SO Photography Contest Discussion!!

[eDDe9]

Oh well.

 

[Zzyzx]

Is it just me or people don't respect the themes anymore?

I mean so often there are some very nice pics with little to no connection to the week's theme. Or if there is a connection its real far fetched.

Then there is the voting. Do people really vote for the best pic regarding the specific contest of the week or they vote because the pic is cute ?

Maybe its just me but in my opinion its getting worse every week and there's no fun or challenge anymore, its just luck

 

[scubagirl200]

bitter, are we?

ha ha =P

nah i kinda see what you're saying....kinda...i still always feel like the best pic fitting the theme always wins, no?

anyways

 

[n3ophy7e]

Hmmm, I have to disagree with you there Zz. I think the entries that win (i.e. the ones that most people vote for) are still the ones that are both a good photo AND tie in with the theme well. I don't think it ever relies solely on luck.

The other issue is that some of the more recent themes have been pretty subjective e.g. Beauty. So what it means to one person it could mean something else for the next person. These rounds make for a wide range of entries and we sometimes have to allow for a bit of creative license. In these situations usually the best quality photo will win, plain and simple.

I will agree with you, however, that some of the entries can be a little far-fetched. Perhaps this in increasing because the contests are receiving more interest and therefore more entries? But those photos still don't usually get many votes, so I don't think it's much of a problem...

 

[Zzyzx]

Well an example, the letter A

I would expect to see some 'A' somewhere on the pic! Not only 'A' as a letter from a word describing something you see on the picture. There are gazillion words that contain the letter 'A' at least once but was the theme really about that?

I did read a good part of that thread and some pointed out that setting a time frame for the pictures would be a good idea, others argued that it wouldnt. I tend to agree with this idea because right now its mostly about who has the largest photo collection and not who took the best photography related to the weeks theme

Anyway, maybe its just me and im crazy, dunno

 

[n3ophy7e]

Nah man, it's not just you (and you're definitely not crazy ), because it's a point that's been brought up a few times. But ultimately, what can we do? We can't really start disqualifying people's photos because we don't think it ties in with the theme, know what I mean? We'll just have to continue to confide in the polling system and hope that everyone votes sensibly.

 

[felix]

i must say, that particular contest has bugged me the most as well... some of the descriptions would have been better under N for Nebulous...

neb·u·lous (něb'yə-ləs)
adj.

1. Cloudy, misty, or hazy.
2. Lacking definite form or limits; vague: nebulous assurances of future cooperation.
3. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a nebula.

 

[Zzyzx]

^ lol exactly

but the point here is not to bitch or draw sympathy, i'm really trying to work out possible solutions and if I find any i'll make sure to post em so they can be discussed

 

[n3ophy7e]

If we make the themes something that is quite clear-cut and doesn't really give room for nebulosity (), the photos that don't fit well to the theme will be much more easily distinguishable.

But then again, the reason we started doing the more subjective themes was because some people stated they wanted it that way! To spice things up a little.

Basically what it comes down to is that we can't please everyone :D

Perhaps if enough people object to the airy-fairy entries, we can go back to the more objective themes e.g. "Metal" (coming up on the 30th August).

 

[felix]

haha, cool word! :D

Perhaps if enough people object to the airy-fairy entries, we can go back to the more objective themes e.g. "Metal" (coming up on the 30th August).

*screams* woooooooot, METAAAAAAAAAAL!

here's another suggestion: CONCRETE.

if there isn't any concrete in the picture, GTFO of your mother's basement and take another one.

 

[cletus]

Well an example, the letter A

I would expect to see some 'A' somewhere on the pic! Not only 'A' as a letter from a word describing something you see on the picture. There are gazillion words that contain the letter 'A' at least once but was the theme really about that?

Well, i don't mean to brag, but I actually won that round & if memory serves me correctly, I think it was the only photo that had the letter A in it. In fact, my wife counted (what can be construed as) at least 7 different A's throughout it.

I think that had a lot to do with it winning, because it was sure as hell not the best photo entered. It was probably the best photo that fitted the actual theme If it don't fit the theme, you don't vote for it.

I always like to hear why people voted for a particular photograph. What made them choose it? I think we should all do it more often.

 

[n3ophy7e]

Is everyone happy with the themes I've been selecting?? I'm taking them all from the big list we have compiled in this thread, but if anyone has any more suggestions for themes or any objections to what's been chosen, please let me know!

 

[cletus]

When everyone stops posting their entries it might be worth asking, but until then, keep doing what you are doing. I think they've all been really good choices :D

 

[n3ophy7e]

Okay cool

 

[n3ophy7e]

Subjects still to be covered:

70's, 80's, 90's - NinjaDan
7 Deadly Sins: Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Anger, Greed, and Sloth - Mz_Thizzle
7 Heavenly Virtues: Prudence, Temperance, Justice, Fortitude, Charity, Hope, and Faith - Mz_Thizzle
A turning point - panic in paradise
Abstract/unidentifiable - Impacto Profundo
Action - SA
Anachronism - n3ophy7e
Anything Goes (aka "photographers choice" - use of photoshop etc) - BA
Attraction - IAMTHOUGHTS
Belligerent - Impacto Profundo
Birds - Thizzerfershizzer
Bricks - felix
Carousels - Mz Thizzle
Castles - felix
Change - IAMTHOUGHTS
Cigarettes and coffee - mindtools
Circles / Squares / Triangles (Shapes?) - CletusVanDow
City - n3ophy7e
Clashing colours - n3ophy7e
Clockwork - Jamshyd
Colorfulness - mindtools
Computer - Impacto Profundo
Connected - IAMTHOUGHTS
Crime Scene Creation (fake obviously!!) - tribal girl
Cute - n3ophy7e
Death - Pillthrill
Earth Connection - mr_p
Electronics - mindtools
Emergency! (vehicles, fires, lifeboats, people etc.) - Felix
Erotic/Erotica - Jude101
Faces Of The Earth - felix
Fantasy - pennywise
Favourite holiday photo/holidaysB] - felix upcoming!
Feast/festival - Jamshyd
First leafs/buds/petals - Jamshyd
Flash photography - CletusVanDow
Flying Machines - pennywise
Fruit - Thizzerfershizzer
Glory - Jamshyd
Graveyards - felix
Gravity - IAMTHOUGHTS
Green (ecologically friendly) - spork
History - Impacto Profundo
Houses/Homes - pennywise
Iconography - pennywise
Imagination - IAMTHOUGHTS
Indecisiveness - panic in paradise
Inertia - IAMTHOUGHTS
Innocent - Impacto Profundo
Intellect - spork
Isolation - n3ophy7e
Juxtaposition - CletusVanDow upcoming!
Landmarks/Monuments - pennywise
Law - IAMTHOUGHTS
Letters C to Z (22 more rounds here!!) - Impacto Profundo
Life or Death - Tribal Girl
Life styles - panic in paradise
Lock(s) / Lock(s) and Key(s) - Mz_Thizzle
Luck - Impacto Profundo
Magic - Impacto Profundo
Magnificence - IAMTHOUGHTS
Minimalism - n3ophy7e
Motion blur - mindtools
Mountains - pennywise upcoming!
Multi-coloured - n3ophy7e
Multicultural - Jamshyd
My Favorite Food - spork
My Favourite Song - Impacto Profundo
Noise - Jamshyd
Nouns - IAMTHOUGHTS
Odd - CletusVanDow
Old age - mindtools
Outrageous - Jamshyd
Over-edited - mindtools
Panorama - mindtools
Paparazzi Style - Johnny1
Parties/Bars - pennywise
Pizza (?) - Impacto Profundo
Popular Culture - pennywise
Pray - Impacto Profundo
Pressure - spork
Rail - Jamshyd
Real magic - panic in paradise
Relaxation - n3ophy7e
Revival - Jamshyd
Salience - Jamshyd
Sanctuary - harley89
Sea/Ocean - Felix
Silence - Dave
Skin - NinjaDan
Stained glass - panic in paradise
Sterile - Jamshyd
Strangers - n3ophy7e
Team Spirit - spork
Texture - n3ophy7e current theme!
That which I am (Tat Tvam Assi) - Jamshyd
Transcend - Impacto Profundo
Twisted metal - panic in paradise
Ugly - atri
Urban - Dave
Verbs - IAMTHOUGHTS
Vertigo - Impacto Profundo
Wastefulness - Felix
Water - mindtools
Wheels - SA
Widescreen - Felix
Wind - IAMTHOUGHTS
Wish - Impacto Profundo
Yearning - Jamshyd

 

[cletus]

^thx n3o, updating the above was on my "to do" list. :D

 

[ocean]

Wasn't silly faces done a couple weeks ago???

felix has good choices- I can't wait for Sea/Ocean - Graveyards- Stained Glass- Mountains - Faces of the Earth Yay! Those sound great!


Edit- I looked..... Funny Faces was round 138.

 

[Bomboclat]

Have we had a round for fruit yet?

If not, can this be taken into consideration?

 

[cletus]

^Yes it can be taken into consideration - it's now on the list.

Wasn't silly faces done a couple weeks ago???

felix has good choices- I can't wait for Sea/Ocean - Graveyards- Stained Glass- Mountains - Faces of the Earth Yay! Those sound great!


Edit- I looked..... Funny Faces was round 138.

Removed - thanks :D

 

[Bomboclat]

I dont see birds on the list, and i dont remember there ever being a round for birds.

Can this be added to the list of rounds to come?