Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

[pelliott1954]

Hello All,

The Thread Title says it all really, I am disappointed to note the distinct lack of enthusiasm of late towards the Challenge.

The recent Challenges have only attracted a very sparse number of entrants, not only that, what is also really noticeable is the lack of Comments and Congratulations Messages to the Winner.

I marked the last Challenge on Sunday Morning and as of now only two Members have found the time to Write a message to the Winner Coryman, on what I thought was a really good shot.

Obviously it is up to all individuals as to whether they enter the Challenge or not and I realise not everyone enjoys competitions, but, I would just like to enter a plea for a bit more interest from what is a considerable Membership.

Regards Paul

[AndyA]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

It is a shame. I think I lost interest when I thought that the 'scoring comment' requirements became a little too in-depth for my inarticulate brain.

I marked the last Challenge on Sunday Morning and as of now only two Members have found the time to Write a message to the Winner Coryman, on what I thought was a really good shot.

I suppose if less people are interested, less will bother viewing the thread and less will post a reply? Either way, well done Coryman!

I'd quite like to see another forum challenge introduced, one where we are challenged to edit a RAW file posted by a forum member, crop it, colour it. stylise it etc. What do you folks think to that idea?

[Hereford_EOS]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

I have just replied to the comp thread.
The winner was only announced yesterday.

I like the comps but can't always get out and take an appropriate photo to enter but ideas are often in my head.
Maybe a fortnightly challenge is not long enough.

I'd quite like to see another forum challenge introduced, one where we are challenged to edit a RAW file posted by a forum member, crop it, colour it. stylise it etc. What do you folks think to that idea?

That would count me out as I just can't do Photoshop/Lightroom, some members are very professional with Photoshop/Lightroom and that would give them the edge and others knowing this would not even try.

[AndyA]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

That would count me out as I just can't do Photoshop/Lightroom, some members are very professional with Photoshop/Lightroom and that would give them the edge and others knowing this would not even try.

That's a fair comment, although you could apply that reasoning to the photography challenge. Some have more advanced skills, technique, even equipment.

Maybe a fortnightly challenge is not long enough.

A good point, maybe a monthly competition?

[secondintime]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

As already mentioned, the winner only announced yesterday. Give people chance. I suspect the majority of members have busy lives. I know I do, I try and enter all of the comps given the chance, I also try and comment when I can. Just my opinion but I think the comps should keep their current format, granted some get more interest than others but there are so many variables as to why.

[mikep]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

That's a fair comment, although you could apply that reasoning to the photography challenge. Some have more advanced skills, technique, even equipment.

Hmmm, good points so far! However, I agree with Stephen on this one.

This is, after all, a photography forum, and not a photoshop forum. I see the worth in the current forum comp, in it's current form - in giving ALL a chance to enter, regardless of experience, knowledge level, kit, or fancy software skills.

I will be completely honest... I have, over my time recently on this forum, lost some (only some, not all!) of my interest, both for posting my shots, and for entering the comp. This is down to several factors, none of which I consider to be major, but taken together have dampened my enthusiasm.

The most important though, is I feel that to enter a comp, you are putting your best efforts - whatever they may be - up for scrutiny. That can be scary for some, but I think that's a GOOD thing, as you only learn by pushing yourself, testing your current boundaries and stepping outside your comfort zone. How else will you regularly get to try something new evry two weeks? However, what I want/need to know from my posted shots is what can be improved, what was good, what was crap, what resonated with others etc. From this feedback, I can learn.

The comp, IMHO, is most effective if constructive criticism is given, in a friendly and amiable atmosphere. This is what THIS forum is about for me. Too often for me the comp is judged using the 'I will not be giving detailed reasons for my decisions, as I do not feel I am knowledgeable enough'. Well, I do not learn anything from 'well done, nice shot, 3 out of 5'. TBH, I can get that from Facebook!

So, why would you enter a comp on here, knowing you'll be judging the next one if you win, if you don't want to set and judge the following one?
The answer for me is simple. It's because this is a forum where ANYBODY can offer their opinion on a shot, in a friendly and amiable manner. Seriously, I don't really care if you think you know nothing about photography... because if you're judging the comp, that means you WON THE LAST COMP! Think about it, you won, your shot was best in someone else's eyes. I bet you'd like to know what they saw in your picture that was so good! So, all you have to do is tell the next set of wannabe's what you saw in their shots.

I'd like to thank Paul (the OP) for raising this thread. You may agree or disagree with his view, that's up to you. Me, I'll take the point, try and get my mojo back after the winter blues and enter the comps again! But I'd really like some critique please, whatever it is.

Of course, I've got to get past the dreaded 503 error first, so all the above is probably out the window already!

All the best, Mike.

[AndyA]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

...This is, after all, a photography forum, and not a photoshop forum. I see the worth in the current forum comp, in it's current form - in giving ALL a chance to enter, regardless of experience, knowledge level, kit, or fancy software skills....

Quite so and I don't believe I was suggesting otherwise. I mentioned the idea of a separate 'editing' competition, for those that may be interested in that part of photography, a bit of fun seeing who comes up with what. Lets face it, software editing is a part of photography, whether you're using Canon's software, Gimp, Photoshop, Lightroom or similar. I think we all want to present our images in the best light?


However, 'editing comp' was purely an idea and I can fully understand that some members (perhaps many) may have no interest in this. Perhaps that's best left to other forums.

[rajjayaraj]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

I do agree with Andy about having a seperate competition, but also respect the point raised by Mike if only at the end the winner explains how he acheived the effect or edit so that it is useful for other forum members.

[Sarawak]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

But where would you draw the line at processing? As I understand it all digital cameras shoot in RAW. They may convert these images to JPEG in camera, or you may do it yourself at home. This is processing. Also, again as I understand things, all digital cameras shoot in colour, so even if you have your camera set to produce a mono image then it has been processed.

Is there an image anywhere that has not been processed to a greater or lesser degree? It could be argued that using exposure compensation, or filters are processing.

Once you start on the slippery slope of what is in and what is out you just create a set of different rules that the ingenious will find a way of bypassing.

I may be biased, as I don't really see the whole concept of photo competitions as the be all and end all of photography. I've been a bit lucky at my local club, but it won't change my approach - pros take photos to sell: amateurs take photos for pleasure. Competitions are started by attention seekers in order to get the plaudits they think they deserve.

[colin C]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

Competitions are started by attention seekers in order to get the plaudits they think they deserve.

To put some history on this one, the original suggestion was from Millie. She was, and no doubt still is, a professional photographer and it came from a discussion of professional photography. In essence, a pro is given a brief by the client in a short period of time, hours, possibly a day, to come up with the goods, regardless of weather, or any other less than ideal conditions. As opposed to photography enthusiasts, who choose their own brief and will wait for the timeframe and conditions to be appropriate.

Millie proposed the competition to stretch members, take them out of their normal comfort zone subject wise and put them under a little pressure time wise. It was also strongly suggested that pro's resist from entering, for obvious reasons. With the winner setting the next competition and judging it, Millie also considered that a valuable learning curve where you couldn't just use your amateur "Like/Dislike" switch and had to think about the images, analyse them and then mark them logically. Again, outside of most members comfort zone, but a valuable exercise and critical to any photographic learning curve.

Members aren't averse to entering competitions and the end of year showcase is ample evidence of that. But the end of year showcase is easy - drag out your best work, upload it, leave someone else to do all the work behind the scenes, vote for some of the shots and then wait for the results. Compare that to analysing the brief, formulating an original idea, getting that shot in a limited timeframe and if you win, you then become the client and have to make the brief and judge the entires. Have I detected a mood to come second in these competitions, just to avoid becoming the client?

The ethos was to give you a flavour of professional photography, without the consequences of getting it wrong. If you don't satisfy the client's brief by providing a winning shot, or even worse, not entering his competition - then hey ho, another one in two weeks time. A pro Tog would have just lost a client, that means no food on the table. Do that a few times and no business anymore.

So, can you understand and interpret a clients brief, come up with an imaginative solution, take the shot and refine it in a limited timeframe and then put it to the client for review and evaluation?

Then enter the competition.

[Hereford_EOS]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

Obviously it is up to all individuals as to whether they enter the Challenge or not and I realise not everyone enjoys competitions, but, I would just like to enter a plea for a bit more interest from what is a considerable Membership.

Stats:
We have 6516 members; 4341 have not posted at all; 461 have made just one post.
Only 158 members have made 100 posts or more which 76 members have made 300 posts or more and only 27 members have made 1000 posts or more.
Over the past 12 months there have been 21 photo challenges which has attracted 225 entries (10.7 entries on average). Two challenges have attracted only 3 entries whilst one challenge attracted 29 entries.
Summer months (July/August) appear to attract more entries which coincides with holidays, warmer/drier weather and longer days (day light).

Members threads:
Nature photography attracts over 2x that of Landscape, and 4x that of people/portrait; 5x that of transport, sport/action, macro and specialist.
Nature = 39.9%, Landscape = 19.1%; People/Portrait = 11.6%; Transport = 8.2%; Specialist (still life etc..) = 7.4%; Sport/Action = 6.9%; Macro = 6.7%. Nature and Lanscape = 60%.

The past 12 months there have been 21 photo challenges.
The Stats say that out of those 21 challenges then 8 must be "nature" based, 4 must be "landscape" based and 2 each of the other subjects to create members interests and participation.
We have a hard-core membership of about 100 members and to achieve 29 entries in one fortnighly challenge (#54) is very good indeed.

[colin C]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

Stephen, you are just amazing sometimes.

On second thoughts, you are just amazing.

[tesarver]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

Wow, That is very impressive set of figures Stephen. on you research and publishing your results.

Thanks for the facts.

Tom

[Hereford_EOS]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

Stephen, you are just amazing sometimes.

On second thoughts, you are just amazing.

I know thanks Colin

Wow, That is very impressive set of figures Stephen. on you research and publishing your results.

Thanks for the facts.

Tom

Thanks Tom

I have always been enthusiastic with figures and statistics.
Some will say that I need to get out more .. they're right.

[AlexR!]

Re: Is the "Forum Photo Challenge" past it's Sell By Date?

Competitions are started by attention seekers in order to get the plaudits they think they deserve.

Ouch, I take exception to that. And, frankly you could make that accusation at anyone who posts any images to this forum, not just the Challenge, which I don't think is true.
I have entered most of the Challenges that have been run since I joined. Why? For basically the same reasons as mikep, and actually, it seems, just as Millie and others envisaged - it pushes me, it gives me a focus and a reason to get my camera out regularly, but most of all because I enjoy the challenge. I drove into work this morning peering at every tree I passed (the topic of the current Challenge) thinking of new and refreshing images I could make. And I've come up (in my head, at least) with a shot that will stretch me and get me to use capabilities that I haven't played with before. You might say I shouldn't need someone else to challenge me to do this, but frankly I have a day job and a life outside of photography, and this gives me impetus and ideas.
And when I won I got an absurd little frisson and a boost. Nothing wrong with that.
ColinC, thanks; that is all really useful background as it was before my time. I had noticed that the real pros never entered (for which I was grateful as I may soon have given up in despair if never making a top 3 finish), but note this isn't actually stated in the rules. I guess it would be hard to articulate though (i.e. "If you are too good, don't enter"!!!). But probably self-policing because if someone wins every other week they'll get the hint and draw back.
What disappoints me most is that there is a steady stream of newbies introducing themselves, but hardly any enter. However, I do appreciate that is the way of things with all specialist 'clubs' in that you get a number of stalwart old timers (you know who you are...) plus a regular churn of people, some of whom stick, but most fade away after a few months.
But anyway, I think it was right to raise and ask the question, in order to re-affirm the value of the Challenge. Personally, I think if we keep comments supportive and constructive, then some more will inevitably join. When I judged I gave my thoughts about all of the entries (albeit there were only 4), which I thought was important. I did keep them light-hearted however as I appreciated people having entered and didn't want to drive them away. I am one of those who 'knows what he likes but not always why', so to me judging was a useful exercise in forcing me to think about the 'why'.
Anyway, I've rambled on too far now. I reckon it'll pick up in spring/summer and if we keep on averaging 10 entries per Challenge from c.100 active members then it's a viable proposition.
And if anyone wants to open a new thread challenging other aspects of photography - just try it and see if it flies.