I really don't get into the "number of hits" or "top 20" thing very much. It is nice to see when other folks' deserving work is recognized. It is amazing, and somewhat sad, that the viewings in the Gallery depend quite a lot on the suggestiveness of the thumbnail. My recent Gallery post of two friendly lizards got 111 hits in under 24 hours. This puts it in the top 14 of my published photographic works. If you normalize it to number of days posted, it is clearly my all-time winner. For a lizard! Now, I'm not wining and complaining. I liked my friendly lizard shot. It was fun. I plan on using it in 2D. This whole thing suggests to me the topic for an unoficial Challenge: the provocative thumbnail contest. [I already think I know who's wicked sense of humor is sure to win.]

[No, not those above! Submit your own.]

Ya mean like this?.....I always make full-image thumbs. I don't know if making provacative thumbs would help. Kind of hard to make a thumb of a flower provacative if you know what I mean. However, I think that human beings are naturally drawn to photos of other people. Or anything that appears to be sexual..... I know I am....

I am, therefore I create.......
--- michelleamarante.com

Take for instance the shot of the lizards....from the thumb it looks like groping... The hand of the child in the water....hmmm....might be a sexy babe frolicking on the beach....have to look....!

I am, therefore I create.......
--- michelleamarante.com

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=420015&Start=1&Sectionid=8&filter_genre_id=0&WhatsNe

I'm jumping in on this thread... When i first started posting long long ago I cropped my thumbs. As I recall that's what I had seen & so I followed that lead. A few postings down the road, the comment was left that the crop wasn't appreciated & would I post full images. After much grumbling & thoughts of pulling my fledgling gallery, I sucked it up & have been posting full images ever since...go figure~

Someone had done a thumb similar to this ages ago, & I thought it was pretty cool what the eye/mind can do..so this is my homage to that.

I see bum....must look......!!!!!

I am, therefore I create.......
--- michelleamarante.com

lol @chelle wonder what the hit counter says so far ;p @Misha, I love those lizards!

So far, 'Chelle's toilet is beating Spidey's elbow 276 to 220-something.

'Chelle is now up to 295. No one has visited the lizards in past 24 hours. Spidey's elbow is missing. Must be a story here somewhere.

What I find amusing is that people are still going to look at it, maybe it will be my highest viewed image ever?...and it's such a sucky pic..!

I am, therefore I create.......
--- michelleamarante.com

I pulled mine this morning~ it was at 307 hadn't even been up 24hrs... it would of been my highest! But you know I felt I was compromising my intregrity as an artist...buuuurp ; }

Webbster - you gotta at least throw a scratch in with the burp. Here ...lemme show you. First, you gotta slouch and then .... BAAAAAUUUUUUURRRRPPP scritch scritch }sniff{ See? Just concentrate ... relax ... be the burp. -=>Donald

Ya gotta love a gal who can burp with such gusto!! Spidey you da woman!!!

I am, therefore I create.......
--- michelleamarante.com

... and with an elbow to die for. How did you ever figure out my most secret fetish. Back on topic - I think it is a great idea. Yeah, the one that can generate trhe most hits with a thumbnail that links to nothing sexual, erotic, etc.... Have you noticed how many hits no thumbnail at all can get? If I do a subject like "my sister's butt" with no thumbnail. I'll bet you it hits 200 in 24 hours. I guess you could take a picture of a crushed out cigarette for an actual photo. But - back on topic again - When you get right down to it, who cares? In the website game, like most others, it's more a matter of getting them in the door than it is a matter of providing a great quality product. The numbers matter to advertisers because volume is exposure. Once you do get them in the door - then you can give them some actual "art" and who knows, if they are at all normal, they'll probably like it.