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Did the front page save the photo section?

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The_Future
Posts: 1418 - Karma: 607
Maybe it's just me, but it seems like I have noticed a lot more activity in the photo section since NS started using different user photos everyday for the front page. More good photos uploaded and more people taking the time to look at pictures and rate them. It's a lot easier to explore and discover good pictures with the day/week/month/all time breakdown... It definitely got overwhelming using the old system to look through every uploaded photo.

Props to the NS staff for keeping the love for photos alive!
Feb 14 2012 3:03PM
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hot.pocket
Posts: 4225 - Karma: 10,625
How about the front page alternates between pic of the day then video of the day? Like today the top pic, then tomorrow the top video, then the new top pic.
Feb 15 2012 1:14AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
I'm glad you noticed!

We're generally concious of most of the issues on the site, and have ideas for how to solve them. The photo section was exactly like that - we saw that it had gotten extremely dead but the solution wasn't a tiny one. That is a huge part of why the new video section took so long, is that the photo galleries and entire photo handling system of the site was fucked and needed to be re-written.

So we ended up having to re-build from scratch the entire media system of the site. Good news is that allowed us to do all of these improvements. So I'm for one really happy that the splash page / upgraded photo gallery has worked out. I'm way more in love with this system than the old ones.

As for alternating POD / VOD... there's a great idea there but I'm not sure that is the exact right way. I tend to think that the splash page is much more like the cover of a magazine, where its really a photo that should be getting hyped up. We need a similar solution for video, but we don't have it quite yet. I've got a few ideas kicking around, and we'll start to play with them in a few months.

Stoked though that you guys are digging photos. Photography is an awesome art, and we want to give exposure to the up-and-coming photogs as much as is possible.

Feb 15 2012 4:50PM
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Mike-O
Posts: 14593 - Karma: 1,089
The one and greatest thing that saved the Photo section was the Private section as default selection. No fucking doubt about it.

Now you can click into latest and see sick shots of all-around skiing, and almost not a single Jiberish/any other gear sale picture flooding the section.

POTD just fueled the fire, as you know, also in a bad way with downrating other pics, but now that it's dealt with, ain't nowhere to go but up. It's gonna be great.
Feb 15 2012 5:48PM
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The_Future
Posts: 1418 - Karma: 607
That's a great point.... totally forgot about the switch to private section default. That was definitely huge.
Feb 16 2012 6:11AM
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Mike-O
Posts: 14593 - Karma: 1,089
The Pics of the Day get a craaaaazy amount views.

Most vids of the day or featured articles/videos circle probably around the 5000-7000 hit mark, but most-- MOST of the pictures have around 50 000 views, insane, and such a sick way of gaining publicity through this place just by giving a little.
Mar 24 2012 5:33PM
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1337
Posts: 31054 - Karma: 29,240
I remember when i first was on NS I'd always start at the splash page (its the default isn't it for anyone who directly visits newschoolers.com?) before I even knew about the photo galleries/video galleries/forums. I'm sure it gets all the default traffic from the site
Mar 27 2012 9:22AM
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Mike-O
Posts: 14593 - Karma: 1,089
Absolutely, but now we have Share, Like, the skier and photog credits visible there, and they come from all kinds of members - newbs, OGs, heshers, gangsters... I'd definitely put on my portfolio/CV that my pictures have been seen by so-and-so many people, even if the default helps it along.

I mean, look at Joris Blanc - he's had like 6-7 Pics of the Day in the last year and probably around 160,000 views combined. That's crazy for a sport that is, still, considered a bit niche.
Mar 27 2012 9:30AM
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skiRay
Posts: 7558 - Karma: 926
I did notice! love it too. thanks for making the thread +k
Mar 27 2012 10:19AM
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1337
Posts: 31054 - Karma: 29,240
yes, it's great that its an even better and constantly changing setup.
Mar 27 2012 11:20AM
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joris.blanc
Posts: 914 - Karma: 6,584
Wooow thanks for the reference :)
I actually have 12 pictures that got picture of the day from November for a total of over 340'000 views ;-)
Yes this is totally crazy, and looks like that if you get your pics up there people/members start to know who you are and you get some recognition !! This is definitively going in my CV !!

If you want some details on views of the frontpage :
November/December get around 22-26'000 views
January/February/March get around 38'000 views
Mar 27 2012 11:40AM
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Mike-O
Posts: 14593 - Karma: 1,089

Click for larger image.
Mar 27 2012 1:38PM
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1337
Posts: 31054 - Karma: 29,240
i just checked that epic POD today, and it had 38,014 views so far. And a perfect 10 rating with 96 votes, NEVER seen that before
Mar 27 2012 8:57PM
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Enstrut
Posts: 1388 - Karma: 362

I check out the photo section now to vote for the next cover page. deffinatley saved the photo section

Mar 28 2012 10:47AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
It absolutely gets views from the fact that its the default landing page for when people type newschoolers.com into their browser.

That is really the whole point though! Its like the cover of a magazine... because its on the front it gets tonnes of exposure.

I've been absolutely amazed at the level of talent we've seen floating to the top. I'm so happy that we can feature up-and-coming talent, as chosen by the people. Its really truly an amazing thing.

Mar 28 2012 11:24AM
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Sklar
Posts: 8864 - Karma: 31,612
I absolutely think it saved the photo section.

I uploaded my shot to the summer section, which before the overhaul would have only got a handful of views, and it got enough views/ratings/whatever to go front page!
stoked! and now it has over 12k views and it's only 9:30 AM
Apr 1 2012 11:46AM
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