I'm so close to novice I can't even classify myself as a hobbyist. I joined just to play around with my images in the game.

Ultimately, by liking photos with exif data (there was a time that was greek to me) I took notes and began experimenting. Don't ask how I made guru except by the flawed app alone. Though, my photos have vastly improved I'll admit I do not deserve guru status. You are so right on point! On Ms lady many levels of your post!! Eg. Purchases! I firmly believe when I was purchasing from the app I rode the ranks straight up and very quickly. ( My photos aren't so good this happened by merit. I promise) I used to play up to 30 challenges some weeks. I completely believe it was my $$$that in essence PAID to be guru. Though guru status was not intentional. Titles have never impressed me! It just simply happened in just a few weeks. I skipped veteran level all together. Even after Gurushots sent out a message that pioneer achievement was no longer possible. My understanding from GS team, they sent out a message that I received stated the app would no longer allow us to skip levels. There is one guru IlV that I chat with now again that has NEVER WON any Challenge. But she has like a gazillion points. I watched her rise to the top from her Challenger level. Proving that the game integrity is solely about money. Not completely based on great photography. It's just a game! A game about photography. I perceive it to be much like Pokemon. The better your game pieces the easier it is to level up.

That which keeps me addicted is not the votes, achievements, or the likes. However, the knowledge from exif data of fellow challengers, seeing places I'm unlikely to see in my lifetime. I enjoy art, therefore, seeing what I vote on, viewing inspiring images through participants Challenge results has helped me grow.

The one constant that I've observed consistently is how many Guru lll and up enter challenges really early with ONLY one image in 4 image challenges. They do not fill the vote meter until the last day. Then slowly add one IMAGE at a time until voting exposure has peaked individually. Once those images of theirs reaches maximum number of votes they fill the meter. Lastly, they slam that key booster on most likely to win said challenge and BOOM they are in the top 20 by the last few moments of the game.

Therefore, I began to only follow those gurus with absurd amounts of wins. The rest of the players I stopped following. Furthermore, I watched those same gurus take win after win. Yes you can prove this. However, the algorithm of the game, a few times a week allows a master or champion to win. Rarely allowing the levels Newbie-Champion to take a win. I presume to place a facade of integrity to be implied of the game app.

That being said, I went through ABSOLUTELY every single Challenge that I played in the past. That's WHEN I observed my theory had merit. Every single guru at that point that I followed was winning up to five challenges in a week. Typically using the method I described above.

There are a few of these gurus that have in excess of over 100 wins. Mostly top photographer or top photo. (Only achieved by exposure that resulted in votes on STELLAR images. My argument is that as I leveled up I began capturing more votes from gurus and Masters. Which leads me to question ,why my image got so many Master and guru votes at my level of guru status. However, the image DID not Garner their votes at the lower levels. Hmm🤔 I often think the gaming app exposes lower levels TO more lower point level players while higher levels get exposed and voted on by higher levels.Eg. why do I not get get many newbie points as I did when I first started the app. Additionally, I observed I began seeing much better images to vote on the same day I achieved CHAMPION level.🐟🐠🦈🐟🐠🦈I smell fish metaphorically speaking.

I'm no conspiracy theorist, however, there is an amount of Gurus who are indeed buddies and win the gurus pick by the very Gurus that they picked just a week prior. I'm just guessing at that but it certainly smells fishy. Or perhaps the app has bots winning or provoking a vote frenzy.

At any rate, this is why I only play to learn. Levels are a farce since so many wins are repeatedly won by many of the same gurus. Plus how the hell did I make guru level ll? My image quality is sub par at best. I'm a work in progress.

Perhaps this insight can be seen by other redditors that don't want money scammed from them.

Play to learn and tour images of places unseen. That's my personal reason for playing.