I just realized the other day that very few people were actually viewing my photos and the comments I received were always from the same loyal group of followers. Without them I feel that I have no audience for my photos. Not that i think I am such a good photographer but I have always maintained that whilst I post these photos primarily for my own enjoyment it's still nice when other people look at your photos, either like them enough to leave a comment or don't bother at all & go to the next photo in the home page.
I am supposed to have 145 followers but when I looked at each of them I found that 31 of them were no longer active - just totally dropped out for at least 2-3 months & even earlier. My loyal, dependable followers came to 32 and I must admit I follow them too - you can't help it as you tend to build a sort of relationship with them even if only on-line. To this group I am really grateful for your sincere follow & interest.This leaves 82 out of which about 44 are newbies or recent followers, a few of whom really do follow me & look at my photos & comment but the majority are silent & some have even flaked out already after posting a few photos on their project. This leaves around 19 who occasionally look & comment & maybe not at all. I suppose it doesn't help that I have 3 albums going at the same time & I understand that people are constrained with their time. I try to look at the people I follow as much as I can fit in my time and I try not to follow too many people because of time constraints as well. But the reality is, unless you are on the PP regularly or join the theme competitions etc. the only way your photos will be viewed is through the homepage of your followers.
What is the point of this exercise? Well first, is there anyway I can remove the inactive followers? This is just so I don't waste my time checking their sites (which by the way I do as well). Second, I want to know if there are others are in the same boat as me. Third, How do you boost the number of views on your photos?
Well, that's off my chest. Hope no one is offended.
This tool I wrote last year will make your life easier the next time you fancy tracking your dead/inactive followers. http://25tolife.net/sites/365scanner/
And nope, there's no way to remove dead followers, only dead followees... but since they might come back one day, I've left them there.
Miriam, Every so often I go into "You" at the top of the page and then click "Your Friends" and then I take a survey of all the people who do not comment on my photos. I have been astounded how many new followers I get. If someone follows me, I will automatically follow them and faithfully view and comment on their photos. That's what this is all about. Looking, giving feedback, learning from others, etc. The whole process helps create that close knit environmen t that so many of us enjoy. when you have those who post and post and post, but never give any time on commenting on your own, Why are they here? Let's face it, there are some folks on here that are extremely talented when it comes to all the cool techniques, and I love looking at their work. I enjoy taking photos, just average photos of things that I enjoy, and it's a neat way to share and to create a year long journal of life from your own perspective. After awhile of spending literally hours viewing and commenting without any apparent effort on their part to view and comment, I go in and remove them. I always enjoy following new members and to view their work, but when they do not appear to comment in return, I go in and editi my friends, and they disappear. And I agree with you, there are those who are loyal throughout, and I am grateful. I do not do this strictly for the comments, but if I'm going to be spending the amount of time I do at viewing others, then they need to be doing a little on their end too.
@eyebrows thanks for that tool - it will certainly make it easier next time I go through this exercise @digitalrn thanks for your advise You know I didn't follow everyone who followed me becaue I was always afraid I might not have the time for it all but now I can see your point of view. It's like you wait & see if a relationship does develop & that can only happen on a reciprocal basis of viewing & commenting on how each one of us is going with our project. You are right too that so many talented people here don't bother to reciprocate your time in viewing& commenting. @gill I am getting the gist of this now.
@eyebrows - your tool seems to be broken. I just did a scan and most of the people who it says I'm following that are no longer posting, I no longer follow. :-S
I leave it to natural selection Miriam. If I've commented on someone's photos regularly and they never comment on mine I just stop commenting. For some other people I only comment on photos that really appeal to me. Many of my listed followers have stopped posting but recently a couple have reappeared which has been a nice suprise. I have a small regular group of people (like you)who I connect with most days. They have moved from being 'followers' to being 'friends'. I'm happy with that!
This is a tough question. I'm a newbie (I started my project Jan 1). As of now, I have 5 followers total, and that happened after I followed a bunch of folks based on another thread (where people posted who they like to follow).
I enjoy looking at what other people post, but I don't usually comment because (1) I don't want to comment just for the sake of commenting and (2) I don't want to write something totally lame like "nice" because I can't think of words good enough to express how the photo affects me.
I would love to have more people just viewing my pics (though comments are awfully nice).
Although I sure would like to have more followers and comments, the best thing I've discovered about 365 is that it has made me look constantly for photo opportunities. As I drive to work, I look for possible things to take a picture of—before I wasn't really thinking that way. It's helping me to think more like a photographer, and that can only benefit my photography.
this site has been amazing for me. I feel like i have made friends all over the world. been inspired by many and it is all via commenting and building relationships with my followers and friends. yes, it is the same small group that comments daily...but, it is what it is. Comments keep me going, that is for sure...so i try to do the same for those that I am following.
@eyebrows That is an awesome tool, love the "view your zombie followers". I only had one dead account....it is my husband...bwahaha!
I can not really comment on the follower thing as I am new and do not have many. However the ones I do have are absolutely amazing both with their one pictures and stopping by and saying hi and offering wonderful feedback....love them!
I just joined yesterday and am looking around the site, trying to discover everything I can. Reading this thread, it appears there are unwritten "rules" about followers/followees. I posted my picture more as a challenge to myself, to make sure I pick up my camera everyday. Looking through the pictures of others, I am finding photographers whose style I admire. I considered becoming a 'follower' of some of them because I liked their style & would like to see more of their shots. I didn't realize it would offend people because I view their pictures without commenting. Thank goodness I never actually committed to being a follower! Am I misinterpreting or it is really frowned on to just be a follower to get ideas to improve my own pictures?
I have one follower who has no photos or profile...nothing. I am the only one he is following. Should I be worried? A stalker? :o)
I'm still relatively new at this, with not many followers. I try to comment on everyone I follow. Not always easy as some are quite prolific. I wonder about the very talented ones who have a long list of followers...and still manage to make the occasional encouraging comments on mine.
I am guilty of not always commenting on the photos of people I am following. It doesn't mean I don't look at their photos every day or that I don't find them beautiful, intriguing and inspiring. I am a newbie on this site and a complete amateur when it comes to the technical aspects of composition, lighting, processing, etc. The people I am following make amazing photos. Often I find I have no words to describe my appreciation of their work. I recently read a discussion on here about saying more than just "beautiful," etc. I don't feel qualified to comment in a more technical manner. As I learn more about the techniques, I will comment on that. I will make sure to comment so those I follow know I looked and am grateful they share their time and images with me. There are so many excellent photographs on this site. I try to look at as many of them as possible in a day. I apologize if a lack of comment caused offense.
@wormentude You need to click "start fresh scan" - it's still showing the data from the last scan you did, otherwise :) (except not because I've just clicked it for you, to make sure it's working, so next time you view it, you'll see the results from me clicking it just now...)
@eyebrows --- I just went through my inactive people that I follow. There are lots of page not founds. ? These people are still showing on my list though.
@dmortega If you look at it now, at the top in the "People Following You" section it says you have 80 followers - you've actually got 157 so this, as with wormentude in my reply above, is just old data from last august or whenever I first made the thing. Just click the "Start Fresh Scan" (there's one below the followers section, as well as one below the followees section, as they're separate) and you're good :)
I love and am moved by the positive feedback I get. Personally though, my purpose for my project is to evolve as a photographer - to get up every day and find a subject, and take the very best photo that I can. Any feedback I get is the icing on my 365 cake.
I've seen people leave this project literally because they weren't getting the views and feedback they felt they deserved. That's unfortunate. I spend a lot of time viewing others work, and appreciating it, even though I don't always comment, and I hate to see people leave for lack of views/comments.
I've found I can manage to find time to pick one of my photos per week, and go down the list of those that commented on mine and reciprocate. Any more than that, and I'd be spending all my time commenting and not photographing :-) So yes, people are often left out, which I feel bad about. But I'd rather be taking pictures :-)
@cmt2812 that's true - sometimes people's subjects don't appeal to me & I have to sift through their photos for something that I can truly appreciate & comment on @robinwarner that seems to be the name of the game@otprofsp @pengu1n@ca_dev@shutterbug0810 In the end it is really more important for me to have people viewing my photos rather than commenting and the comments are just an added bonus but boy. it's nice when people validate in one way or another your photos.
Thanks everyone for your feedback. really appreciate it. @robinwarner thanks
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http://25tolife.net/sites/365scanner/
And nope, there's no way to remove dead followers, only dead followees... but since they might come back one day, I've left them there.
I enjoy looking at what other people post, but I don't usually comment because (1) I don't want to comment just for the sake of commenting and (2) I don't want to write something totally lame like "nice" because I can't think of words good enough to express how the photo affects me.
I would love to have more people just viewing my pics (though comments are awfully nice).
Although I sure would like to have more followers and comments, the best thing I've discovered about 365 is that it has made me look constantly for photo opportunities. As I drive to work, I look for possible things to take a picture of—before I wasn't really thinking that way. It's helping me to think more like a photographer, and that can only benefit my photography.
I can not really comment on the follower thing as I am new and do not have many. However the ones I do have are absolutely amazing both with their one pictures and stopping by and saying hi and offering wonderful feedback....love them!
I'm still relatively new at this, with not many followers. I try to comment on everyone I follow. Not always easy as some are quite prolific. I wonder about the very talented ones who have a long list of followers...and still manage to make the occasional encouraging comments on mine.
So much to admire here.
@spaceman Yeah his name is... Evets Eht :)
Haha @stephd glad you liked it :)
I've seen people leave this project literally because they weren't getting the views and feedback they felt they deserved. That's unfortunate. I spend a lot of time viewing others work, and appreciating it, even though I don't always comment, and I hate to see people leave for lack of views/comments.
I've found I can manage to find time to pick one of my photos per week, and go down the list of those that commented on mine and reciprocate. Any more than that, and I'd be spending all my time commenting and not photographing :-) So yes, people are often left out, which I feel bad about. But I'd rather be taking pictures :-)
Thanks everyone for your feedback. really appreciate it. @robinwarner thanks