Getting more people to vote

[clickaway]

I'm a big PBase fan and look through the Most Popular Galleries and Photos every day, especially the 7-day ones.

The number of votes needed to be in the top ten galleries is probably surprisingly few, although there is no way I can tell. As regards indivdual pictures, there are comparatively few votes cast for the top picture, bearing in mind the pictures on the site. Even if we count the more 'serious' photos that are fairly current, the voting facility is only used by a tiny percentage. From another thread in this forum, it seems there are some that take this quite enthusiatically.

I really want more people to vote in order for the Most Popular Gallaries/Photos to be better balanced. I know that recently some members of the Photo-a-Day group have been more active here, but I want to see a much greater uptake so that the amazing work hidden on this site is brought to the fore in a fair and representative manner.

Its only natural that members of the Photo-a-Day group, of which I'm a part, may have a tendency to vote towards their fellow members, only because of the 'group' nature of the project.

My aim is to encourage people to cast the net wider and seek out these talented photographers all over PBase and place a vote if they think its worthy. Only then will we have a more representative 'chart'.

If they are worthy, I try to vote for say, four images each evening, plus maybe a gallery too. If more did this, imagine the result.

Having said this, I don't think it matters if you are No.1 or No.2 or whatever. I look upon the populars as a showcase of what people see as some of the best work here. I would eventually like to see, say the top 50, showcased in the gallery but in a random order.

What do others think?

Ray

[vid64]

Well I agree. But is seems from the response to this thread that no one else gives a ****. And yet, when one of the PaDers asked others to vote and his gallery, which made No.1, The PaD group got lot's of stick for manipulating the voting? What voting?? Anybody want to vote for my gallery...? Any body want to vote at all?

[auriga]

It would be nice if more people searched the forums and voted for the other wonderful stuff out there. Sometimes I just do a random seach for a word and visit some of the sites that come up and when I see something really good I will vote for it. I'm just coming to the conclusion, especially with some of the, what I consider, undeserving stuff that pops up in most popular, that it's not about how good you are, but by how many people you know to have go vote your gallery up. I would like to see more talent and less of the same people getting up there time and time again.

[clickaway]

I've never tried a word search, as so many people don't use keywords.

I just look at the recent list and pick out the more interesting gallery names.

R

[sheila]

I would strongly recommend that PBasers use the Keyword function in ALL their images. From my experience, PBase is a very well known source of photographs by those wishing to buy. And that includes graphic artists, publishers etc etc. Getting on the Popular Galleries is not necessarily a way to get noticed by prospective buyers - its a pat on the back from fellow PBasers which is very nice and much appreciated but in the real world, it doesn't pay for the next lens!!!

Cheers
Sheila

[lucasarah]

I often have a quick pop in to the popular galleries and often see the same pictures/artists featured. Is there any way of knowing how many votes they have received??? Is there any way of seeing if a picture or gallery of your own has received any votes??

I'm just coming to the conclusion, especially with some of the, what I consider, undeserving stuff that pops up in most popular, that it's not about how good you are, but by how many people you know to have go vote your gallery up

Well I hope that, if this is true, the poeple involved realise that it would be better to receive a deserving vote than a vote jsut becasue someone is your mate. I'd rather someone voted or even commented on a photo of mine because they like it - not because they know me. I know that sounds sanctimonious but it's true

[shaun]

Very true Sheila. I also encourage people to use keywords in all of their images. It's a little tedious to add the keywords to all of your images, but it works, people find your work through the search engines.

[oz]

Well I've been remis as I have stopped by the forum for a few days if not a week and I was looking for the "Needs a vote" thread, only to find this one.

Not to change the subject, as I wholeheartedly agree, there is some lame stuff making it to the top.

Marissa has one of my favorite galleries on pbase and she demonstrates so much style with her pages that I'm constantly seeing what she's been up to. She has created what I think is a fantastic piece here and I thought it would look nice on the top of the heap, rather than somebody's feet!!

http://www.pbase.com/image/26857297

Ozzie