Why are some subjects so widely favored by viewers?

[jtk]

<p>Alan, I think your analysis works fine. Me, I'd rather see things metaphorically, struggle with goofy parallels and hypothetical implications rather than settled conclusions. I prefer doubt, fear, confusion and error to "answers." </p>

<p>Christopher Hitchens described the god of Abraham as a sort of North Korean dictator...I'd rather have exploration.</p>

<p>It says something when our comments about photos prioritize something we call "composition" rather than anything significant and detailed about the way we respond. Hardly anybody even menions gesture, light, contrast, expressed emotion (or lack thereof).</p>

<p>It's OK to objectify images, I guess, and I enjoy the occasional cheap burger myself, but my personal interest is in the mysterious stuff that may be impossible to pin down and has something to do with itself in relation to me, rather than with "interpretation" or analysis of reliably cooked beef. My own work doesn't measure up often enough, of course. But I'm a pretty good cook.</p>

[AlanKlein]

<p>Well, I agree with you John that it's harder to to capture your inner feelings through your photography than just snapping the picture. That's the struggle. It's a difficult thing and rare when you can witness it in others, much less create it in your own. Letting go without fear is difficult in all parts of life. It's really a spiritual thing that moves you to the next level. Something worthwhile to attain.</p>

[colin carron]

<p>The answer provided by science to this question relates to why we feel pleasure. For survival we humans and other creatures have to be rewarded for doing things which are essential for our survival. Eating, drinking, sex, socialisation etc are all rewarded with strong pleasure feelings. These come from the brain's pleasure centre where dopamine is released to give feelings of pleasure.</p>

<p>Obviously there are many kinds of pictures which relate directly to these survival pleasures - the nude being an obvious one. Socialisation, the approval of others, will relate to photos of family members. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs perhaps gives clues as to why certain other subjects are popular.</p>

<p>We may then ask ' why do people like different things? ' The answer to that is that the brain is a two way street and experience and individual genetics will dictate what gives an individual pleasure.</p>

<p>Another important point is that pleasure changes with repitition. An interesting experiment showed that<em> new </em>experiences of pleasure will not only activate the brain's pleasure centres but also de-activate rational thought and judgement. Hence the common feeling that 'love is blind'. However as an experience is repeated the pleasure centres are activated less and the rational thought and the judgement parts of the brain kick in again. So if we have seen loads of pictures of sunsets and furry kittens we will not be so bowled over by them as we were the first time. We will tend to look at these sorts of pictures with less pleasure and greater judgement.</p>

<p>So the tendency will be for people who have not looked at a lot of photos to be impressed by the ones which appeal to the survival / pleasure system most. This will be the majority of people. However for those who have seen a lot of photos of these common subjects we will get less pleasure from them and look to other, perhaps less obvious places for our photographic pleasures.</p>

[jtk]

<p>Fine observations by Colin about the nature and role of pleasure. </p>

<p>However...relying on Maslow he misses what learning theory researchers have long known to be far more compelling than pleasure : unpredictable schedule of reward (reward being pleasure, though punishment can serve). We have super-computers in our skulls and, unless we allow ourselves to avoid individuality, we relish complexity...just for the exercise of it. </p>

<p>Interestingly many do avoid individuality, witness the worship of popular beauty (7/7 etc).</p>