Photo comp I have a suggestion.

[Clifftop]

Most of us at some time or other have looked at the final six and said to themselves '' how the hell did that get in the final '' ( especially when yours is not in.). We would all realise that everyone of us have different views on what is a good photograph whether it be appealling or sharp or different from the norm.

 

I also think that we have had good photographers leave because they didnt always get in the final.

 

We have on these forums got an absolutely huge amount of members and most of them differing with the judges final six.

 

My suggestion is would it be possible to instead of having a judge have a members choice

 

That way as now all the members can vote but now they could vote for the picture they think is a worthy of winning and it takes the pressure of one member picking the final six.

 

So if there are 30 pictures entered you have your choice of 30 to vote for and the winner would be the one with the most votes and in the event of a tie you would have joint winners.

 

one member one vote.

 

The way i look at it is that the original idea was to have fun in photography while learning from each other.

 

Cheers Fred

[Sutton Warrior]

Most of us at some time or other have looked at the final six and said to themselves '' how the hell did that get in the final '' ( especially when yours is not in.). We would all realise that everyone of us have different views on what is a good photograph whether it be appealling or sharp or different from the norm.

 

I also think that we have had good photographers leave because they didnt always get in the final.

 

We have on these forums got an absolutely huge amount of members and most of them differing with the judges final six.

 

My suggestion is would it be possible to instead of having a judge have a members choice

 

That way as now all the members can vote but now they could vote for the picture they think is a worthy of winning and it takes the pressure of one member picking the final six.

 

So if there are 30 pictures entered you have your choice of 30 to vote for and the winner would be the one with the most votes and in the event of a tie you would have joint winners.

 

one member one vote.

 

The way i look at it is that the original idea was to have fun in photography while learning from each other.

 

Cheers Fred

 

Brings it back to an original idea posted a few weeks ago, 'themed' comp, at the moment its going 'no where', in my humble opinion, that is. Doubt there are enough members that vote, to make a meningfull points count? However, themed and one pic per person, that would focus the mind. Fun and learning, yep . . . dont see to much these days?

 

Spreading wings to pastures new?

 

SW

Edited November 3, 2008 by Sutton Warrior

[Guest Jan V]

IMHO, I rather preferred the "themed" comps, as well.

[Peter Waller]

Themes, no, in my experience they don't work. Reason being that if the subject chosen has no interest then photographers either don't enter, or simply enter any old dross because it meets the theme requirements.

 

Re judging, the system is not perfect, no judging system ever is. The suggested option, once again in my experience, doesn't work either! Good photographers are in the minority, that stands to reason. Less good photographers are generally less good because, as yet, they have not learned to recognise good pictures. Mass voting, as suggested, tends to see poorer pictures receiving accolades that they don't deserve, and the better photographers leaving a club/group/ forum or whatever because they see the standard of judging as being poor.

 

What I would see as an improvement over the existing system is for the judge to comment on all the pictures entered, allowing the judge to justify their thoughts.

 

I take it that the original poster doesn't agree with my final six!!!!!

[MrWiggly]

Quote from the competition rules and format ..

 

When the poll has finished the Judge will be invited give a brief description of his/her choices on the competition thread.

 

As far as I am aware very few judges have taken the opportunity to express the reasons for their final six. It think it numbers less than 4. And one of those was me !

Edited November 3, 2008 by MrWiggly

[Hellbelly]

Well said Peter. I totally agree. As Mr W did, I too explained why I picked my 6 and it'd be great to see more of it but even with that it makes some people feel uncomfortable about expressing why they got the 6 they did, plus it leaves the door open for other to start nit picking at what they've said. Maybe we could encourage a brief reason why the judge liked the ones they did then lock it?

 

Oh, and Peter. The original poster might well have picked some other photo's but that doesnt matter. You won so you get to pick the 6 that you think are best.

 

Mick.

[Peter Waller]

Quote from the competition rules and format ..

 

When the poll has finished the Judge will be invited give a brief description of his/her choices on the competition thread.

 

As far as I am aware very few judges have taken the opportunity to express the reasons for their final six. It think it numbers less than 4. And one of those was me !

 

That is a great shame because if we are to help each other then we need to justify our opinions. That then raises the question as to whether our system works, and clearly it doesn't. Winning is great, but not every one wants to judge. Perhaps the thought of having to judge is putting some folk off. Personally I enjoy it, it means that I have to give a picture more than a cursory look and I find that I learn just by doing that.

 

I suspect that some of you have been involved with the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain. In any of their bigger comps they use a panel of three judges. Perhaps we should do something similar, and then encourage feedback from all round?

[Peter Waller]

Mick, it doesn't worry me in the least what others thought of my final six! I'm confident in my choice, and anyway, the winner is down to you lot!!

 

A photograph is the photographers opinion/reaction to what they saw. Some folk are better able than others at expressing themselves, either in words or in picture.

 

The same might be said of a judges choice, it is their reaction to someone else's reaction.

 

And that also applies to how folks see the judges choice!

[Clifftop]

Themes, no, in my experience they don't work. Reason being that if the subject chosen has no interest then photographers either don't enter, or simply enter any old dross because it meets the theme requirements.

 

Re judging, the system is not perfect, no judging system ever is. The suggested option, once again in my experience, doesn't work either! Good photographers are in the minority, that stands to reason. Less good photographers are generally less good because, as yet, they have not learned to recognise good pictures. Mass voting, as suggested, tends to see poorer pictures receiving accolades that they don't deserve, and the better photographers leaving a club/group/ forum or whatever because they see the standard of judging as being poor.

 

What I would see as an improvement over the existing system is for the judge to comment on all the pictures entered, allowing the judge to justify their thoughts.

 

I take it that the original poster doesn't agree with my final six!!!!!

 

Peter the point of me posting what i did was in no way meant as a shot at the judge.

I have never agreed with any judges final six, maybe 4 or 5 but never the six and i dont suppose anyone else has either, have you.

I also know that the majority of my pics will never make the final because they are not technically correct, that doesn't stop me from posting them as its the only way i learn.

I have also said some weeks ago that if i was ever lucky enough to be a judge the winning photograph would be one that appealed to me regardless of what the ISO or F number was.

In the September comp there were so many good pics it was unbelievable.

All i am saying is that i thought if the judge was taken out of the equation then the forum members have a choice to choose what they consider is the better photograph and not be told that they have to pick from six.

I am also one of those people that have problems expressing myself, so bonny lad i will keep on entering even tho i am one of the less good photographers.

Cheers Fred

[ayjay]

I preferred the themed comps, both as a participator and as a spectator.

 

An open vote on all the entries is unlikely to prove satisfactory because I think too often there will be several pics with the same small number of votes.

 

If you want to do something different why not run an open poll on all the entries after the usual judging and voting has finished?