eksath From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 1140 posts, RR: 27 Posted (3 years 1 month 11 hours ago) and read 4388 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW ARTICLE EDITOR
I have noticed this phenomenon for a while now (a few years at least) and I am sure others have too.
I find it very odd that while there are fantastic (and rightfully so) pictures chosen as "photographers choice" by us there are also mundane run of the mill stuff from certain countries that repeatedly and routinely join this list. A few years ago, these pics were novel and eye catching but a few hundred or thousand later, they are routine shots. These are not stellar technical masterpieces either hence I call them routine shots.
Perhaps, the rest of the photographers need to band together to make a concerted effort to tag appropriate pictures so that the photographer's choice really means that as opposed to a buddy list.
Chukcha From Australia, joined Mar 2006, 1935 posts, RR: 8 Reply 1, posted (3 years 1 month 10 hours ago) and read 4340 times:
You hit the nail right on the head. Just the other day I noticed that three or four pictures on the top were from the same country, and a couple of them seemed very average in all respects. The shots below them seemed much more interesting and deserving to be voted for.
The only way to stop it from happening this would be for every photographer to try and exercise their right to vote for the pictures that really deserve to be on the top.
cpd From Australia, joined Jun 2008, 4879 posts, RR: 44 Reply 2, posted (3 years 4 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 4050 times:
Photos from "certain" countries always seem to do that. Some of them are worthy (rare catches) though.
And if you get a shot to the photographers choice, then when one of the aforementioned images comes along, yours will be voted down very quickly with very low votes. Pretty suspect.
Rotate From Switzerland, joined Feb 2003, 1479 posts, RR: 18 Reply 3, posted (3 years 4 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 3944 times:
Noticed the same since months .... Russia and Iran are the countries. Those people stick together and do "rate up" pictures from their buddies ... I am afraid there is nothing we can do about that ...
Chukcha From Australia, joined Mar 2006, 1935 posts, RR: 8 Reply 4, posted (3 years 4 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 3875 times:
Quoting Rotate (Reply 3): Russia and Iran are the countries.
Also sometimes Ukraine.
Quoting Rotate (Reply 3): I am afraid there is nothing we can do about that ...
Yes you can. Vote yourself for the worthy images.
By the way, just a few days ago there was a heated argument about this issue on the Russian A.net forum. I must say that most photographers taking part in that forum, such as Fyodor Borisov, Vala, etc. were arguing dead against this sort of voting on the "compatriots" basis. Unfortunately, there seem to be plenty of others that think otherwise.
RonS From United States of America, joined Feb 2009, 761 posts, RR: 24 Reply 5, posted (3 years 4 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 3858 times:
Quoting Chukcha (Reply 4): es you can. Vote yourself for the worthy images.
Agreed! It's like people complaining about elected officials and not going to the ballot box to vote on a better candidate!
From what I read and from what it seems, PC voting is not used very often by the majority, if it was used and used for superior shots, it would be fine.
All opinions expressed by me are my own opinions & do not represent the opinions in any way of my employers.
Dvincent From United States of America, joined Jan 2007, 1719 posts, RR: 12 Reply 6, posted (3 years 4 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 3850 times:
Suresh,
There's been a lot of grumbling from people I correspond with on this very issue. Unfortunately, I don't think anything can be really done about it because I would see controlling what people could vote for as censorship. It's the freedom of this site for anyone to vote on what they please for their idea of photog's choice. If their basis is for their brothers... then so be it. It is, after all, their choice.
I actually think the bigger travesty is people who have PC votes and don't use them. I can be guilty of forgetting to vote, but I try to do it on a regular basis.
Quoting Chukcha (Reply 4): By the way, just a few days ago there was a heated argument about this issue on the Russian A.net forum. I must say that most photographers taking part in that forum, such as Fyodor Borisov, Vala, etc. were arguing dead against this sort of voting on the "compatriots" basis. Unfortunately, there seem to be plenty of others that think otherwise.
Unless there's some kind of foul play going on, it is what it is. The only way to get what an individual wants to see in PC is to vote for it.
FYODOR From Russia, joined May 2005, 576 posts, RR: 16 Reply 7, posted (3 years 4 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 3813 times:
Hi folks,
As the matter of fact just few days we had same discussion on one of Russian leading aviation photography forums - exactly about last certain cases. I wanted to react here as topicstarter myself but after car accident I was involved couple of weeks ago I type slowly and it is still a bit difficult - sorry for belatd reply.
First I have to agree that problem is exists. However I would not follow on such primitive approach like to share it on countries. As Chukcha had mentioned above many cases of 'Russians' were from Ukraine community (in my view no less often cases with Russian photogs). But for the both comunities I guess such "alwaysontopmen' are representatives of clear minority. I even could not blame any certain spotting groups (even uniting young photogs) as far as in my view this is the matter of personalities. Sadly that it goes more often here - in ex-USSR world. I would not like to develope the nature of this case on .net - no actual need and let us to discuss it amoung ourselves within the communities.
My point is in thquestion what can we do to give a new breath to Photographer's Choice option (which I think is great).
Two easy options:
- First was explained above, best as
Quoting RonS (Reply 5): Vote yourself for the worthy images.
Quoting RonS (Reply 5): people complaining about elected officials and not going to the ballot box to vote on a better candidate
There is very wide group of A.net frequenters, active on forums, watching pis, making comments etc. Why not to spend one more minute to commit yourself make your judjement on best shot of the day or at lest week?
- Second is less obvious bu here is always feedback option. If you see photog plays doubtful gme - write him and ask his opinion. If it will happen once it might be senseless, however if 5-10-more people will say, even privately 'mte, we don't tust you' it could be very convincing.
SNATH From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 3232 posts, RR: 24 Reply 8, posted (3 years 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 3801 times:
Quoting eksath (Thread starter): Perhaps, the rest of the photographers need to band together to make a concerted effort to tag appropriate pictures so that the photographer's choice really means that as opposed to a buddy list.
Suresh,
Thanks for bringing this up and I wholeheartedly agree with this observation. This is something that has been bugging me for some time. But, apart from convincing fellow photographers to use their PC votes wisely, I'm just not sure what else can be done about it. In a sense, PC votes here are turning out a little like the Eurovision song contest.
Tony
[Edited 2010-04-25 09:29:28]
Nikon: we don't want more pixels, we want better pixels.
spencer From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2004, 1624 posts, RR: 19 Reply 9, posted (3 years 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 3749 times:
Quoting Dvincent (Reply 6): Unfortunately, I don't think anything can be really done about it because I would see controlling what people could vote for as censorship.
Maybe so, but that's not to say that the photos ending up on the front page are of a low standard! In fact the standard is so low I've given up any hope of a reversal.
Spence.
EOS1D4, 7D, 30D, 100-400/4.5-5.6 L IS USM, 70-200/2.8 L IS2 USM, 17-40 f4 L USM, 24-105 f4 L IS USM, 85 f1.8 USM
JohnKrist From Sweden, joined Jan 2005, 1340 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (3 years 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 3730 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW HEAD SUPPORT
So I was lucky as a non Russian to get a PC last week?
I vote for the pics I find great, be it Russian, American or whatever. But I have also seen that rather bland pics of Iranian 707 or 747SP, or another loop jet fighter get on the top15, as does a lot of the Russian iron. When I vote for an image I often don't care what the motive is, it just have to have that extra that makes it a great photo. A pic of a great aircraft does not automatically make it a great photo, which is often the case on the PC. I for one loved the Swiss golden photo, but didn't really care for the Saha 707. The Saha 707 was a nice and interresting pic with the IL-62, but not a great photo. And there are probably people who think that my PC with the KLM 747 in the moon have been done before, and that it didn't deserve a PC. People are allowed to vote for any image they like, and that's not a whole lot to do about it but to cast a vote yourself.
I just hope that people put votes on what they like, and not patriot or friend votes.
7D, 17-40 F4 L, 70-200 F2.8 L IS, EF 1.4x II, EF 2x III, Metz 58-AF1
cpd From Australia, joined Jun 2008, 4879 posts, RR: 44 Reply 11, posted (3 years 4 weeks 21 hours ago) and read 3546 times:
Quoting FYODOR (Reply 7): I even could not blame any certain spotting groups (even uniting young photogs) as far as in my view this is the matter of personalities. Sadly that it goes more often here - in ex-USSR world. I would not like to develope the nature of this case on .net - no actual need and let us to discuss it amoung ourselves within the communities.
I think a lot of the Russian photos that I look at there do exist on their merit, and not due to manipulation of the photographers choice.
spencer From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2004, 1624 posts, RR: 19 Reply 13, posted (3 years 4 weeks 5 hours ago) and read 3327 times:
To put it bluntly, as some of you don't obviously get it!! There's better pictures that deserve the PCA than the mundane ones that are up there of late. Is that plain enough? Got a problem with that? Tough! And sure, if no one's gonna vote on a decent pic, then the run of the mill sort of shots will end up there. Sorry for my directness, but please!
Spencer.
EOS1D4, 7D, 30D, 100-400/4.5-5.6 L IS USM, 70-200/2.8 L IS2 USM, 17-40 f4 L USM, 24-105 f4 L IS USM, 85 f1.8 USM
mjgbtv From United States of America, joined Jan 2008, 319 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (3 years 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 3177 times:
So does it actually say anywhere what the criteria are for the PC vote? Unless it does, who is to say that voting for your buddy's shot or a shot based on some nationality is any less legitimate than a 'high-quality' shot? (In the unlikely event that you could actually get some agreement on that!)
Dvincent From United States of America, joined Jan 2007, 1719 posts, RR: 12 Reply 15, posted (3 years 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 3175 times:
Quoting mjgbtv (Reply 14): So does it actually say anywhere what the criteria are for the PC vote? Unless it does, who is to say that voting for your buddy's shot or a shot based on some nationality is any less legitimate than a 'high-quality' shot? (In the unlikely event that you could actually get some agreement on that!)
From the front page:
Quote: How to vote on the Photographers Choice
Every photographer with at least one photo on Airliners.net can vote on any photo added to the database within the last 7 days as the Photographers Choice. The winning photo will be posted on the frontpage of Airliners.net and is updated every day at midnight CET and noon CET (to always reflect the most recent 24 hours). Although the recalculation of the votes is done twice a day, the same photo can stay at the top for several days. Every photographer has max one vote every 12 hours. This means that if you choose to vote now, you will have to wait 12 hours before you can vote again. You can not vote on the same photo twice and you can not vote on your own photos.
You need to be logged in to vote and your username needs to be connected to the photos you have in our database. When you are logged in, a "Vote on this photo" link will be visible below each large version photo that has been added to the database within the last 7 days. You can view the latest additions by clicking here.
Please make use of this privilege! As a photographer you have the rare power to decide what photo and photographer will be rewarded with the Photographers Choice Award. Make your decision with care, choose the photo based on the qualities of the photo itself, nothing else.
unattendedbag From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 2240 posts, RR: 1 Reply 17, posted (3 years 3 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 3071 times:
Quoting cpd (Reply 11): I think a lot of the Russian photos that I look at there do exist on their merit, and not due to manipulation of the photographers choice.
A plain white IL-76 on final with nothing but a cloud behind it? It didn't last long however...
Quoting spencer (Reply 13): There's better pictures that deserve the PCA than the mundane ones that are up there of late. Is that plain enough?
It's sad that they have to vote for their friends photos just so they can get a few extra views or a little more front page time, sad but legal.
Quoting spencer (Reply 13): And sure, if no one's gonna vote on a decent pic, then the run of the mill sort of shots will end up there.
Well, when I do vote from now on, I can tell you which ones I won't be voting for.
RonS From United States of America, joined Feb 2009, 761 posts, RR: 24 Reply 20, posted (3 years 3 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 2842 times:
Quoting eksath (Reply 18): So the solution should be to dilgently vote every 12 hours for what is BEST
I think so, the more people using the voting system, the harder it is to simply cast a few votes by a particular group and get a PC award. More people simply have to use the system.
All opinions expressed by me are my own opinions & do not represent the opinions in any way of my employers.
unattendedbag From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 2240 posts, RR: 1 Reply 24, posted (3 years 2 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 2433 times:
There is currently one photo that has been on the Photographers Choice list for 10 days now. I thought photos were only allowed for 7 days...
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25 cpd: "The outcomes stated in this message may be materially different and any liability is hereby disclaimed" I think that could be my new signature. My v
26 viv: If we ignore the system - and never vote - it will become discredited and without value.
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