Why do we find it so easy to hit the 5 key for an entry that is decent, yet we feel that an average of our own that is near a 5 is substandard?
Others have said that the site average or at least the median is 5.5, but that is not the way we vote, as we cannot give a 5.5. So why is everyone so disappointed with a 5? I guess we all want to think we are better than average?
I think it's because when we find a shot ok, we either have to give it a 5 or a 6, but when you think about how hard it is to get a 6 you tend to go with the 5 because it's not THAT good, and thus you have a vicious circle!
I don't think about my average when I'm scoring--I noticed in the beginning that if I compared it to what I was getting, that I scored photos way too low -- giving 6's to things I really thought were 7s & 8s, and that just wasn't right. It was hard, at first, to give an 8 to a photo that was the same quality as mine, when mine was only at 5.5 -- but I figured there must be someone else out there that was voting my photo what they thought it deserved, not how it compared to theirs. So I figured it evened out. I love voting this way -- it's fun giving out 7s 8s & 9s, (I don't give 10s very often -- only to shots that make me go "WOW! I want that hanging on my wall!"
My average vote cast is 6.0416. I rarely give less than a 4, because I think there are not many photos on this site that deserve less than a 4. When I vote, I'm assuming that a 5 is an average shot that Joe Shmoe on the street could take. So I obviously don't give out a lot of high scores or the average would be higher (since I don't go less than 4 that often). But there are definitely photos in every challenge that deserve 7s & 8s.
That's what I was wondering -- do people vote on what's average here, or vote on what's average everywhere? I vote on the everywhere, so the people on this site are better than average.
Why do we find it so easy to hit the 5 key for an entry that is decent, yet we feel that an average of our own that is near a 5 is substandard?
I hit the 5 key for an entry that just meets the challenge and does not make me wince. I hit the 6 key for an entry that meets the challenge and looks like it took some thought and/or effort and/or captured something unique. It goes up from there based on technicals and wow. Less than 5 is for "phone it in" entries, technical flaws and DNMCs. Yeah, I know I have to make assumptions, but that's the nature of voting. As far as how an individual scores my entries - I care not at all. It's the overall score and placement that means anything and I accept that it gets what it deserves.
Why do we find it so easy to hit the 5 key for an entry that is decent, yet we feel that an average of our own that is near a 5 is substandard?
I hit the 5 key for an entry that just meets the challenge and does not make me wince. I hit the 6 key for an entry that meets the challenge and looks like it took some thought and/or effort and/or captured something unique. It goes up from there based on technicals and wow. Less than 5 is for "phone it in" entries, technical flaws and DNMCs. Yeah, I know I have to make assumptions, but that's the nature of voting. As far as how an individual scores my entries - I care not at all. It's the overall score and placement that means anything and I accept that it gets what it deserves.
Art you are pretty much spot on with this... A 5 to me is a photo that although may meet the challenge, it may lack creativity or impact.
I think the real problem with the voting system is voter fatigue... After you look at so many images in a given time period, they all start to look alike. The quick commands, such as holding the alt button and just pressing 1-10 make this even worse because you can fly through the photos... I try to take time to examine each one for a moment, vote on 50 or so images, and then come back later. It gives the eyes and brain a chance to relax and it helps me to appreciate the photos at the back end of the set more...
Why do we find it so easy to hit the 5 key for an entry that is decent, yet we feel that an average of our own that is near a 5 is substandard?
I hit the 5 key for an entry that just meets the challenge and does not make me wince. I hit the 6 key for an entry that meets the challenge and looks like it took some thought and/or effort and/or captured something unique. It goes up from there based on technicals and wow. Less than 5 is for "phone it in" entries, technical flaws and DNMCs. Yeah, I know I have to make assumptions, but that's the nature of voting. As far as how an individual scores my entries - I care not at all. It's the overall score and placement that means anything and I accept that it gets what it deserves.
Art you are pretty much spot on with this... A 5 to me is a photo that although may meet the challenge, it may lack creativity or impact.
I think the real problem with the voting system is voter fatigue... After you look at so many images in a given time period, they all start to look alike. The quick commands, such as holding the alt button and just pressing 1-10 make this even worse because you can fly through the photos... I try to take time to examine each one for a moment, vote on 50 or so images, and then come back later. It gives the eyes and brain a chance to relax and it helps me to appreciate the photos at the back end of the set more...
I like looking at the photos on the first day of the challenge -- and voting on them later. I think when you vote immediately, you may be missing something. Not all photos have to have tremendous initial impact to be worthwhile. Some photos really grow on you the more you look at them.
I note that my average vote cast has been falling lately. Like others said, I think this is due to image fatigue. I also think my average vote received is about to fall as well, considering my poor showing with my current entries!
I honestly think my average vote cast is pretty low, lower than I would like it to be. But, unlike some people, I will give 2's and 3's occasionally when it seems that someone intentionally shoehorns a challenge. Even if its a bad picture, i try to at least give a 3 or 4 for effort =)
Stats: You have rated 202 of 407 images (50%) in this challenge.
You have commented on 202 images (50%) in this challenge.
You have given an average score of 7.3713.
Challenge: Duotones IV (Jun. 8th 2009 - Jun. 14th 2009)
Stats: You have rated 252 of 253 images (100%) in this challenge.
You have commented on 252 images (100%) in this challenge.
You have given an average score of 6.7421.
I have been trying of late to raise my bar...when I started voting and knew nothing (stop laughing) I was voting much lower than I am now...in the current challenge that I am working on I only have 1-5 and 1-4 vote and all the rest are 6 and above...same as Wendy I don't give out many 10's, only the "toe curling ones"...after reading thread after thread complaining about low voting, I really asked myself if I was being fair to vote 1-4's just because they are there...so if you have even entered a challenge you automatically get a 5 and if you awful...it will go down...but very rarely below 4, more than likely I will go up according to skill and presentation...most everyone deserves a good vote...
My average vote cast, out of 30000 votes is 5.767. My average vote received, is 5.257. I wish more people felt like JA-9. I have given out 1's in the past. Yes, I can be a troll sometimes. Usually when I am in a terrible mood. Thankfully that does not happen often. In the past 8 challenges I voted in I did not give a single 1. Only gave a handful of 2's. Those were extremely blurry, or really dark, or really just a terrible photo on all levels, including challenge content, technicals, and title. I usually give out 5's, mostly because there have been so many of a particular subject that I can't help but compare it to that high scoring image from the past. I have found my scores for waterfalls, sunsets, mountains, and abandoned barns in the middle of a field have gone down. I have found my scores for urban exploration, portraits, artsy and black and white have increased. Why? Because I have actually started taking better landscapes and now understand the difficulty level is not as extreme as in the ones I vote higher on. As I explore more aspects photographically, I can finally vote high on the ones that take a bit more skill. Now there will be those who say I am crazy, but I am afraid that landscapes aren't creating the wow they used to for me.
MattO left the definitive answer here. Anything else is just chatter.
If Matt is correct, then why are there so many people who have higher average votes cast them received? That does not speak to me of beating up others while stroking ones own ego.
My scores are too low! I want more virtual ribbons! Who cares about a website ribbon. It would be nice to have the recognition, don't get me wrong, but you should use this site to hone your skills and get advice from fellow photogs. Also to use dpcprints to get your work out there more.
MattO left the definitive answer here. Anything else is just chatter.
If Matt is correct, then why are there so many people who have higher average votes cast them received? That does not speak to me of beating up others while stroking ones own ego.
Edited for phat fingering
You are just being beaten harder then you are beating back. LOL
