SO Photography Contest Discussion!!

[L2R]

hey we could even use the sync them with the same themes

no bad

 

[Johnny1]

I think that would be a bit crazy.

Why doesn't everyone who has not been post-processing at all just get Irfanview and use that to do a one minute once-over before you post the photo? You can tweak it to fix it up a bit so it's the best photo it can be. Are you all telling me that it will ruin the contest to spend one friggin minute on an entry before posting it? One minute?? With a free program? If you love the photo and are proud of it and want to put it in the contest, why NOT make some basic adjustments. If you can figure out how to use the camera and get the images off it and resize them and post them to the Internet in the first place, not to mention doing the work to take them, will it really ruin the fun to spend a whole minute on the photo before posting it?

Why not limit the time spent taking the photos in the first place? After all, someone who spends some time at it and uses a tripod or waits for the good light or carefully studies the subject for the best angle has a far greater chance of winning than someone who finds that too much work and wants to take only a snapshot.

Do you see the inconsistency in this thinking, that spending any time whatsoever on post processing is wrong but that it's OK to spend unlimited time taking the photos? What is really going on here? Is it that for *some* people even a minute spent ruins the fun and therefore they want everyone to upload the photo exactly as captured even though it may not look as much like the scene as it could and even though post processing is an integral part of photo taking even for newbie amateurs in the digital age? Grandmas use iPhoto to make adjustments to their photos without even thinking. But we can't?

 

[Pander Bear]

yes, that's what they're saying.

 

[felix]

Why not limit the time spent taking the photos in the first place? After all, someone who spends some time at it and uses a tripod or waits for the good light or carefully studies the subject for the best angle has a far greater chance of winning than someone who finds that too much work and wants to take only a snapshot.

^ is photography. THAT is what it is all about.

anything after that is not.

people who don't spend time on taking the photos won't win many competitions.


P.S. sorry, i forgot to thank you for your awesome explanation of the RAW format. thank you.

 

[Damien]

hey we could even use the sync them with the same themes

no bad

Yes, this is exactly What I was thinking. I don't think that it would be too difficult. There would just be two threads with the same theme, same time frames, the only difference that one would allow as much post processing as the photographer wanted. Both sides would be happy.

 

[frizzantik]

^ is photography. THAT is what it is all about.

anything after that is not.

capturing the image is only half of photography imo (ok, well, maybe 3/4s.. but still once it's on film there's often more that could be done such as cropping and adjusting levels [things which are allowed in the contest btw ])

 

[L2R]

Johnny1, it would take substantially more time than one minute for a clueless layman to doctor up an image. And frankly, yes it would take all the fun out of it. I don't have enough time, energy nor inclination to setup a shot nor playing with it afterwards.

I simply carry my phone with me wherever i go and snap whatever catches my eye. I'm sure a majority of participants of the contests do this. It's a fun, simple contest, not fucking serious shit. Put some cash on the line and perhaps i will put more effort in, but while the contest remains completely void of any real prize, then let's keep it about fun and participation.

You will still participate if you can't photoshop, well, many won't participate if you can. Can it get much simpler than that?! Or are you (and i'm talking to all the pro change people) are that self centred that it doesn't matter?

what's the point in having the prettiest picture if it's the only one there ?! 8)

 

[SA]

Would it be frivolous to have a mirror thread with the same theme as the original photography contest but with no limitations on post processing?

Please go ahead and start one, I have nothing against it. Seriously, I am not saying this to be a smart ass. If you (pl) have an idea, give it wings and see if it flies. Who knows, it could turn out to be the best thing since the inception of the photo contest.

 

[Johnny1]

So adjusting levels is allowed under the "no doctoring" rules? Brightness and contrast and color?

 

[tambourine-man]

Ummmmm.... no. At least, I've always assumed that the only thing that was allowed was cropping and converting to greyscale.

 

[Johnny1]

Well I for sure would participate in the "normal" contest and not the "manipulated" contest, following whatever rules are set forth. I don't know how to "doctor" an image (except to remove a zit, aka a spot) or to do any kind of "serious" image manipulation. I'm an amateur just like the rest of us. All the photos I've submitted are with an old digicam. Even my new DSLR is the cheapest one Canon makes, with consumer lenses.

I think some people might have an advantage in writing these arguments because they have an extra-large screen and are good typists. On the one hand it's not fair, but if you think about it, it's the underlying thoughts that count more than anything. A beautiful-looking post with all sorts of text treatments and fancy smilies that aren't even on the expanded smiley list won't count for shit if the thoughts aren't there.

P.S. sorry, i forgot to thank you for your awesome explanation of the RAW format. thank you.

My pleasure, man. :D

 

[ninjadanslarbretabar]

A beautiful-looking post with all sorts of text treatments and fancy smilies that aren't even on the expanded smiley list won't count for shit if the thoughts aren't there.

hehe, fun and good analogy


edit :
what i dont care about is to win
if someone could post a more interesting version of his pic i would love to see it
im not sure what is the point about being all on the same level
cuz we are inherently not, we dont have the same talent, the same visual appreciation and understanding, the same amount of time to put into it, the same camera....
i think this is just for fun, to see what people can come up with, whatever they wanna use
the contest is just a excuse to get together and have fun

 

[chrissie]

No disrespect, chrissie, but should we then include in the poll absolutely every entry submitted, regardless of how far from the rules each has departed? That opens this up to (the argument for) ditching the rules altogether, doesn't it?

sure, why bother with rules to begin with? just have a suggested theme and let people go ape shit.

perhaps i'll make my own "go ape shit" contest with no rules or artistic medium restrictions. :D

 

[ninjadanslarbretabar]

^^i you right now
lets make photoshop babys


freestyle ftw

 

[SA]

Go for it. No, really...

 

[MazDan]

I think it's worked out best that way.

Totally agree.




Once more however I would like to point out that the USA is not the only part of the world that has people who like to take part in the fun and games here.

It is currently Spring here in Australia and we do not have halloween.

Can I suggest that instead of referring to the fact that its currently Autumn where some people live, that its instead called Autumn and or Spring.....where everybody lives.

And regards to halloween............that instead of halloween its called scary or creepy or something similar.

Im sorry to have to keep harping on this point but it rather annoys me that it doesnt seem to be recognised that this is an international part of bluelight.

End rant.

 

[SA]

Once more however I would like to point out that the USA is not the only part of the world that has people who like to take part in the fun and games here.

It is currently Spring here in Australia and we do not have halloween.

Can I suggest that instead of referring to the fact that its currently Autumn where some people live, that its instead called Autumn and or Spring.....where everybody lives.

And regards to halloween............that instead of halloween its called scary or creepy or something similar.

Im sorry to have to keep harping on this point but it rather annoys me that it doesnt seem to be recognised that this is an international part of bluelight.

End rant.

MazDan, with all due respect, I am not in the USA.

According to wiki

Halloween is now celebrated in parts of the western world, most commonly in Ireland, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom and sometimes in Australia and New Zealand. In recent years, the holiday has also been celebrated in various other parts of Western Europe.

To me, that looks like a lot of people and includes some portion of Australians. To me, it was a theme worth a gamble, in that I possibly wouldn't offend as many people as you're making it out to be. The risk/reward ratio was acceptable, hence I went with it. Furthermore, Halloween is quite specific and I didn't really want to dilute it with pics from your general "scary theme" variety. That we will definitely have as a separate theme later.

With respect to the global seasons issue, I understand your point (as I did the first time). On the one hand, I want to say that rather than rant, you could have simply requested a theme you were interested in (as I'd previously requested before, to which you agreed, btw, at least I'm somewhat sure it was you). Pretty much all viable requests have been implemented. On the other hand, I have warts. No, seriously, on the other hand we have to look at this seasons issue more broadly.

I see Seasons as a universal theme, just like the other contest themes. So you're a few months ahead of us. Hey, look at it that you have that much of an advantage. Back to your argument though... what would some say to a "Whales" theme, if it were posted? Or how about "Igloos", "Miners", "Underwater", etc? As such, it is my opinion that rather than divide some themes into regions, or eliminate others on the same basis, it is best to simply go with the flow and post themes applicable to most. The solution is never perfect, but as before, I try to achieve the best risk/reward ratio (risk being leaving some out and reward being attracting many).

End response to rant.

 

[felix]

And regards to halloween............that instead of halloween its called scary or creepy or something similar.

Im sorry to have to keep harping on this point but it rather annoys me that it doesnt seem to be recognised that this is an international part of bluelight.

dude. some you win, some you lose. are you suggesting that we never have any seasonal themes cos you guys are always doing it at the wrong time? what happens if we have a 'seaside' theme? it stands to reason that many people don't live by the sea so they might not be able to contribute much. should that kind of theme be avoided too?

and what's wrong with hallowe'en now? do you not have it there???

tell you what. let's have a 'kangaroo' theme. %)

hehe.

EDIT: ^^ i'm not in the USA either

 

[SA]

Once again:

All theme requests are welcome. Please try to keep them specific rather than broad. If a not too viable theme is proposed, we may try to mould it into something better suited.

 

[felix]

"kangaroos eating Vegemite sandwiches and drinking Fosters at christmas time in the sunshine" LOL