New WA website [USATF too]

[ATK]

I agree with tandfman, the mugshots on the page make no sense. Keep only the action shot and that's it. An athlete's ID/credentialing photo does not need to be shown on their bio page for it to be part of a database.
I would be ok with it, if the quality was better. But even Christian Taylor's shot, in which he is smiling, looks out of place with the beautiful action shot.
https://www.worldathletics.org/athle...-taylor-236659

But with all that said, doesn't matter too much to me as I never go to an athlete's IAAF page to check for their photos, I'm looking for stats.

[El Toro]

Fine, but what is your audience? If you are trying to appeal to fans and potential fans (as you should be), a contorted view of the athlete in celebration is better than a deadpan mugshot. [snip]

As for consistency, I'm with Ralph Waldo Emerson. (Nothing personal, Jon.)

Despite Emerson's hobgoblins, there's nothing wrong with efficient workflows and consistent presentation, it's just that the base product, the photos, are absolute shit tier quality - and inconsistent shit at that.

If WA want to showcase their product (the athletes) as being, variously, sullen, uninterested, criminal or occasionally as just humanoid black smudges, then that mark is being hit in the centre of the bullseye.

For contrast, I went to the UCLA site and clicked on two track athletes at random and luckily, one was white and one black but both were properly lit and looked like people you'd be pleased to meet (or market):

https://uclabruins.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8640

https://uclabruins.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=9376

That's what WA should be aiming at and this can be achieved cheaply, easily and consistently with modern digital technology with a bit of planning - it's not 1985 any more.

[Conor Dary]

A friend of mine son is at Boise State and their pictures don't remind you of the Sopranos...

https://broncosports.com/sports/cross-country/roster

[tandfman]

Just to make one point clear. I fully understand gh's point about the efficiency of taking using the photos that every one has to take in the credentialing process, and keeping those photos on file for use elsewhere. I also understand that the nature of the conditions under which those photos are taken makes it likely that they will be what El Toro calls "shit tier quality". Even so, I have no problem in using those photos on the athletes' individual pages when that's all there is available. (And I'm not suggesting that anyone go out of the way to chase down better photos of everyone in the data base.) My point is simply that for the many top athletes whom WA does have good action photos of, those should be the only photos on their respective pages. Once they're taking the trouble to add those good photos to a page, it really shouldn't be any trouble at all to delete the mugshot at the same time.

[gh]

...My point is simply that for the many top athletes whom WA does have good action photos of, those should be the only photos on their respective pages. Once they're taking the trouble to add those good photos to a page, it really shouldn't be any trouble at all to delete the mugshot at the same time.

you still need the mugshot for down-the-road efficiency in making future IDs (and most big meets avoid retaking photos unless they have to). There's also the matter of whether or not the mugshots are meeting biometric parameters, which action shots most definitely want.

[ATK]

you still need the mugshot for down-the-road efficiency in making future IDs (and most big meets avoid retaking photos unless they have to). There's also the matter of whether or not the mugshots are meeting biometric parameters, which action shots most definitely want.

So the mug shot needs to be on the athletes public display page as opposed to stored in a directory/file server WA has access to?

[player]

The mugshots aren't a new feature of the site. They have been in place for about seven years now. Each time an athlete is accredited for a World Athletics event, the mugshot gets updated. We have a bit more choice over the larger action shots that appear on profiles. All medallists from Doha, all DL champs, Olympic champs, world indoor champs and the top overall 100+ ranked athletes (plus a fair few slightly older profiles) have large action shots on their profile page.

Thank you very much for that info.

I called up web caches of the previous IAAF versions of the profiles and noticed two changes.

One is that the mugshot has been enlarged. The entire WA page (typeface) is enlarged and how much of the mugshot enlargement is absolute and how much is relative, I wouldn't presume to estimate. But, bottom line, the larger mugshot draws the eye in a way the previous one did not.

Second change is that the mugshot was previously presented in a circle; now it's a rectangle. I'd suggest this contributes to an association with familiar snaps of the involuntarily detained.

If WA insists on having the mugs on the profile pages, and does not wish to invest in more flattering photography, my respectful suggestion would be to reduce the size and go back to the circle.

Also could consider placing the mugshot at a spot on the page least likely to be the focus of the viewer's first attention.

[Atticus]

If WA insists on having the mugs on the profile pages, and does not wish to invest in more flattering photography, my respectful suggestion would be to reduce the size and go back to the circle. Also could consider placing the mugshot at a spot on the page least likely to be the focus of the viewer's first attention.

PLEASE e-mail them those suggestions. Maybe you could pick up a side-hustle helping them!

[Conor Dary]

you still need the mugshot for down-the-road efficiency in making future IDs (and most big meets avoid retaking photos unless they have to). There's also the matter of whether or not the mugshots are meeting biometric parameters, which action shots most definitely want.

Why make them so gloomy then....

[gh]

USATF's revamp now up and running as well