evolving feature galleries

[adminpoll]55[/adminpoll]

Currently, we take feature gallery requests from anyone who submits a gallery. Our problem now is that we have well over 150 images in the feature gallery rotation an many people never see theirs come up. (I haven't seen mine in quite some time.)

Should we somehow change how we do feature galleries? I've listed a few possibilities to start and invite you to discuss and submit more ways to change the feature galleries on the front page. Let us know if anyone thinks these might be useful changes... or a step in the wrong direction.

I kinda like it the way it is.

No, I haven't seen my own gallery come up (and I swear I drop by here at LEAST once a day), but I did keep that email you sent me that shows my gallery as the feature gallery. I can click on that for instant gratification.
But I like the way most of the time, the gallery that comes up is something new to me. Between the front page updates and the feature, I get plenty of chances for that "Oh, that looks cool; I think I'll go check it out!" diversion.

As to those "with unusual items", unusual is in the eye of the beholder, and might lead to heated discussions as to why a gallery was used/left out.

I would like to see every gallery in the queue for being featured. On my "to do" list is to browse through all the galleries eventually. (or at least give it a good try) So the feature helps add a bit of randomness, and keeps it interesting.

Geez, I guess that's my 5 cents...

Next!

I kind of like the update idea...as in if you don't update within 3 months your site comes up far less, 6 months even less than that and if you haven't updated in 12 months, it's knocked off the rotation altogether. There is at least one featured gallery of a collector who doesn't even collect anymore that I see quite often on the rotation actually.

Anyway, if it comes down to there's too many featured galleries running, then perhaps the ultimate conclusion will have to be some sort of criteria system for who can submit...*cough cough, sponsors...cough)

Evil you say? Maaaaaaaaybe :)

I like the idea of changing to only the updated galleries being featured. There are a few that haven't been updated for many many months. I really like Startyde's idea.

I don't think feature galleries should be limited to only recently updated galleries - updated galleries already get extra exposure in the updated lists/front page and also by showing up first doing series queries. Don't want to take away a gallery's chance to shine every once in a while just because they don't buy many cels.

However, maybe some sort of gallery maintanence would help. I know I see feature images of cels that I know have been sold off, and even one feature that links to a banned gallery. Maybe for inactive galleries that have had no logins in a year the system could trigger an email to be sent to that particular curator asking if the gallery is still current and that they haven't forgotten that it even exists. If no response, could be moved to a hidden inactive status and their featured gallery listing would drop out. Just a thought...