Featured Photographer

[thurian]

Who picks 'em?

[Frank]

The website does.

I have a piece of software that runs at midday & midnight every day (twice a day) and it selects a new photographer at random. Any photographer can be featured but there is at least 20 days before the same photographer can appear again.

[thurian]

Ok. I'm going to be a little petulant now and give out about the "featured photographer" bit.
One was featured recently who had pics of the IAC Pilatus PC9's that you could just about see if you squinted, not a big deal if the guy had a bunch of other pics for us to enjoy, but he only had 3 other photos (of pretty much the same thing) on the website! I'm all for giving new photographers a break (cos I'm one of them) but if someone hasn't posted pics in 6/12/18 months (take your pick) should they really be a "featured photographer"? I'm only grumpy cos I've never been picked! 

[Frank]

Well I've been giving everyone in the database a fair chance to be featured, I've put no pre-conditions in apart from you have to wait 20 days before popping up again.

I will admit that some of the older pictures are below current standards, as is to be expected.

No user has ever questioned the "Featured Photographer" slot before so I'll throw the question out there...

Should I put certain pre-conditions on who appears in the "Featured Photographer" slot on the homepage?

Right now anyone is eligible to appear and the photographer is picked at random twice a day, but should I, for example, make it a photographer who has uploaded more that a certain number of shots or only uploaded shots within the last year, 18months, 2 years, etc?

Post all ideas here please.

[Joe McDermott]

I suspect Thurian that you have been the Featured Photographer at some point but may not have been online at the time.  Frank can correct me if I'm wrong (too right he will) but I understand the automated system rotates through the database. There are some photographers who have very few shots on the site, & some maybe below par but I would no change the system. Thurians points are sound but we should remember that some contributers from the early days may not be adding to the DB for many reasons, ill health ect. Some of my early photos are well below par compared to current higher standards.

Joe

[Frank]

I suspect Thurian that you have been the Featured Photographer at some point but may not have been online at the time.

That's quite true actually, I only keep a record of the last 40 photographers so can't check anything older than 20 days.