Hi there. I have just had my third scenic lookout nomination auto-rejected by the AI. These are scenic lookout spots on National Park Service lands on a National Scenic Riverway. Most of this National Scenic Riverway runs through natural bluffs and untouched forest, so I feel like the permanent and distinct designated lookout spots I can find make great exploration points. I appealed my first auto-rejection and Wayfarer staff approved it as a wayspot upon manual review. The three submissions were for generic benches but they are intentionally positioned as scenic lookouts. My issue is that I don’t want to frame my photo as if the bench, itself, it a great place for exploration, so I’ve been attempting to frame my photos showcasing the benches AS a scenic lookout. In doing so, however, the automated filter keeps wiping them out (maybe because it looks like a generic bench or blends in with the background?) and I don’t have the appeals to keep burning if this keeps happening. Do I just need to bite the bullet and submit them as tight-frame shots of the benches themselves? Or is there a way to frame this so that they actually showcase the benches as scenic lookouts without getting repeatedly auto-rejected? This is an example of how I’ve been framing them.
I know it is exhausting, but you may have to appeal this. It may take a human to understand that this is a spectacular view. We get two appeals, each on a 15 day counter before we can use them again, and the appeals will be reviewed by human staff.
If you want to try a resubmit instead, do your best to make your submission photo look like these examples:
I think your main photo (which is decidedly not bad) could be improved by stepping back a few steps to include more of the view without losing the bench as the focus. Consider cropping the photo to square to get rid of some of the ground in front of the bench. And consider adding more photos more zoomed out that show the scenery in addition to the one you show from the front of the bench that helps show where it is located.
I would seek out this bench if I were in the area, so I hope you pursue the nomination.
That’s a good Idea. It is about 30-minutes away, so I will try cropping out some of the ground and seeing if they clear the filter that way before waiting for another appeal or driving back out there. Maybe all of the fallen leaves are kind of distracting the filter.
I wonder if it’s possible that it’s something in my title or description, as well? Maybe there’s a better way to describe these?
I can’t see a problem with your title or description. The ML system simply struggles with scenic benches, probably because so many regular non-scenic benches get submitted.
I usually try to take the photo at an angle, with the bench in the bottom corner and the view taking up the other 75% of the image.
It works sometimes.
Otherwise you just have to be patient and keep appealling.