Is a Flickr image good if its thumbnail isn't?
Explore, 11/7/2007
Note: The framing is not post-production. The view is through a hole in the ceiling of an open air atrium at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Arts.
It seems like in the past 2-3 weeks we've had a lot of our sky dominated by these plane tails, coming from Air Force jets. It makes for dramatic lines of white against the deep blue Arizona sky.
It's interesting to see from some of the comments that the picture looks like an "abstract" in its thumbnail. It highlights a very interesting issue of SCALE in art. Does a piece of art look the same in one physical scale versus another? In Flickr, an image better look good in thumbnail if it's going to get attention. Certain elements do well in thumbnail: humans, repeating geometry, landscapes, bold colors, flowers, bokeh. Pictures dominated by detail and/or subtlety, on the other hand, really only look good when viewed larger, and thus suffer in popularity.
As McLuhan said, "the medium makes the message". As the visual arts went from the physical to the electronic, it enabled scale. I wonder whether we really think of our images very much in terms of this complex issue of scale of view. In this paradigm, is an image that only looks good in one scale a lesser-quality image than one which, all things being equal, looks good in multiple scales?
Practically, on Flickr, I believe that while the quality of a larger version of an image is what generates faves and "custom" comments, it's the quality of the thumbnail in large part that determines views and "award" comments.
Comments and faves
geeezelouise, Doug Mo (Gone Vagabonding), bryanilona, ɹǝdɯ:ɐʞ ƃɹ:oɾ | jotka26, and 48 other people added this photo to their favorites.
geeezelouise (67 months ago | reply)
cool.
Doug Mo (Gone Vagabonding) (67 months ago | reply)
Beautiful contrast in colours. Very abstract quality to the composition too!
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bryanilona (67 months ago | reply)
Brilliant!
You are my winner!
Please add this photo to
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ɹǝdɯ:ɐʞ ƃɹ:oɾ | jotka26 (67 months ago | reply)
cool!!!
Bachspics (67 months ago | reply)
From the thumbnail I thought the white clouds were a reflection on a blue covering of some kind on the outside of the red thing.
Looking at it larger helped me see what it really was and the beauty of the abstraction.
the-father (67 months ago | reply)
wonderful abstract!
~I SNIFFED out this wonderful image!
You deserve this nose worthy award!
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Amaury Henderick (67 months ago | reply)
Heyhey, this is the kind of stuff I love to come across on flickr. Great explicit graphism. Just one note: I don't totally agree on the crop. I would leave that little piece in the top left hand corner out. But that's just what I'm thinking. Other people may tell me wrong :-)
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Kool2bBop (67 months ago | reply)
Great!
Congrats
A+++ Grade Photo
Spybee(gone for awhile) (67 months ago | reply)
Cool & vivid.
You are my winner!
Please add this photo to
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Yawp Barbarian (67 months ago | reply)
Nice abstract !
A+++ Grade Photo
Kristamas° [deleted] (67 months ago | reply)
it's the quality of the thumbnail in large part that determines views and "award" comments.
i agree ... i think a lot of great images can sometimes be overlooked just on the bias of the thumbnail fave,
one of my peeves of Flickr.
Steve-h (67 months ago | reply)
You're right about the importance of the photo looking good in a thumbnail. We have all had great photos totally ignored because the thumbnail didn't measure up.
This shot should do well, though, it will stand out in any pool !
After some thought, and holding my hand over the top left corner, I think I would crop it. It would make people think a bit more about the photo. And with a pro account you can replace it should you decide to do so.
*JouDi [ Laaaaaaaaaaa =''( .. [deleted] (67 months ago | reply)
amazing shot
cahos55 (67 months ago | reply)
Bonjour, je suis un administrateur du groupe L'OeilNeuronal, et nous aimerions beaucoup que vous ajoutiez votre photo à notre groupe.
Steve-h (67 months ago | reply)
I think that's much better. Now all you have to do is left-click inside the note and then click on the delete button that appears. It's irritating the way it is.
Dean Forbes (67 months ago | reply)
well seen! it is difficult to discern the scale of the opening to the sky, but that makes it all the more interesting.
*kiwikiss (67 months ago | reply)
yay, found you on explore!!!!
Amaury Henderick (67 months ago | reply)
I'm glad you appreciate my suggestion.
And I quite agree on what you wrote here...
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robertcrawford553 [deleted] (67 months ago | reply)
wonderful and interesting-the thumbnail made me wonder just what I was looking at-but being on your stream-it had to be good
StefanosP (67 months ago | reply)
Nice semi-abstract :). Well seen, great colors!
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prdsra (67 months ago | reply)
Compliments, I like it;
Please add this photo to the your preferred picture group.
Rodrigo Oliveto Ruiz (67 months ago | reply)
ohhhhhhhh, good image
kevin dooley (67 months ago | reply)
Per my text above, here's an example of a photo which has a lot of detail that I am very proud of, but doesn't look that good in thumbnail...
XStormyX [deleted] (67 months ago | reply)
Wow!! So unique, the colors are fabulous. Creative and fantastic capture!!
Love the point about the thumbnail! So true!
Your photo has been appraised as a Platinum Photograph
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ilsebatten (67 months ago | reply)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Colour Art Award
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ramparts54 (67 months ago | reply)
Love the composition and your well-stated thoughts on scale and quality viewing of art!
Great Shot! Please join us at:
I Think this is Art !
pavel conka (67 months ago | reply)
Colour Art Award
thegreensea (67 months ago | reply)
Colour Art Award
tengtan (away awhile) (67 months ago | reply)
Well seen and creatively abstracted.
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阿德 之 休眠中( In dormancy ) Z Z z (67 months ago | reply)
wow! wonderful shot
usbdevice (67 months ago | reply)
Great composition!
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davefitch (67 months ago | reply)
Yeah, I agree with you 100% about the [relative] importance of the thumbnail - it really suits some things/styles and really works against others.
Fab shot by the way :-)
Shamana © (67 months ago | reply)
Very cool!
The Pritzker Architecture Prize on flickr
plismo (67 months ago | reply)
love this series of work;
love beautiful things too;
eye candy;
pavlos
nick.garrod (67 months ago | reply)
The Pritzker Architecture Prize on flickr
Dulce Scalla (67 months ago | reply)
Superb! A minimal!
The Pritzker Architecture Prize on flickr
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Alfredo11 (67 months ago | reply)
great shot!!!!!!!!!
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great!!!!!
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Steve-h (67 months ago | reply)
it's very interesting coming back to this photo two weeks later to read all the comments. I still find it a fascinating abstract .
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FrogMiller (67 months ago | reply)
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s U o (67 months ago | reply)
Thumbs Up! from Flickr Smileys
rossmcginnes.com (67 months ago | reply)
Yep, I thought it was an abstract. Works well both ways though!
SHINING☆STAR - Post 1- Invite 1- Give 5 Stars
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Danny Perez Photography (67 months ago | reply)
This brilliant photo is like a shooting star,
totally inspiring!
SHINING☆STAR - Post 1- Invite 1- Give 5 Stars
Thanks for brightening my day, shine on!