Best Photographers on Purpleport

Unfocussed Mike said

SimonL said

A site like this is probably more representative of who has the most time to commit to a hobby.

The 'Best' are out in the real world and rarely here. I rarely get looked at here, get even less likes on images but I've made plenty of hard earned cash in the real world from professional clients.

BIB: interesting. Yes.

I imagine in the real world, commercial photographers have to spend a lot more time working to differentiate, too, because the highest paying audience are looking to use photography to differentiate themselves.

Whereas here, people are taking photographs with some pressure to shoot what other amateur photographers would want to shoot, and amateur models would like to be in: it cannot be anything other than self-reinforcing over time.

I'm respecting the Admin warning, but not sure who that applied to...

In response, if a wedding photographer is paid to shoot a wedding, he or she may use similar poses and directions as they did before. My husband plays chess vs me, god knows I can predict his first 10 moves without hesitation. Some things are predictable because we are comfortable with them, some we learn from others and use them but then make them our own. The way we shoot or pose is part of our learning process. 

My opinion is that an FPI is worth something and I would never take that away from those who have been awarded it just because I do not have one.

Margo Jost said

Why do we have to have people who are better than each other?

Well we are all human, why is anything better than another thing, from football, athletics, rugby, tennis, art, photography, etc, etc. This is life you can live it, enjoy it, envy it, or embrace it the good and the bad!

An FPI is an award for this site to raise awareness for the artist which I considered the "Best of Purpleport" not the site.

Ben.M said

It would be interesting to know how these things are measured. I am on the third page for the models, and there are better models than me lower down on the lists.

Personality Ben :-)

jmbphoto said

FPIs aren't necessarily "what purpleport elves think are the best" - it would be more accurate to say they are "what purpleport elves think are the best *out of those images which they have seen*"

Is this what that Pesky "Suggest this for an FPI" link is for, Doh!

Margo Jost said

Gothic Image but art is subjective. It's not the same as someone who is fitter than someone else.

Someones miracle shot that just got an FPI is someone else's shit.

It's impossible to say who is the "best" in art. And quite philistine in approach. Art is fluid and open to interpretation.

Margo, personally I would never criticise someone else's work because I did not understand or appreciate it. Life is filled with artists who were not appreciated thing their own time and there is no way any of us all knowing art critics will know who the next will be. We have to nurture talent and the untalented, even when we do not understand or appreciate it.

Unfocussed Mike said

tandi said

Unfocussed Mike said

Stanmore said

Using FPI’s to ‘gauge’ members of PP seems plausible enough when viewed from within the PP bubble. What I mean is that if you’re purely focussed on gaining PP FPI’s, then if you could access such a ‘charts’ list, you could find the photographers to approach and the models to ‘study’. 

But be clear that PP is a little bubble in the big boiling photographic cauldron. When I view the FPI’s, the majority come across as great examples of what makes a deeply cliched and poorly conceived and/or executed photograph. I ‘love’ the ones I genuinely think are actually great; most days that’s none of them. I’m not being snotty or obtuse; in my experience the typical FPI has nothing to interest those within the commercial, editorial or art sectors of photography, and most would be viewed as as flawed and irrelevant in one or more ways by those sectors.

In lieu of having an actual FPI charts list, you could begin to create collections of images by photographers and models that you admire, or you find have lots of FPI’s. Most photos have a ‘Collect’ button above them that you can use to add them into collections you personally curate. Each collection can be made public or kept private. Over time you could create your own ‘chart’ lists this way. 

It's well documented that I don't often agree with you, but yes, to all of this.

The FPI is a community reward that in large part concentrates and propagates a self-reinforcing community aesthetic, and rarely chooses in a way that confounds it. If you like that style and you're happy working in it, great. If you don't: also great.

I've stopped looking at them as a rule, though I have recently got back to recommending photos that do confound that aesthetic.

Hi Mike, I find myself having a number of hours free on Friday 13th, which is historically an unlucky day for some, but I still believe in the FPI award system hopefully I haven't bought bad luck to it. It has some great content and I try to view new content and submit the ones I believe are worthy, don't you :-)

I don't view them often. I do occasionally suggest something I think other people are likely to have overlooked (e.g. because the model has clothes on)

Me too Mike, I appreciate the clothed and some of the unclothed and submit it when it reaches out to me :-)

GDSandy Photography said

I think you will find he links on page one are for "prolific" posters or latest posters as although it is subjective, the results do not look like they are based on quality.

Often it is just as simple as posting to a forum to get someone to look at your profile and click the submit button, congrats, I did it for you. If you get an FPI you will know that your content is just not getting the exposure it deserves. :-)

wow, last post by Me, shall we call it a day on this post, I'm warn out :-)

Might be a better gauge looking at what tog has the most tog followers. Obviously they have impressed their peers somewhat?

tandi said

wow, last post by Me, shall we call it a day on this post, I'm warn out :-)

So long as you're happy you got what you wanted?

Me of course. I'm surprised that no one has said that yet.

Jokes aside. It's not quite what you want but you can filter a search on the number of references. Find the photographers over 1000, then 500, etc. These photographers are easily finding models so it might correlate to their ability. Of course, it might also correlate to their available money and time.

It probably works better for models. Some models have over 1000 references. Their great images must be part of the explanation.

In both cases, length of membership would increase their numbers but that would apply to FPIs as well.

tandi said

Margo Jost said

Why do we have to have people who are better than each other?

Well we are all human, why is anything better than another thing, from football, athletics, rugby, tennis, art, photography, etc, etc. This is life you can live it, enjoy it, envy it, or embrace it the good and the bad!

An FPI is an award for this site to raise awareness for the artist which I considered the "Best of Purpleport" not the site.

An FPI is an image used to promote the site rather than the artist(s) concerned with the image although the exposure may also be a consequence. The image will be selected for consideration as an FPI by Members. Those promoted by members are then voted upon by a Team of Members ( commonly known as 'The Elves'). The Elves vote to select those images as FPI's to promote the site.

bad john My search idea was not as effective as I expected. The highest possible reference limit is 250. Lots of models and photographers qualified.

Gothic Image said

tandi said

wow, last post by Me, shall we call it a day on this post, I'm warn out :-)

So long as you're happy you got what you wanted?

Well the question was 

"I love to know if there is anyway to see who the Best Photographers in rankings order, whether that's based upon FPI or Loves?"

It appears that there is no way of doing that, but numerous ways in which to tell me I am wrong in asking for it. Don't get me wrong, I'm just happy the day has gone quicker waiting for a backup to finish. I don't mind you guys carrying on debating whether FPI or loves are worthwhile or not, or ranking FPIs or loves are worthwhile of not.

Have a lovely weekend, play nice :-)

bad john said

Me of course. I'm surprised that no one has said that yet.

Jokes aside. It's not quite what you want but you can filter a search on the number of references. Find the photographers over 1000, then 500, etc. These photographers are easily finding models so it might correlate to their ability. Of course, it might also correlate to their available money and time.

It probably works better for models. Some models have over 1000 references. Their great images must be part of the explanation.

In both cases, length of membership would increase their numbers but that would apply to FPIs as well.

wow, I'm going to try that, mucho gracias :-)

seetheyes said

tandi said

Margo Jost said

Why do we have to have people who are better than each other?

Well we are all human, why is anything better than another thing, from football, athletics, rugby, tennis, art, photography, etc, etc. This is life you can live it, enjoy it, envy it, or embrace it the good and the bad!

An FPI is an award for this site to raise awareness for the artist which I considered the "Best of Purpleport" not the site.

An FPI is an image used to promote the site rather than the artist(s) concerned with the image although the exposure may also be a consequence. The image will be selected for consideration as an FPI by Members. Those promoted by members are then voted upon by a Team of Members ( commonly known as 'The Elves'). The Elves vote to select those images as FPI's to promote the site.

I hope that we can agree that a promotion of the site, is also seen by it's members and promotes the artists. It feels a 2 way street to me :-)

2nd glass of vin rouge, there could be severe typos from this point on, I have St Agur with my bread stick lunch  :-)

Edited by tandi

tandi said

bad john said

Me of course. I'm surprised that no one has said that yet.

Jokes aside. It's not quite what you want but you can filter a search on the number of references. Find the photographers over 1000, then 500, etc. These photographers are easily finding models so it might correlate to their ability. Of course, it might also correlate to their available money and time.

It probably works better for models. Some models have over 1000 references. Their great images must be part of the explanation.

In both cases, length of membership would increase their numbers but that would apply to FPIs as well.

wow, I'm going to try that, mucho gracias :-)

I just tried it and  didn't work as well as I hoped.  The highest number that you can set is 250.  Lots of photographers and models achieve that and sorting by number of references is not offered.