Avatars, Just a jpeg, or image?

[camstory]

What are avatars? I'm not looking for the description, I want to know what you think they are? Are they just a image that means nothing, or very little, or something more?

I'll start with what brought this to mind. Shortly after I started here, I remember thinking, 'well i like her post OK, but what a bitch she must be.' I later thought, 'I really like her post, she might be alright.' Even so, I never thought about adding her to my friends list at MFC, something I was doing to many of the Models names here at the time. I think she was running the same avatar at MFC at the time. I am not sure why I first went into her room, but the impression I had from her avatar could not have been more wrong. I so well remember thinking, there is no way this is the same girl as her avatar. So super sweet, and happy and full of laughter it could no way be the bitch in the avatar. Please don't ever go back to that picture, Aedan.

I now try to keep that in mind when I catch myself making some judgment about someone because of their avatar. It is not just Model's avatars that, like it, or not, still help paint an image of their keeper. and it does not have to be a picture of the person. I now know it is ridiculous to let an avatar have any influence, but I can't help but think it still does sometimes. A quick example is, that until just recently, if I had met MyNameIsBob, and he did not look a lot like Jeff Bridges, at some level I would have been disappointed. And he was as cool as the dude - not that he is not still ultra cool, he's just not the dude anymore. do the ever changing and always delightful avatars of MrRodry not fit him perfectly, or is it just me?

There are many other things I feel about avatars, but enough for now. What do you think?

 

[Nordling]

An image, which can be a photograph, cartoon, drawing or design that the owner of which chooses to stand for them. It could be something they think represents their personality, or something outside them that they admire or simply think is cool.

I like avatars that at a glance give me a sense impression of the person.

 

[Shaun__]

People's avatars will sometimes have some influence on me as I read their post, but it is usually the substance of what they have written that matters most to me.

 

[LadyLuna]

An avatar is something the person chooses to have next to their post.

It might be a picture pertaining to something they like.
It might be something that provokes a thought they want to get across.
It might just be a picture of themselves.
It might be something they want people to believe about them that isn't true, or something they wish were true about themselves.

The first avatar I ever had was a clip-art kitten with a ball of string, where I colored the ball in purple and the eyes of the kitten yellow (I think, might've been green or blue). I do not believe that account even exists anymore, as I was 15 at the time.

On MSN, I usually use either the chess piece, cause I wish I could play chess, or the kitten, cause I love cats.

When I don't want people to know what I look like, I generally use something like that. When it's something I want connected to my webcam modeling, I use a picture of myself.

 

[Marokite]

An avatar can definitely influence how I perceive a person before ever reading their post. For example, Nordling's avatar always puts me in a pleasant state of mind before I read his posts. Some people's avatars make my defenses go up before I even read. However, sometimes the posts themselves can make me like or dislike a picture. If someone uses an image they got off the Net (and the poster is basically a douche), then that image will trigger unpleasant thoughts wherever I happen to see it.
My chosen avatar is a WoW Dwarf. Although I had stopped playing long before I got my account on MFC, his name was Marokite and that's basically what he looked like. He was my favorite 'toon. This isn't anything close to what I look like.
I do like when models use their actual photos here as on MFC. I have looked up models before because I liked their posts and found their avatars attractive. Had the posts been cool, but the avatars lacking, I probably would not have looked them up. Equally, if an avatar were super hot, but the posts were not, I would not look them up either.

 

[AedanRayne]

:lol: You sent me a message apologizing for this post but I'm not offended in the least. This is a great post, cammy! Models need to know that their avatar should reflect their personality. Which is why I changed my avatar to the current one because I feel it shows my silly side more than previous ones (reflect my personality a bit better).

I would love to know which avatar you're speaking of though. Was it the black & white one I had for awhile?

 

[camstory]

:lol: You sent me a message apologizing for this post but I'm not offended in the least. This is a great post, cammy! Models need to know that their avatar should reflect their personality. Which is why I changed my avatar to the current one because I feel it shows my silly side more than previous ones (reflect my personality a bit better).

I would love to know which avatar you're speaking of though. Was it the black & white one I had for awhile?

I am so relieved, and I want to say it was the one right before this one, but it was like a year ago so that is Prolly not right, don't think it was B&W. So glad you are not offended. I love your current avatar BTW.

 

[camstory]

An avatar can definitely influence how I perceive a person before ever reading their post. For example, Nordling's avatar always puts me in a pleasant state of mind before I read his posts. Some people's avatars make my defenses go up before I even read. However, sometimes the posts themselves can make me like or dislike a picture. If someone uses an image they got off the Net (and the poster is basically a douche), then that image will trigger unpleasant thoughts wherever I happen to see it.
My chosen avatar is a WoW Dwarf. Although I had stopped playing long before I got my account on MFC, his name was Marokite and that's basically what he looked like. He was my favorite 'toon. This isn't anything close to what I look like.
I do like when models use their actual photos here as on MFC. I have looked up models before because I liked their posts and found their avatars attractive. Had the posts been cool, but the avatars lacking, I probably would not have looked them up. Equally, if an avatar were super hot, but the posts were not, I would not look them up either.

Like Shaun I attach more relevance to the posts, but this^^^^^ is very much how I feel.

 

[VeronicaChaos]

I try to trick people into thinking I'm cooler than I actually am by my avatar, because that's my job. :lol:

I try not to judge people based on their avatars, but on the other hand...Tom Waits. That's how I imagine you, cam. Just so ya know.

 

[Evvie]

Some people clearly try to put forward a face based on their avatar selection... for example, if someone uses this picture

As their avatar, it would imply to me that they're trying to look cool or badass and think highly of themselves (because other people should be afraid of them or give them more respect, because they're better than all our cutsie crap and superduper hardcore for having a scary avatar).

Or, take the following example:
If a model new to MFC uses a very high quality and professionally taken image as her avatar, I would assume she has had previous modeling experience.
If a model new to MFC uses a low quality and amateur photo of herself, I would assume she is simply new.
If a very successful model uses a high quality photo of herself, I would think nothing of it; but if she uses a low-quality photo I would assume she is intentionally creating a low-key girl-next-door vibe.

As far as judgement goes, I can only guess what the intention is (maybe somebody really just likes scary bloody clowns) but I've never recalled feeling like an avatar gave me more than a little insight in to who they are as a person, nor do I ever recall it affecting how I read that person's post.

 

[Nordling]

Well put, Evvie. The only avatars that make me wonder are the guys who use avatars of the opposite sex. I guess they do it because they're fans of the person in the picture? I'm not being critical--as has been noted, people use all kinds of avatars for all kinds of reasons, but it just kind of catches me when I see it. Maybe it's a good thing in a way...we tend to talk differently when we talk to the opposite sex than our own, even if we don't mean to. It's cultural conditioning, so maybe that minor shakeup is good; it reminds us of our own biases.

 

[Evvie]

Well put, Evvie. The only avatars that make me wonder are the guys who use avatars of the opposite sex. I guess they do it because they're fans of the person in the picture? I'm not being critical--as has been noted, people use all kinds of avatars for all kinds of reasons, but it just kind of catches me when I see it. Maybe it's a good thing in a way...we tend to talk differently when we talk to the opposite sex than our own, even if we don't mean to. It's cultural conditioning, so maybe that minor shakeup is good; it reminds us of our own biases.

lots of people just use pictures they like for avatars, and i'm sure many people don't expect avatars to portray what the account holder looks like (outside of, perhaps, dating sites and the like). So I can see a dude using a photo of a hot lady as his avatar just because he sees everyone else using random photos they like, so why shouldn't they? On the flipside I have seen girls using photos of hipster dudes as their avatars as well. But I admit it always does throw me for a spin xD For some time I thought LolasTiger was a new model waiting for approval because the name and avatar are both explicitly female. Rather shows me :lol:

 

[Rose]

Avatars can go a long way in showing a person's personality in online social settings. When paired with their writing it can give you glimpses of how they may speak in person. *shrug* I chose my avatar based on something I do regularly offline and on. When I write, I try and write the same way I would speak to you if I were looking right at you. That's why most of my posts end up with way too many smiley faces and emotes, because that's what I'd be doing if you could see me. At first I tried to pick a 'cool' avatar that might attract potential private playmates, but who am I kidding? I'm just a big friggin goofball and am in no way cool. It's just easier to be straightforward and not try to disguise my goofballishness.

 

[Nordling]

Avatars can go a long way in showing a person's personality in online social settings. When paired with their writing it can give you glimpses of how they may speak in person. *shrug* I chose my avatar based on something I do regularly offline and on. When I write, I try and write the same way I would speak to you if I were looking right at you. That's why most of my posts end up with way too many smiley faces and emotes, because that's what I'd be doing if you could see me. At first I tried to pick a 'cool' avatar that might attract potential private playmates, but who am I kidding? I'm just a big friggin goofball and am in no way cool. It's just easier to be straightforward and not try to disguise my goofballishness.

Which is why you're really cool. Funny, witty and a little goofy--what more could someone want.

 

[Shaun__]

The only avatars that make me wonder are the guys who use avatars of the opposite sex.

I like seeing a beautiful woman pop up on my screen every time I make a post, and Mixxi put a lot of work into my fan sign. She is making me a new one as a prize for something, but she is a perfectionist and that takes time.

 

[Nordling]

The only avatars that make me wonder are the guys who use avatars of the opposite sex.

I like seeing a beautiful woman pop up on my screen every time I make a post, and Mixxi put a lot of work into my fan sign. She is making me a new one as a prize for something, but she is a perfectionist and that takes time.

Totally cool, and justified.

 

[AllisonWilder]

I like when people use avatars that clearly amused them to some degree when they picked it or when they make me laugh. The shocked face avatar that Evvie used recently comes to mind because I always saw the avatar and read her posts as though I should be shocked somehow. Well, that and because it made me laugh.

I've definitely ventured into rooms of girls who show off their goofy, fun personality in their avatars.

I like mine because it makes me feel like I'm pondering whatever I've written.

 

[MrRodry]

do the ever changing and always delightful avatars of MrRodry not fit him perfectly, or is it just me?

There are many other things I feel about avatars, but enough for now. What do you think?

Avatars are the essencial piece of somebody personality and they shoud always be used to dictates the life and the future of people, as in humankind. Forever.

 

[Evvie]

do the ever changing and always delightful avatars of MrRodry not fit him perfectly, or is it just me?

There are many other things I feel about avatars, but enough for now. What do you think?

Avatars are the essencial piece of somebody personality and they shoud always be used to dictates the life and the future of people, as in humankind. Forever.

I like your signature :lol:

 

[gigolo_joe]

User name is the first impression, avatar is the second impression the post is the third impression I notice from any user. Myself I usually use a pic of the Jack of Hearts playing card as my avatar but alas it wouldn't fit so I just went with a lovely pic of the lady I usually hangout with on MFC