Submit for FPI, Photographer Skill or Model Looks?

It’s all subjective, including model looks. What we find "pretty" is heavily influenced by current cultural standards and societal trends—it’s not as much of a personal choice as we like to think. Decades ago, what was considered beautiful might not align with today’s standards, and the same will be true decades from now.

Even things like color, contrast, and composition are subjective to a degree. What catches one person's eye might go unnoticed by another. Ultimately, liking or submitting a photo for an FPI is about whether it speaks to you and aligns with what you’ve been culturally or personally conditioned to admire. Art, after all, thrives in diversity—not conformity. :-)

On PP, popularity can greatly depend on who posts an image. A photographer might post an image and get a dozen or so likes at best, but the same image posted by a female model can receive hundreds of likes and be featured in different areas of the site, including as an FPI, in that case or scenario its more about the poster than the actual image..

Edited by ANDY00

My skillset is quite limited but I like a very wide range of images mostly it is the colour that draws me in vivid colours  also anything that can capture the dark moody vamire/ gothic horror look I love a certain look which is very rare to see in the way i would like but Fleur de mal has the look 

If a picture grabs my attention and if I think it would be a good advert for the site, I suggest it.  

'Fraid I'm one of those 'I know what I like, like' people, so I've never tried to analyse why a picture grabs my attention. If it does, it just does. 

Sorry - I'm not much help, am I?  

Originality and execution.

Same backdrop, same pose but different model, doesn't cut it for me.

I see the same stuff copied over and over and although the outcomes can be good, it's not original.

If the thumbnail doesn't grab your attention in the first three seconds, there's no point suggesting it for an FPI.
Doesn't matter how good the full size photo is.

Edited by Huw

No 1 lighting

No 2 subject and composition

Also is it different does it stand out and is it unique

BLA@K I love your portfolio profile image 😍

Has to be an image that grabs my attention, whether that be concept, lighting, originality, quirkness etc

it also needs to be edited well.

If a composite it needs to look like the image all ties together.

Huw

Yes, it’s a shame that a tiny thumbnail is so important in that regard.

I’m often have difficulty in deciding what crop to choose for the thumbnail and nearly always think that whatever I choose doesn’t do my image justice.

Orson Carter said

If a picture grabs my attention and if I think it would be a good advert for the site, I suggest it. 

I'm the same.  Keep the criteria simple, and let the pictures do their thing.  Though it probably has a strong narrative to it, rather than being "pretty girl" and nothing more.

Might I consider hanging such a picture on a wall?  Could I imagine it making a good billboard picture?  Could I imagine it making a good jigsaw?  Such analyses are fun to ponder, but I let them happen subconsciously, if they happen at all.

Orson Carter said

Sorry - I'm not much help, am I?  

Your wife says she's surprised at you for saying this - it suggests that you have been listening to her all these years after all!

I don't bother with the FPIs much; I don't look at them and I rarely suggest them.

But the criteria for me to suggest them is always the same -- always. "That's really effing good and yet criminally neglected".

The problem is it will have been neglected precisely because the definition of good is so narrow here. It's rare they ever get FPIs. Sometimes they do.

Similar to Orson’s comment above - I could not say what I look for. I see an image, and if I like it and am drawn to it, I suggest it. Although it is probably true that I am drawn to anything dance/ballet related so if I had to list one thing that makes me take a closer look and hence Im more likely to suggest, it would neither be model or photographer skill, it would rather be theme I guess? :)

Makes me go Wow, I wish I had / could have taken that image

I'm in the "I like what I like" camp - I don't think there's a science to it.

I instantly see the Light, then shape, then colours.

I personally am attracted to bold, contrasting and striking images.

Things like strong lines and dramatic lighting usually with 1 light. (Though I do like more than 1 light too if it's controlled skillfully). That kind of image really speaks to me.