it was on the pp. @itszaiii I can imagine the smoke filled room,the things we do Im away to look at you shots x
The other day I got a lot of comments on the photo from 1 album while the picture from the other album, with only 9 views, got on the popular page. Go figure. I've given up trying to analyze and have accepted the reality of the Gods of Chance, or should we say, "The Monkeys"?
I noticed it depends more on the forum ! I post here and people seem to like a particular photo...usually something under or over exposed or something else that breaks the rules. I post on another forum, and HDR and heavy Photoshopping is popular ! I also post on National Geographic's site, and heavy post processing is a no-no...the people there want to see SOOC....understandable considering some of the best photography and highest paid photographers in the world post there !!
I agree with you on all the points. A picture that looks interesting in thumbnail is important. I would add some more:
8. Tthe timing of the photo posting. If you post it when people are online, they might see it on the home page before it gets buried. If you post when people are busy, you won't get as many comments, as if you post when people have leisure time. If you post a whole bunch of photos at once, you probably won't get as many comments on each one as when you post over time.
9, If you post comments to pictures or post a message on the message board, your most recent picture will get attention.
I have decided not to let the popularity of a picture be an indication of the quality of the picture. I personally would prefer to know why people didn't like my picture because they didn't like the content (yes I have a photo of a squashed tomato, ) or were bored by the content (card board boxes) or if they didn't like the quality of the photo. But I can generally guess.
interesting topic. i spent a lot of time fretting over getting a photo on the PP but i also had to get over it when i saw photos of birthday balloons or photos taken of other peoples' photos. i was a touch bitter (or envious?)but now i'm not. i'm totally new at this, anyway. that said, macros seem to make a huge impact as well as all that you've stated above. i realize that my work is for me. anything above that is gravy (well, that's my mantra). and if i ever do make the PP, i'm sure i'll still have a big smile on my face.
I've been doing 365 for not even a month, and I've had 2 pictures on the popular page! It's really exciting, but I don't know why some are chosen and some are not. I think it may have to do with the number of comments/views, and whether it catches the attention of the "monkies" or not! :)
I completely agree with #6 (from my own experience)...I'm not sure about #4. I find that staged shots and very processed shots seem to be popular.
Something I've noticed too is that when I get about 25 views (and a couple of faves) really soon after I've posted, sometimes that seems to put it on the popular page which, if it stays there long enough, causes it to get more views. I just noticed that lately...I thought maybe it was a new thing Ross decided to configure to get more "unknowns" on the pop page...
My photographs are taken primarily for myself. I don't consider them 'great' or even particularly good - they're just pictures, snapshots of moments/events in space & time. To that end I prefer 'real' scenes over studio creations.
I like to share my pictures because if just one viewer sees something that makes an image of mine meaningful to them, in whatever way, I have made a connection with that person. That to me is far more important than it just being 'popular'.
'Popular' is also very self perpetuating. If an image for some reason appears on that page then it will get lots of views. Not necessarily because it's a great shot but just because it's a 'popular' shot. I prefer to browse by tag or latest additions to find images that I can relate to based purely & simply on the scene pictured. To be perfectly honest I very rarely visit the 'popular' page.
It's a bit like best selling books. A best selling book becomes ever more popular because it's a best seller (often in the first instance for no other reason than the publisher marketing that title aggressively). That doesn't mean there aren't better books or more meaningful books if you look outside of the best seller lists...it's just that many people seem to associate quality or worth with popularity...and that isn't necessarily the case, although I'm sure many popular shots are indeed great pictures from very capable photographers (covering my ass a bit there).
I'm awful at it. I have picture that I have been super proud of and then it gets seen by 8 people. Then some picture that was just "well, I guess I'll post something" suddenly is the best thing I've done. I'm always shocked when I see one of mine on the popular page. Just the other day my selfie with my knitting around my wrist was looking back at me from the popular page and I thought, really? That one? Still, I giggle when folks like my shots. Perhaps I am improving my skills after all.
I know what you mean when you think people will love a picture and gets hardly any views then another average one gets on the popular page....I just try to remind myself to stop being so self indulgent and be pleased that anyone looks at my pics as I am a hobbyist and fairly new to it. It's easy to feelo down when seeing so many good pics though!
Also, it is important to remember it is a photo a day and therefore cannot and shouldn't always be a good pic. I like to look through people's albumns who have progression or who paint a picture of who they are through their entire project, not just a series of well executed shots
add tags NSFW or artistic nude and you will have a million + hits...
self portraits of some of the lovely younger ladies are popular with the young men...
i find with 365 shots that other people have tried or could try... ie the Moon, ports, sunsets are popular... complex shots which are best viewed printed 20x16, framed and hung fail badly here...
Macros are often popular
You mentioned the over Saturated and Contrast Rich Photos do well here because they look good on a wide variety of monitors (ie LCD, CRT) Something like the cover of 'Back in Black' would never work on this site, great image, but it would never work here because many people would not be able to see the black on black. Of course the famous polar bear in a Canadian Storm does not work either... but I plan on flying out to Hudson Bay this winter to get one!
As to who you need to make happy... make the person who signs the cheque happy first, than you (you could very well be signing your own chq), than other photog, than the public and then the critics and' finally monkeys!
Very interesting discussion... the PP is still a mystery to me. I have VERY few photos that made it up there but I don't have the slightest clue why.
There are a lot of wonderful photos that are not into the PP loop. My guess is that they only have very few followers, like 25 or less, so the views are not that many. The Steve created a link so we can view these "undiscovered gems". There are really, really awesome photos out there.
I don't mind PP much as my photos are not really that good compared to many; and objective-wise that's not what I'm up to. But of course it's inspiring and motivating to know when my photo made it up there. I don't take it seriously, nah, not at all. :-)
hell yeah! some (of mine) I think are just so boring it seems to have the most 'hits' guess that's art for you and not my opinion but the popularist.
As for animals - I don't have any and don't really go in for them unless they have a particular appeal. Thus for those I follow I don't normally comment on animal pix, I am truthful, not a lier.
Re working the pix - don't have the time or the visual creative bent for it.
Water reflections do have appeal, I love them but I do get bored with looking at some and beach shots with 'silky' water or sunsets or sunrises ..... BUT the other 365er's seem to love them so to get more followers I SHOULD give them what they want but I usually go against the grain than go with it ... see the beginning of my 'topless' range ( http://365project.org/misschuff/365/2010-10-15)
I do love being here and seeing the amazing talent and have gotten over the 'why not me' factor and each day I remember why I'm doing this - to improve and document 365 days through my eyes, not the popularist eyes.
Go well everyone and thanks for continuing to share and critique my work.
It has been months since I have been on the popular page and I think I have only been there 3 times if that. Recently I have done what I thought were really great photographs that did not get noticed at all. Like Chris above, I have given up trying to get noticed on this site.
I think it is a popularity contest which depends on
1. Previous popularity because of really great shots
2. How many followers you have
3. how many people you comment on.
4. I have noticed I get more comments on my more colorful items or beautiful scenery when I was in Alaska in June.
@omabluebird I really do agree with you.
I'm not trying to degrade or put anyone down who is on the popular pages or in the Top 20 of the week because I really do love everything that is there. But it does just seem to be all the same people all the time... And it seems to be because of tons of followers.
But I know that isn't the only thing seeing as I have over 300 followers and I've never been in the top 20 lol
But anyways, part of the reason I've given up is because I'll take photos that I really do love and honestly, they never make it to the popular page, or get many comments. I guess it really all has to do with what people like in their photographs. I don't go out and take pretty landscapes or pretty people, so that seems to put me at a disadvantage.
Edit: rereading this a few hours later, I sound like an asshole. x.x
@nyweb - I"m going to sign up to NG to see what's the go there as I usually only do sooc. ta for your input, I have learnt so much here at 365 despite the monkeys and favs and followers.
I remain a leader and refuse to be a sheep and only follow! lol but I'm also a rebel at heart, this my pseudonym.
as for home page! I NEVER go there as I'm always signed in to my 'home - dashboard' then I have to go to the popular page and search. couldn't be bothered, I know why I'm doing this project and if pple like what I do then I'm already popular! to even have 1 follower show's how popular I am. lol
@misschuff ...At NG you will see some of the highest paid photographers from all over the world ! It's a nice change to view everyone's album over there ! BTW....I've never even seen this PP here....where is it ?
I see it now....I guess it's nice.....but I think the popular ones are the ones that get the most comments....that means that all the other newbies and pro's alike here think the shot is good ! To me that's popular !! The only better thing about the PP is that we get to see shots from people we don't follow or haven't seen before !
I guess we're all in the same boat as to why some photos make it & some don't. Followers tell me my photos are on the PP page & that's how I first find out I'm there. I have gone through a week when all my photos landed on the PP & then a dry week to ten days when none did and yet I have not changed or did anything different.
Still, it's a great feeling to know other people like one's photos but I don't bother to go into a lot of trouble to get a shot that would end up on the PP. It's got to be something that I personally like & is usually what I have seen in the last few days that have struck me as beautiful, interesting, a moment worth catching and sharing. If it lands on the PP, it's just a bonus.
@icywarm - no notification of being on the pp - one has to stalk it all the time to know they are there OR some lovely person may put the info on image as comment.
What an interesting discussion. I am very new to this, have very few followers and follow very few. I suppose it would be nice to get a photo on the PP page but then I'm only on here to capture a year of my life not to try to better someone else's photographic skills. I certainly would like to improve my photos either by using the camera better, improving my eye or learning how to use photoshop and hopefully this site will help me in my journey.
Happy photographing to you all.
This makes some very interesting read, certainly...
And yes, I have noticed quite a lot of the same stuff as @dvidyazel has, regarding what makes a picture "popular"...
I also agree with @shelina about the time of day you post a shot - what I consider to be one of the best photos I've ever taken only got very few views and comments, because I foolishly uploaded it as soon as it was taken (at half-past-five in the morning) instead of holding back and waiting to post it up later that evening!
I have only been on the Popular Page once - and I was so proud, I took a screenshot of it! Maybe, if I post that screenshot as another of my 365 pictures, it, too, will make the Popular Page?
One thing I'm stumped about, which is partly because I'm new-ish to 365, is who or what decides what photos go on the popular page, I know about the whole "monkeys" thing, but that's a little vague. :p
It's really flattering to see any of my photos on the popular page especially since I feel like my photos aren't even half as good as a lot of photographers on here and because I haven't even been here a month.
I'm ten times better at predicting if someone else's photo will end up on the pp, rather than my own.
I just feel really lucky whenever I see one of my photos up there even if it's only up there for just a very short period of time.
oh and @pinktornado39 your spam photo made me laugh a good bit. Really clever. :)
One thing that is obvious from seeing the quantity of responses is that everyone is concerned to some degree with the popular page - it is a popular topic. ;)
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who wonders about the popular page. One thing I have noticed is that it appears that their is a correlation between the popular page and theme winners, and vice versa.
I think more obvious factors such as a well composed photo and so on do help.
However I do find it odd sometimes when a photo of mine is very popular on here and not on Flickr, and vice versa. I assume it's got to do with the quite different audience on each site.
I've been on here for just over a month and my photos are nothing compared to the amazing shots people take so clearly none of mine are popular. I got my very first 'fav' the other day and was so excited so while i'll most likely never make it to the homepage or the popular page I really don't mind. I just have fun taking photos and I'm started to dabble in editing.
great topic...just so happens that I was just looking at my pics and noticed that someone "faved" one of my pics....one that I didn't think was anything special...then I started to look at the views for my pics and was really surprised at how much they varied. I think I'm more of a comment whore :-)
I keep getting told my pics are on the popular page, but when I check, I don't see them unless I shuffle half a dozen times or so.... My reckoning therefore is pretty much all pics get picked up at some time or another.
I rarely use the PP to view pics, more so just flick through the day tab and look for something that catches my eye..
I finally have a 'hit'. It's not even close to the majority of feedback people get on here but it's the most popular out of mine. It's been viewed 80 times and favourited 5 times. Like I said, not that big a deal to most of you but considering I put it on there as a filler because I didn't get a chance to take any photos it's alot more popular than I ever expected it to be.
Ok my little brag is over haha.
Write a Reply
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
Tweets ahoy!
Join the Group
Pin With Me
I don't put much value in pictures hitting the popular page either anymore as one time there was a dead fly on the popular page. A dead fly! Not to say that it wasn't an interesting looking fly, but for the popular page?
I've had several on the popular page and like you, am always surprised when one makes it over the other. I guess those monkeys can be unpredictable! :)
Just the other day, I put so much effort into my "Chuck Close" portrait. I went out, bought cigarettes for the first time EVER, and took about 50 pictures. I also filled my apartment in yucky smoke and argued with myself as I edited it. I was certain it would be popular.
Then... nothing. The two other self portraits I've taken have been so random and easy. Just a true capture of the moment. Those have madeiot to the popular page.
I think people just like to see ordinary things in a different perspective.
Its really a mystery at times,i know animals do well & if you put up a good animal there a pretty big chance i will fav it as im animal daft.
I used to get excited by the popular page but then realised that a shot i saw on it had only a few views & 4 comments so i was confused as to why it was on the pp.
@itszaiii I can imagine the smoke filled room,the things we do Im away to look at you shots x
8. Tthe timing of the photo posting. If you post it when people are online, they might see it on the home page before it gets buried. If you post when people are busy, you won't get as many comments, as if you post when people have leisure time. If you post a whole bunch of photos at once, you probably won't get as many comments on each one as when you post over time.
9, If you post comments to pictures or post a message on the message board, your most recent picture will get attention.
I have decided not to let the popularity of a picture be an indication of the quality of the picture. I personally would prefer to know why people didn't like my picture because they didn't like the content (yes I have a photo of a squashed tomato, ) or were bored by the content (card board boxes) or if they didn't like the quality of the photo. But I can generally guess.
@itszaiii -- I loved your Chuck Close portrait!
Something I've noticed too is that when I get about 25 views (and a couple of faves) really soon after I've posted, sometimes that seems to put it on the popular page which, if it stays there long enough, causes it to get more views. I just noticed that lately...I thought maybe it was a new thing Ross decided to configure to get more "unknowns" on the pop page...
My photographs are taken primarily for myself. I don't consider them 'great' or even particularly good - they're just pictures, snapshots of moments/events in space & time. To that end I prefer 'real' scenes over studio creations.
I like to share my pictures because if just one viewer sees something that makes an image of mine meaningful to them, in whatever way, I have made a connection with that person. That to me is far more important than it just being 'popular'.
'Popular' is also very self perpetuating. If an image for some reason appears on that page then it will get lots of views. Not necessarily because it's a great shot but just because it's a 'popular' shot. I prefer to browse by tag or latest additions to find images that I can relate to based purely & simply on the scene pictured. To be perfectly honest I very rarely visit the 'popular' page.
It's a bit like best selling books. A best selling book becomes ever more popular because it's a best seller (often in the first instance for no other reason than the publisher marketing that title aggressively). That doesn't mean there aren't better books or more meaningful books if you look outside of the best seller lists...it's just that many people seem to associate quality or worth with popularity...and that isn't necessarily the case, although I'm sure many popular shots are indeed great pictures from very capable photographers (covering my ass a bit there).
Just my 2 cents. :)
self portraits of some of the lovely younger ladies are popular with the young men...
i find with 365 shots that other people have tried or could try... ie the Moon, ports, sunsets are popular... complex shots which are best viewed printed 20x16, framed and hung fail badly here...
Macros are often popular
You mentioned the over Saturated and Contrast Rich Photos do well here because they look good on a wide variety of monitors (ie LCD, CRT) Something like the cover of 'Back in Black' would never work on this site, great image, but it would never work here because many people would not be able to see the black on black. Of course the famous polar bear in a Canadian Storm does not work either... but I plan on flying out to Hudson Bay this winter to get one!
As to who you need to make happy... make the person who signs the cheque happy first, than you (you could very well be signing your own chq), than other photog, than the public and then the critics and' finally monkeys!
Who Needs Popularity When You Have Spam?
There ain't nothing that a little Spam can't fix.
There are a lot of wonderful photos that are not into the PP loop. My guess is that they only have very few followers, like 25 or less, so the views are not that many. The Steve created a link so we can view these "undiscovered gems". There are really, really awesome photos out there.
I don't mind PP much as my photos are not really that good compared to many; and objective-wise that's not what I'm up to. But of course it's inspiring and motivating to know when my photo made it up there. I don't take it seriously, nah, not at all. :-)
As for animals - I don't have any and don't really go in for them unless they have a particular appeal. Thus for those I follow I don't normally comment on animal pix, I am truthful, not a lier.
Re working the pix - don't have the time or the visual creative bent for it.
Water reflections do have appeal, I love them but I do get bored with looking at some and beach shots with 'silky' water or sunsets or sunrises ..... BUT the other 365er's seem to love them so to get more followers I SHOULD give them what they want but I usually go against the grain than go with it ... see the beginning of my 'topless' range ( http://365project.org/misschuff/365/2010-10-15)
I do love being here and seeing the amazing talent and have gotten over the 'why not me' factor and each day I remember why I'm doing this - to improve and document 365 days through my eyes, not the popularist eyes.
Go well everyone and thanks for continuing to share and critique my work.
I think it is a popularity contest which depends on
1. Previous popularity because of really great shots
2. How many followers you have
3. how many people you comment on.
4. I have noticed I get more comments on my more colorful items or beautiful scenery when I was in Alaska in June.
I'm not trying to degrade or put anyone down who is on the popular pages or in the Top 20 of the week because I really do love everything that is there. But it does just seem to be all the same people all the time... And it seems to be because of tons of followers.
But I know that isn't the only thing seeing as I have over 300 followers and I've never been in the top 20 lol
But anyways, part of the reason I've given up is because I'll take photos that I really do love and honestly, they never make it to the popular page, or get many comments. I guess it really all has to do with what people like in their photographs. I don't go out and take pretty landscapes or pretty people, so that seems to put me at a disadvantage.
Edit: rereading this a few hours later, I sound like an asshole. x.x
I remain a leader and refuse to be a sheep and only follow! lol but I'm also a rebel at heart, this my pseudonym.
this has been such a fun discussion.
@cadair8 being an A-hole is half the fun of being online... :)
when you are the PP does 365 tell you? Or do you need to creep the pp?
Still, it's a great feeling to know other people like one's photos but I don't bother to go into a lot of trouble to get a shot that would end up on the PP. It's got to be something that I personally like & is usually what I have seen in the last few days that have struck me as beautiful, interesting, a moment worth catching and sharing. If it lands on the PP, it's just a bonus.
ok than I say:
Happy photographing to you all.
And yes, I have noticed quite a lot of the same stuff as @dvidyazel has, regarding what makes a picture "popular"...
I also agree with @shelina about the time of day you post a shot - what I consider to be one of the best photos I've ever taken only got very few views and comments, because I foolishly uploaded it as soon as it was taken (at half-past-five in the morning) instead of holding back and waiting to post it up later that evening!
I have only been on the Popular Page once - and I was so proud, I took a screenshot of it! Maybe, if I post that screenshot as another of my 365 pictures, it, too, will make the Popular Page?
It's really flattering to see any of my photos on the popular page especially since I feel like my photos aren't even half as good as a lot of photographers on here and because I haven't even been here a month.
I'm ten times better at predicting if someone else's photo will end up on the pp, rather than my own.
I just feel really lucky whenever I see one of my photos up there even if it's only up there for just a very short period of time.
oh and @pinktornado39 your spam photo made me laugh a good bit. Really clever. :)
Thanks everyone for their replies... it has been very interesting to read everyone's input.
However I do find it odd sometimes when a photo of mine is very popular on here and not on Flickr, and vice versa. I assume it's got to do with the quite different audience on each site.
I rarely use the PP to view pics, more so just flick through the day tab and look for something that catches my eye..
Here it is... Now let's see what happens, eh?
Ok my little brag is over haha.