Sign of the Times
First up, a very special thank you to everyone who has made my time on Flickr most enjoyable with your visits and faves. I have taken you down some interesting rabbit holes in the past 13 months, some surprising even to myself (who would have thought I’d be going on about computer bots a year ago – ha ha). There are so many genuine people with whom we have been able to share our photographic experiences and even frustrations. My utmost appreciation for that. I hope it continues for a long time to come.
During my Lake St Clair series I chalked up 2 Million views. It was on October 8 to be exact, so now is a good time to pause, give thanks and reflect. Four months ago I passed the Million views mark, so it was beyond my wildest expectations to have passed 2 Million views by now. I discovered the sign posted above (wink, wink) on my trip to Sandy Bay in Hobart - my next series which I’ll start on the weekend.
I’m on the record about my frustrations with the Explore system as a whole, its method of selection (a computer bot), the Exploromania it tends to generate with people trying to find ways to game the system, etc. etc. You are welcome to join the discussions at www.flickr.com/groups/anti_bot_anti_fake_photo/
I’ve had some very helpful advice from people about why my first Explore came soon after joining Flickr and I’ve not troubled the scorer since.
•Don’t say anything controversial or ramble on too long in the descriptions
•Don’t post in full size
•Don’t post in so many groups
•Posting in series is a bad idea, random is the way to go
•Add a signature, add a border (and don’t do the same – the rule doesn’t seem to be clear here from what I’ve seen)
•Don’t get yourself banned from the group “In Explore” by attacking the conflicts of interest of the Admins who continue to procure Explores at the rate of “2-4 a month” according to the Texan.
Well I agree it’s all good advice, but you won’t find me following it for a moment. I fail to see why “jumping through hoops” should be a requirement for quality, and this dog doesn’t do tricks. So had the Explore Bot visited me more often I’d have had a boost in views (my only Explore has attracted 19,000 views, and it wasn’t all that good). But to get to 2 Million views without that assistance, my photographs have had to earn their views on merit. I’m proud of that. So no sour grapes Flickr.
But just a final note that illustrates why my public criticisms of the Explore system may have led to being banned, and that it is also possible to “game” the system with success had I chosen to do so. As an undercover operation for www.flickr.com/groups/anti_bot_anti_fake_photo/
I assumed another identity and account and began posting according to the methods we have gleaned from people on “how to get Explored”. My second ever posting was Explored, and this unleashed a cavalcade of backslappers and well-wishers (most of them well known Bot-users). People who didn’t really look at the photograph, but because it had the Explore stamp of approval thought it had to be worth faving. All this for a photo Luminosity7 had already rejected.
So yes it can be done. And I will continue for a little while undercover to glean what else we can about this system. When my work is done, all will be revealed in the group www.flickr.com/groups/anti_bot_anti_fake_photo/
But you will never find me compromising my position here in order to attract the attention of the computer bot called Explore.
Sign of the Times
First up, a very special thank you to everyone who has made my time on Flickr most enjoyable with your visits and faves. I have taken you down some interesting rabbit holes in the past 13 months, some surprising even to myself (who would have thought I’d be going on about computer bots a year ago – ha ha). There are so many genuine people with whom we have been able to share our photographic experiences and even frustrations. My utmost appreciation for that. I hope it continues for a long time to come.
During my Lake St Clair series I chalked up 2 Million views. It was on October 8 to be exact, so now is a good time to pause, give thanks and reflect. Four months ago I passed the Million views mark, so it was beyond my wildest expectations to have passed 2 Million views by now. I discovered the sign posted above (wink, wink) on my trip to Sandy Bay in Hobart - my next series which I’ll start on the weekend.
I’m on the record about my frustrations with the Explore system as a whole, its method of selection (a computer bot), the Exploromania it tends to generate with people trying to find ways to game the system, etc. etc. You are welcome to join the discussions at www.flickr.com/groups/anti_bot_anti_fake_photo/
I’ve had some very helpful advice from people about why my first Explore came soon after joining Flickr and I’ve not troubled the scorer since.
•Don’t say anything controversial or ramble on too long in the descriptions
•Don’t post in full size
•Don’t post in so many groups
•Posting in series is a bad idea, random is the way to go
•Add a signature, add a border (and don’t do the same – the rule doesn’t seem to be clear here from what I’ve seen)
•Don’t get yourself banned from the group “In Explore” by attacking the conflicts of interest of the Admins who continue to procure Explores at the rate of “2-4 a month” according to the Texan.
Well I agree it’s all good advice, but you won’t find me following it for a moment. I fail to see why “jumping through hoops” should be a requirement for quality, and this dog doesn’t do tricks. So had the Explore Bot visited me more often I’d have had a boost in views (my only Explore has attracted 19,000 views, and it wasn’t all that good). But to get to 2 Million views without that assistance, my photographs have had to earn their views on merit. I’m proud of that. So no sour grapes Flickr.
But just a final note that illustrates why my public criticisms of the Explore system may have led to being banned, and that it is also possible to “game” the system with success had I chosen to do so. As an undercover operation for www.flickr.com/groups/anti_bot_anti_fake_photo/
I assumed another identity and account and began posting according to the methods we have gleaned from people on “how to get Explored”. My second ever posting was Explored, and this unleashed a cavalcade of backslappers and well-wishers (most of them well known Bot-users). People who didn’t really look at the photograph, but because it had the Explore stamp of approval thought it had to be worth faving. All this for a photo Luminosity7 had already rejected.
So yes it can be done. And I will continue for a little while undercover to glean what else we can about this system. When my work is done, all will be revealed in the group www.flickr.com/groups/anti_bot_anti_fake_photo/
But you will never find me compromising my position here in order to attract the attention of the computer bot called Explore.