Findings Concerning Photo Dump Selection
The event produced many photos. The group is reviewing them. The selection process favors photos where everyone looks acceptable over photos that are better pictures.
FORENSIC FINDINGS — Group Photo Selection
SUBJECT: The criteria by which group photos are selected for shared distribution.
The Selection Criteria
Group photos are evaluated on two separate axes:
Axis A: Technical quality. Composition, focus, lighting, framing. Axis B: Collective acceptability. Whether each person in the photo finds their own image acceptable.
The Conflict
High technical quality does not guarantee collective acceptability. A photo can have excellent composition while containing one person's expression at an unflattering moment.
The reverse is also possible: a photo with poor technical quality can have every person smiling acceptably.
The Priority Order
In practice, Axis B outranks Axis A in group photo selection. A technically inferior photo with universal acceptable representations will be selected over a technically superior photo with one person's objection.
This is not irrational. The photo will be shared with the subjects. The subjects must live with the shared version. Technical quality is a secondary consideration for personal archives. Collective acceptability is primary for shared circulation.
The Private Archive
The technically excellent photo that was rejected for shared circulation was saved privately by Person A. Person A found the composition strong. The photo had no unflattering subjects from Person A's perspective.
Person C's perspective was the deciding factor for the shared version. Person A's perspective determined the private version.
Both photos exist. Each serves its correct audience.
The Album
The shared album contains seventeen photos. None are technically perfect. All have everyone looking acceptable in them. The album is well-received. This was the goal.