Top Images

I was just wondering what the process for selecting 'Top Images' is......I frequent this site and have learned

a lot. I enjoy browsing others portfolios, giving my critiques as well as getting tips and advice from

seasoned professionals and those more skilled than I. However, I find it truly disheartening to look at the

'Top Images from the Last 24 hours' and to find the majority of the images are highly processed computer

generated images that look more like illustrations than photographs. I don't discount the importance of

Photoshop and other imaging software. I have my share of fun with it.....but I find it frustrating that it is

only on rare occasions that I come across a truly great photo (within the images described as this site's

BEST) that looks like just that....a photo.

If you use the category selection you'll find many types of photos, some of which might suit your personal tastes better. Also, try the various sort options.

 

While the entire web tends to favor colorful, graphically arresting images that look good at 100x100 pixels or so, there's a lot more to be appreciated. Just dig around a bit.

"...I was just wondering what the process for selecting 'Top Images' is..."

 

Top images are selected based on ratings given by users. Basically, it's a popularity contest. If users like highly processed images that look more like illustrations than photographs, that's what will show up.

 

There's no committee of photographic art historians making informed academic decisions on which are the "best" images or deciding if an image qualifies for the term "photograph". It's simply a popular vote and there's no accounting for popular taste.

 

Personally I have to agree with you. I prefer a photograph that looks like a photograph, not a digital illustration. It's getting increasingly difficult to say where the line is between a heavily processed image and an original purely digitally generated illustration that's never even seen a photon.

Shannon I totaly agree with what you are saying I've just been with photo.net since Feb. 08 . All my photo's are just that simply photo's non manipulated . It was a bit dishearting at first but it has made me strive harder to get the shots with the lighting and settings just right . My ratings have went up some and am gaining some recognition . But I still can't compete with enhanced photo's