My experience as a FPI selector

From Orson's link to the post above, you say:

"FPI at best is like a club , if you know someone on the FPI selectors team you can game it which some very likely are. I think the point about gaining more likes has been said before so it's not new, also as you have noticed people are quite dismissive unless something makes it to an FPI, a great image can have 4-9 loves and no attention and as soon as it's FPI wala!

It's similar to Art galleries pushing artists but on a smaller scale and the public following what they see but you won't find any out there photos because it's not all about art."

My question is have you observed any gaming of the fpi system by your fellow elves and have you raised the issue of how you think the system can be gamed to Russ so that it can be prevented?

I have a serious doubts that the OP is in fact one of the selectors, based on what has been posted above.

Starglider Photography said

I have a serious doubts that the OP is in fact one of the selectors, based on what has been posted above.

Tut, tut. You cynic, you. 

Or are you merely another type of conspiracy theorist? 

:)

Starglider Photography

Why would the OP make this up? If he/she is lying about being a selector they would surely be banned from the site.

Orson Carter do you want me to cancel your bulk order of 1,000 tinfoil hats you ordered from me then?

Edited by Starglider Photography

Starglider Photography said

Orson Carter do you want me to cancel your bulk order of 1,000 tinfoil hats you ordered from me then?

 

Probably won't need them. I'll shelter in my bunker instead. 

Orson Carter I've told you before, a three foot deep hole in the back garden is not a bunker!

Assuming the OP is a selector, and no evidence has been presented to the contrary, then we as a community should be thanking them for sticking their head above the parapet.

I am personally not that bothered about the whole FPI concept, but for those that are it is a great chance to clarify how it all works, so thank you Lenswonder. I hope you don’t regret starting the thread!

He is indeed a selector as far as I’m aware. Should he be, based on the comments on the other thread? Not my decision but to make

Tabitha Boydell said

He is indeed a selector as far as I’m aware. Should he be, based on the comments on the other thread? Not my decision but to make

Good gracious. If that's correct, I owe the guy an apology for doubting him. 

But as you say, Ms Boydell, his comments in that other thread seem at odds with what one might expect from a selector. 

FunPhotographer no regret, I felt it important after my opinion was questioned.

Orson Carter

In the interests of transparency , can I ask which other thread you are referring to?

FPIs are Marmite it appears. It is interesting that Lenswonder puts heavy emphasis on post processing because some find this the hardest part. Lets face it Photoshop is not the easiest product to use, its not intuitive, it take hours of watching YouTube videos to master even rudimentary aspects of its use and more complex aspects like masking, dodging & burning, multiple layers etc. take a long time to master and there was me thinking its about photography & the creative process! Lightroom is easier but still not as intuitive as the former Apple Aperture was they discontinued (thanks to the accountant Tim Cook). 

The process is what it is for FPIs that are used as the "shop window" for PP. However my suggestion would be to add "photographs of the month" and go into how they were created from initial idea through to the post processing used so others can learn. 

FunPhotographer said

Orson Carter

In the interests of transparency , can I ask which other thread you are referring to?

The one I linked to earlier. 

Given the OP's comments on that thread, when I saw this thread I did a 2+2 = 5. (Probably more like 2+2 = 92376.) My mistake. Apologies. 

I'd like to see a method where we are told we were in the queue but didn't make it.  Like a consolation prize.  Also, the selector who decided to remove it should be noted (but not identified).  Something like "Just to let you know that one of your images was in the FPI queue but we felt it did not meet the high standards we expect to make it through.  It was removed by selector abc123".

Then if you get 10 over a few months, all removed by the same selector then perhaps it might be worth asking admin if that selector doesn't like you?  As much as we hope it doesn't happen the selectors are human, creatives at that, and I've seen in this industry many people with odd grudges.

Do admin have any internal reports they check that show people who didn't make it through against which selector removes them?  Or don't they care?