Today I posted an image that found its way to the Favorites collection of a few people. Out of curiosity, I usually take a peek at those people's homepage to see what company of Favorites my image is in. Often that's a way to discover interesting works or artists.

When I looked at one person's homepage (let's call that person 'X'), I didn't find my image on the first page of favorites. It wasn't on the second page either. Third page: nope. Fourth page? Naah. I found it on the fifth page. Looking further, I saw that 'X' had already favorited no less than 161 images today. I began to wonder "what are favorites for actually?" Well, I looked even further and saw that 'X' had favorited just under 20000 (twenty thousand!) images... in 17 months.

Let me say that again: twenty thousand favorites in seventeen months.

By the way, during the time it took me to write this, 'X' has added some 50 images to his Favorites collection.

I think that maybe I fail to understand what a favorite image is...

I agree. I can understand a favorite artist (Usually a friend or a family member) but not a favorite image and not to the magnitude you have posted about.

Well said Geert! and hard to understand the motivation behind it (at least for me)

Favorite means for me, talk about picture first, when I see a picture and realy grabs me. Don't need to be a perfect one but something about the art is unique. It might be a postwork perhaps or a subject matter. Sometimes I favorite picture what I know never in my life will see in real life or have an opportunity to capture it myself but still need to be at least 'half way decent' shot. Blurry cheetah will not do for me...:)

Favorite artist: I pick ppl who is delivering great pictures in a long time or ppl who I am realy interested what they do next.  

seeya  Tunde

Right on Geert! I discovered the same thing some time ago. I guess there are many reasons for favorites and I just accept that people are different, and their reasons may be different as well.

Wayne

Now that is amazing. LOL! 

I wonder why some people do that. As wayne said, they must have their reason. Just I dont see the sence in it.

Helle

I do SO agree!

Andrea

I favorite just the ones that really stand out to me.   A lot of images must stand out to X.    LOL          

Lynell

I say do as you see fit for your gallery and what is comfortable to you. It shoudn't be an obligation to favorite pictures. 

well take my example i just simply don't favorite any picture but there are a lot out there that i would like to.may be X wants to take all the favorite pictures himself as well.

I favorite images that give me inspiration, example and maybe hit a cord with a deep and pleasant memory. That might be as many as 5 per month or maybe just 1.  I know several members who favorite 20 or more a day and I'm not sure why but maybe they just find they need more inspiration or they collect other members' memories.

Hi Geert

I know what you mean and for example member "x" I can call that member by name...but I don't want to get problems...I always wondering how many time people can spent behind their keyboard.....commenting can be very time consuming.....and if I am honest if each image will collect from me in member "x" favo list...included a lot other members daily ..I am wondering how importent each image will be....with a very short comment on the image itself......

I have some favo's in my list......all what Carol created from my images....I find a honest comment more important then all images in a list ...... I speak for myself......

Ilona

Who has a favorite? It is the person viewing your image. Assigning a favorite would seem for them, not for the one who uploaded the image.  I look at this very innocently as a means not to "loose" an image which for one reason or the other is keepable.

Renderosity provides a means to store an image you like..."favorites" being that place.  Do I use it? No.  To others, as they will.

Any online community like this will have a small percentage of people who do just this..It's like Facebook...you see someone who has 4,000 friends..Really ??

I have seen the same thing with comments. members leaving hundreds a comments per day..

The way I look at it..When my friends and peers mark an image of mine as a favorite, that means something..The rest I just ignore.