Why so many views, but so few replies?

MarcusM · Mar 5, 2008

note: I started this as a reply to the OP of this thread http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1159079#post1159079 , but as I was typing I realized my response was getting extremely long so I didn't want to hijack the OP's thread and decided to create a new thread:

I feel your frustration with the exponentially larger view numbers compared to replies. (to gallery posts in particular) I too experience this when I post photos in the gallery. Some of my photos I feel are fairly good, but I get the feeling that they are really boring when I get 50 views and not one single comment.

But then I think "how many times have I gone through and looked at a thread in the gallery just because I felt like viewing some photos but didn't really feel like stopping to leave comments at every thread?" I know I've done that a lot. Even with photos I think look pretty good. Sometimes, they're just good photos, but maybe they're not spectacular, so people are like, "yea, that's a good photo, not much to improve on, so I don't need to critique, but also, it's nothing that moves me to comment" That's just how I feel at times so I'm assuming it's what other people are doing too.

I try not to let it bother me although at times it does, because I just want feedback! Even negative feedback, so I can learn from my mistakes and improve!

If you look at almost any thread in the gallery though, you will see that most have roughly at least a 10:1 ratio of views to replies, so I think it's just the way it goes.

Anyway, just curious to see what other people's thoughts are on this because I know I've seen other people get frustrated with it and I'm wondering if there are other reasons...why the large views but extremely low responses to specific threads?

Stranger · Mar 5, 2008

I am at the same stage as you. I post and hardly get replies, and then i scrummage through the gallery and dont really feel to comment. And when scrolling through the pro gallery, i dont always feel justified to comment because i am unsure of how to critique

asherexplore · Mar 6, 2008

I am much less inclined to respond in the event that the poster has not asked for critique or has asked everyone to be "nice"..

I don't get why ppl cannot handle others honest opinions..

I think I've made an ass of myself a few times commenting on other peoples photos. But whatever. If I really expect ppl to honestly say what they think and feel about the photos I post than I have to honestly say what I feel about others..

What whould be sweet would be a gallery title "harsh critique"... I would post my stuff there for sure.

I wonder if ppl hesitate to be picky because they are afraid of offending??

I doubt the 10:1 ratio will ever change.

Sw1tchFX · Mar 6, 2008

I'm not saying I do this ALL the time, but everyone is guilty of it, and we've all got our own opinions, but we all know it's alot easier to:

-Ignore threads with a repeat topics (RAW vs JPG :roll:, what camera :angry1

-Ignore the shaky, unfocused, flat images of cats, dogs, and other household items than it is to actually tell the poster they're bad or be fake and say "OH THESE ARE GREAT!" Unless they're truly good or really abysmal, than you HAVE to make a comment.

LaFoto · Mar 6, 2008

Please all keep in mind that also guest views count. And no one can tell how many guests (not members) come to look through the galleries but CAN NOT leave a comment simply because they are not registered. Their viewing a thread still COUNTS, though.

And sometimes the time is just not right.
When I post something at around noon (my time), I can be sure it'll get "lost" - only because that is about the wrongest time I could possibly choose (early morning in the States).

And to obtain a 10:1 ratio is VERY GOOD! There's no better ratio to be had.

dklod · Mar 6, 2008

Its even worse when you think you have captured something really special regardless of the subject, but the composition or the lighting or the colours were awesome, well, so you thought. If 20 people have viewed, and no comment, then Im probably ok with that. Its when your views gets to 50 and above and its like, bump time, that gets to me a little. Some people are just in a hurry and too busy to comment, but I agree with you, a bad comment is far better than no comment.

Sw1tchFX · Mar 6, 2008

OH I forgot,

LEARN HOW TO USE THE SEARCH TOOL!!!!!!!! 90% of technical issues, HDR, yadayadayada will be explained in previous threads

MarcusM · Mar 6, 2008

Sw1tchFX said:
OH I forgot,

LEARN HOW TO USE THE SEARCH TOOL!!!!!!!! 90% of technical issues, HDR, yadayadayada will be explained in previous threads

Who are you talking to? I'm really only talking about posts of your own photos in the gallery.

But I know what you mean. Although sometimes you just need a specific answer, even though there may be 10 threads talking about a similar subject.

LaFoto · Mar 6, 2008

Yes, I know Markus: your question is actually about replies to photo posts in the galleries ... but this question, too, has been asked by many members before you, and often, too

, the "why so many views and so few comments"-question, it is.

Garbz · Mar 6, 2008

My view is easy. I enter the thread for my enjoyment. What good is it other then to inflate the ego of the poster. If I love an image I'll look and close. If I'm indifferent about it or it doesn't grab me I'll also close. I only reply if there is an image that I think could have been a great success but there was a flaw that keeps it from being up there which someone hasn't mentioned, and often they will before I get into the thread.

I treat it as a gallery nothing more. So if you post in the black and white, landscape, nature, or people galleries that's where at least 1 of your views without replies comes from. And I do try to look at every image posted in these galleries.

(Ghastly) Krueger · Mar 6, 2008

In my particular case, I do most of my posting in a network with a lot of filters. Because of this I can view maybe 10% of the images posted and it seems a bit random... for specific posters I can see maybe 90% of their images and for most I can see none.

So sometimes I enter a post hoping to be able to see something... and there goes another view without a possible comment.
-------------------
On a different note, a few months ago many users complained about simple, one line answers (I like it, cool, etc) and others complained about beginners making wrong comments. Maybe that got through and people who would give you a thumbs up keep quiet and beginners shy away from making comments?

Arch · Mar 6, 2008

Yea its really nothing people should get angry about if they can help it.

Instead of 'omg 50 views and no comments' ....think of it like this;
Guests, alot of people are just browsing the forum and arn't even members so they cannot comment... a few more people who are members view the image, and as Garbz says, view it like a gallery, so are happy to see all kinds of images but are not Immediately compelled to write something about it (more than anything time is an issue here too... if you spent all night commenting on every thread you look at you will have little time for anything else).
Now another big contributer to your own view count is YOU!... i do it alot... checking if the image looks ok... checking if it looks the same as it did in PS... checking it again because maybe its not how you thought it should look... checking again because you want to see it with fresh eyes....
All of these checks you make count to the overall amount of of views... It is NOT made of of '50 Members views' but how many times the thread has been clicked no matter if its from the same member.

Anywho... i guess it boils down to personal preference and whether you feel you can add anything to the thread in any way.

BUT look at it like this.... you post some OK shots.. they get like 2-3 comments... then one day you think you bagged a killer shot and instead of the 2-3 comments you get 14... now how do you feel?... like you achived something better then you did before?... you should do.
If everytime you posted you got a similar amount of replies it doesn't give you that same feeling of personal achievment as when you get that really cracking shot and people love it.... just look at LP's last post with the birds of prey... he knows he raised his game with the quality of shots he managed to get... and he also has 45 replies..... you see in a way i think its better for you.

We have tried our best to maximise the amount of views your images get by creating the minimum amount of galleries, but really its down to the members. Sometimes it suddenly gets alot busier on the forum and other times its quiet so its all hit and miss.... i would say tho, try not to get discouraged if you dont get many comments, just keep plugging away.

bhop · Mar 6, 2008

I've quit posting images. When I see lots of views and no comments, it feels to me like people just aren't interested... why bother posting images if nobody cares.

Big Mike · Mar 6, 2008

Also:
To some extent, you get out what you put in. If you just post a photo, people may not know what to make of it. Maybe you spent 2 days setting it up or maybe you just walked by and snapped it...we don't know. Maybe you tweaked it and edited it...to get it just how you wanted it...or maybe it's right out of the camera...we don't know. Maybe it means a lot to you...maybe it doens't...we don't know.
If someone wants critique, they must let us in on what you were thinking, what you were going for and what you did to get the image. It takes more work by the poster to do this...but that's why I say you get out what you put in.

Also, I don't know if many others are in the same situation as me...but I'm stuck behind 'SonicWall' here at work and I now can't see any photos hosted by Photobucket and a few other hosts. I often open a thread to see if I can see the photos...but often, I can't.

bhop · Mar 6, 2008

Big Mike said:
Also:
To some extent, you get out what you put in. If you just post a photo, people may not know what to make of it. Maybe you spent 2 days setting it up or maybe you just walked by and snapped it...we don't know. Maybe you tweaked it and edited it...to get it just how you wanted it...or maybe it's right out of the camera...we don't know. Maybe it means a lot to you...maybe it doens't...we don't know.
If someone wants critique, they must let us in on what you were thinking, what you were going for and what you did to get the image. It takes more work by the poster to do this...but that's why I say you get out what you put in.

I disagree slightly. I think Photography as a visual medium shouldn't need explanations. "Just a photo" allows everyone to interpret it on their own without any bias.

Of course there are exceptions. Maybe photos posted in the photojournalism section could benefit from some descriptions. Or if someone is looking for some specific help, or something similar.