Something simple this - well, okay - all the forums need

bdcolen · August 13, 2012

A "Like" button, a la Facebook. Might it somehow be set up so that one could "Like" an image, by click the "Like" button on the original posting, and "Like" a comment, by clicking on the "Like" button on the comment? I suspect that having it would increase the number of responses to images, which often don't require an essay, just a simple "Like," and might also reduce conflicts somewhat. Harry?

torags · August 13, 2012

Sounds like a good idea. Thumbs down too; we learn from what people don't like, as well

bfjr · August 13, 2012

What's wrong with a "Conflict of Two".

You learn from that as well.

lensmole · August 13, 2012

bfjr wrote: »

What's wrong with a "Conflict of Two".

You learn from that as well.

My thoughts exactly !

Richard · August 13, 2012

Before we moved to Version 2.0, Dgrin had a "Rate This Thread" feature, which allowed people to rate a thread from 0 to (IRRC) 4 stars. It was almost never used, so we decided to chuck it when we went to 2.0. Seems to me that it's little effort to post "Nice Image," which is the equivalent of "Like," but if the viewer doesn't like an image, it would be far more useful to the poster to get some sort of critique than just a "Don't Like." This is a pretty low volume forum, so I'm not sure what problem this is trying to solve.

RyanS · August 13, 2012

I'd like to throw out an alternate point of view on the like/rating idea. There are already sites like 500px that do photo ratings. I go there or tumblr if I just want to look at pretty pictures.

That is not why I come here. I come to dgrin because I want to read the discussion or debate. It is best when it gets heated, because that is when the truth starts to come out. I like this approach because I try to maintain an open mind, subject to change based on new ideas and evidence. In other words, I learn something new. Concepts are challenged. Minds slowly change. Those new ideas evaporate with a "like" or a "+1." Everyone's thoughts are valuable. It doesn't matter if it comes from the brand new user or the seasoned person.

Why a shot works or does not work. What is the essence of something and what isn't. What is real and what is forced. All very important questions to be asking. If anything, I'd rather see a system that encourages more words and less "nice shot" mini ego-strokes. I'd also like it to be okay for people to change their minds. That takes the ability to say "maybe I am wrong about this." And I certainly may be wrong.

David's thread/debate was quite valuable to me. Everything everyone said really made me think. Hard. About myself, my work, the work here, and what photography is. Am I the only one that got something from it?

TonyCooper · August 13, 2012

I don't find the idea interesting at all. A "Good shot" is OK if you like my image, but I'd
prefer a "Good shot, but it could be better if you would have....".

If you don't like my image, I want to know where it missed. Subject matter? Processing?
What do you see wrong?

If the shot doesn't involve you enough to do more than tick of "Like" or "Don't Like",
it's a "Don't Like" by default.

I've learned a lot from comments, but I've never learned anything from a checked box.
I don't always agree with comments, but I like seeing other people's reasoning for their
comments.

There are "Challenge" forums in DGrin where the votes are "Like" marks.

MarkR · August 13, 2012

Interesting comments about the like/don't like buttons.

Smugmug's current plan is to remove the thumbs up/down metaphor from their next iteration.

In addition, somewhere on the smugmug support boards there was a lot of complaining about the thumbs down metaphor.

Agreed, I can post an image to my blog and get plenty of "likes", but I'm not as likely to get any feedback beyond that. Dgrin is where I go to give and receive honest feedback and hopefully hone my craft and gain new perspectives.

sara505 · August 14, 2012

bdcolen wrote: »

A "Like" button, a la Facebook. Might it somehow be set up so that one could "Like" an image, by click the "Like" button on the original posting, and "Like" a comment, by clicking on the "Like" button on the comment? I suspect that having it would increase the number of responses to images, which often don't require an essay, just a simple "Like," and might also reduce conflicts somewhat. Harry?

I was just this minute thinking the exact same thing. Who's got time to reply to all this stuff. Not me.

Harryb · August 14, 2012

I hate posting pictures on Facebook because the only feedback you usually get is a "like". I am old and cranky and I really don't give a hoot if anyone "likes" my image. What I like is a response to a picture that says why someone liked or disliked an image. I've learned a lot from feedback from viewers who "disliked" an image and told me why.

Dgrin was set up as a place to discuss photography. I think just hitting a "like" button is a deterrent to having a discussion.

TonyCooper · August 15, 2012

harryb wrote: »

i hate posting pictures on facebook because the only feedback you usually get is a "like". I am old and cranky and i really don't give a hoot if anyone "likes" my image. What i like is a response to a picture that says why someone liked or disliked an image. I've learned a lot from feedback from viewers who "disliked" an image and told me why.

Dgrin was set up as a place to discuss photography. I think just hitting a "like" button is a deterrent to having a discussion.

like!

PhotoDavid78 · August 16, 2012

Not a fan of "Like" on a forum. Forums are for discussions.

bdcolen · August 18, 2012

torags wrote: »

Sounds like a good idea. Thumbs down too; we learn from what people don't like, as well

Possibly. Although a lack of Likes does the same thing while being slightly less "aggressive."

bdcolen · August 18, 2012

TonyCooper wrote: »

I don't find the idea interesting at all. A "Good shot" is OK if you like my image, but I'd
prefer a "Good shot, but it could be better if you would have....".

If you don't like my image, I want to know where it missed. Subject matter? Processing?
What do you see wrong?

If the shot doesn't involve you enough to do more than tick of "Like" or "Don't Like",
it's a "Don't Like" by default.

I've learned a lot from comments, but I've never learned anything from a checked box.
I don't always agree with comments, but I like seeing other people's reasoning for their
comments.

There are "Challenge" forums in DGrin where the votes are "Like" marks.

Allow me to point out that you don't learn a thing about processing from looking at images on this forum because you never see the RAW image, or original jpg. So unless there's a discussion about the processing, it's totally your guess what the poster did or didn't do. And I, for one, didn't come here for endless processing discussions. Borrrring.

TonyCooper · August 18, 2012

bdcolen wrote: »

Allow me to point out that you don't learn a thing about processing from looking at images on this forum because you never see the RAW image, or original jpg. So unless there's a discussion about the processing, it's totally your guess what the poster did or didn't do. And I, for one, didn't come here for endless processing discussions. Borrrring.

Did you not see where I said "Subject matter?"

You don't need to see the RAW to know if the subject matter is
is interesting or if photographer did a good job composing in camera.

As far as processing, conversion to black and white is processing. That, and
contrast, are the two most common comments that involve processing.
Comments about those two areas can be contributory to the learning
process. If my memory serves, you have commented about those two
points frequently.

A "guess" about the processing is an expression of "like" or "dislike"
about the end result. If the "guess" is expressed in specific terms,
it is far more useful to the shooter than a tick mark.

bdcolen · August 18, 2012

TonyCooper wrote: »

Did you not see where I said "Subject matter?"

You don't need to see the RAW to know if the subject matter is
is interesting or if photographer did a good job composing in camera.

As far as processing, conversion to black and white is processing. That, and
contrast, are the two most common comments that involve processing.
Comments about those two areas can be contributory to the learning
process. If my memory serves, you have commented about those two
points frequently.

A "guess" about the processing is an expression of "like" or "dislike"
about the end result. If the "guess" is expressed in specific terms,
it is far more useful to the shooter than a tick mark.

Indeed I have commented, Tony, and I tend to comment when overprocessing makes an image not worth looking at. Also, if the best we can say about an image is 'well processed,' it's probably not worth commenting on - and that goes for the black and white as well. And, if it's well processed, we shouldn't notice the processing - and perhaps the image came out of the camera 'processed' the way we are looking at it.

jpope42 · August 18, 2012

Interesting discussion. I come here in dribs and drabs and comment in spurts (like today). It's mainly time constraint for me, although I love photography, work can be annoyingly time consuming.

So from my perspective, like/don't like are ok, a way to leave a record of the observer's impression when there isn't time available for a more extended commentary. It is a far worse thing to post a photo and get no response.

TonyCooper · August 19, 2012

I'll bow out of this, but with one parting shot....

Check out new poster kpstatz's thread titled "NYC Street Shots".
How interested would he be in continuing to post here if he got
four "like" check marks instead of four comments with some
meat to them?