Query: Star Rating Usage

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Level 6

12,592 points

Query: Star Rating Usage

(Added: I see it's been 18 months since I settled onthe now "old" system.)

There are seven ratings in the built-in star rating system: Rejected, Un-rated, and 1- to 5-star. Do you use all of them? What specifically do they signify?

I'm about to change my long-used rating system in my personal Library. I had used 1- and 2-star to indicate "saves" and "best of" in a Stack of similar Images while I culled those stacked Images for the one to develop. I stopped stacking similar Images (to avoid the confusion with Version Stacks, which I use continuously), and so have not used 1- and 2-star ratings for many months. My ratings had been limited to 3-, 4-, and 5-star, which I used to rate Images per project (keep, good, best). For Library-wide ratings, I used Keywords (mostly "Portfolio").

Working to renew my portfolio(s) has caused me to rethink this. I am now likely to bump down my ratings, and make 5-star = "Portfolio". Like so:

★	Keep	There are often Images I keep but won't develop. This let's me know I've decided to keep them, and that I shouldn't delete them. (Example: excellent composition, misplaced focus.)
★★	Good for Project	These have a potential use within the Project. In essence: development potential.
★★★	Superior in Project	Develop these! Will likely be used.
★★★★	Portfolio Nominee	These I want to consider adding to my Portfolio. I actually keep several portfolios, distinct by genre, or sometimes type (Grayscale flowers, for instance). This is a Library-wide rating.
★★★★★	Portfolio Selection	These won't be marked in the Projects, but rather in the Smart Albums that collect developed nominated Images. This, too, is a Library-wide rating.

Imported Images are unrated. Then, on a per-Project basis, they get either rejected, or rated 1-, 2-, or 3-star. Developed Images which are exceptional get bumped to 4-star status. I have Smart Albums that collect all 4-star Images by genre. From here I will upgrade Images to 5-star (= "in Portfolio"). Or from the 5-star Smart Album, I'll downgrade ones to 4-star when needed.

Before I implement this system, I like to hear how you use the built-in star ratings. Thanks in advance 😎 .

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012), OS X Mountain Lion, 16 GB RAM; 500 GB SSD; NEC; Munki

Posted on Oct 14, 2012 8:52 PM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

194,761 points

Oct 14, 2012 11:48 PM in response to Kirby Krieger

Kirby,

I like your list and the categories you have chosen for the ratings i.e. the clear distinction of ratings within project and portifolio.

My use of (final) ratings is similar, but I did not put in so precise words as you did. My ratings change over and over again, while I am working with the images.

During the first few month, while I am still working solely on one project, all ratings are relative to the project.

When first browsing the images the ratings are quick and intuitive:

Reject (techically bad,delete immediately),
1 - (techically bad, but keep, wait and see, if it is not the only picture of the bear, the lion, or a very special moment),
2 - o.k., but boring,
3 - o.k., and there is something I like, needs a lot of work
4 - great picture, but there is a still better one, keep it for the screen saver for variety
5 - wow - I like it the first time I see it, show it off in collections

Usually the really good images start off with the rating 5 and are downgraded, when I see more pictures and have looked closely at details. This is the phase, when I use stacks of similar images. Redundant images in the categories 1, 2, or 3 will be deleted, many 5s will be downgraded to 4. Continue, until all stacks of similar images only contain one image.

When I start to use the new images in library wide projects and compare them to other images, I downgrade more 5s to 4s, start to use version stacks, and all other rating is done by using keywords: slideshow, weg gallery, book, screensaver, wallpaper

Regards

Léonie

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Answer 2

Kirby Krieger Author

Level 6

12,592 points

Oct 15, 2012 1:20 PM in response to léonie

Léonie -- thanks for the thoughful reply. Interesting that we've settled into a similar use. I will likely go forward with my plans.

Anyone else use ratings? 😉 .

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Answer 3

jrd1993

Level 1

35 points

Oct 15, 2012 9:27 PM in response to Kirby Krieger

I do. I work for my college newspaper shooting photos.

Upon import, I rate everything as one star. I then do a pass and rate ones that I think are good as two starred. From there I further edit the two starred to three starred. These three starred then get treatment with Nik Define and Photoshop. From here, I pick my favorites and give them four stars. At the end of the year, I pick my favorite photos and they get five stars.

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