Photography Contests - Overall Discussions (Fujifilm, digital camera, my photos, hobby)
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You do a great job running the contests! I'm sure it takes far more time than many of us realize. Thanks for doing it!
To me the contests are worthwhile and fun for the following reasons:
1) They get me to consider what my "best" shot in the last month really was. I have found that taking the time to evaluate my images in this way is useful for improving my pictures.
2) They let me test my hunch on what "best" means to a larger community.
3) I'm mainly a landscape and night sky photographer so the monthly themes help to broaden the subjects I work with. Take my picture of the cat eyes as an example. I see those eyes every day yet last month's contest got me to really "see" them. Sure, the picture flopped in the contest but that's OK, I still like the shot and I'll probably take more photos with glowing eyes.
4) I enjoy looking at all the entries and then trying to decide which are my favorites. When choosing I carefully consider why I like some more than others which helps me understand what makes a better picture.
Over the years I have learned that Photography is so subjective that there is no telling what is going to be perceived as a winner.
My thoughts exactly.
EA, If you like a photo, that's all that matters. If someone disagrees with you, then that's their perogative, it isn't personal. Have fun and enjoy the avocation.
I've entered a photo that I knew would never win and it won, on the other hand I thought I had a sure winner and only received 2 or 3 votes.
In the early 1980s I used to judge at different photo clubs thru-out the Dallas area but have forgotten most during my absence from photography the past 30 years.
Further, with digital photography what may look good on your monitor may not on one that has or has not been calibrated.
You never enter the best picture, only the best during the past 30 days.
Don't get emotionally involved in your entry, after all it's just another picture.
I said I don't expect to win. There are a lot of much better photographers out there than me. I just don't expect good photos, regardless of who posts them, to lose to horrible "pics"
Being in a public forum photos are going to strike a chord with people in different ways; some are going to consider topic and technique while others will base it upon emotion, and yet others will do both.
A winning photo I submitted was all three dogs standing by the stove while the wife was cooking hot dogs. The photo was sharp and told a story, but I'm here to say it won off of cuteness.
I've seen Oregenic(sp?) Man submit photos of constellations every month; spectacular photos. The one month someone else submits a constellation photo is the one that wins that month.
Yeah, I don't like that. There are some basic rules for a good photo, and a lot of the winners, or photos with a good number of votes, don't follow any of them. I'm well aware of the subjective nature of photography, but there's a difference between someone who knows what they are doing, and someone who points a cell phone at something randomly, without even so much as wiping off the lens.
The astrophotography that's been posted is usually top notch work.
Yeah, I don't like that. There are some basic rules for a good photo, and a lot of the winners, or photos with a good number of votes, don't follow any of them. I'm well aware of the subjective nature of photography, but there's a difference between someone who knows what they are doing, and someone who points a cell phone at something randomly, without even so much as wiping off the lens.
The astrophotography that's been posted is usually top notch work.
Ok....So what are you suggesting? Please tell us how you want voting to go even though most who participate seem to be perfectly happy with how the contests are being run and officiated. If you think there's a problem, then please suggest a solution.
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