December Photo Challenge - Comments

Photo Challenge · #1 07-12-2009, 10:16 AM

Post your comments on the December Photo Challenge Entries here.

supernova1965 (Warren) · #2 08-12-2009, 11:54 AM

This will be a Tough one my brain is hurting

Esseth (Alan) · #3 08-12-2009, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by supernova1965

This will be a Tough one my brain is hurting

Ditto, but i am looking forward to thinking about it.... Damn it if anyone went to the V8 Supercars and got some good shots lol

supernova1965 (Warren) · #4 11-12-2009, 03:20 PM

Hey Ian did you do the Crocodile Dundee thing

lacad01 (Adam) · #5 12-12-2009, 11:35 AM

Al's image is quite a poignant reminder to stay safe these holidays and in fact any time we're on the road.

firstlight (Tony) · #6 31-12-2009, 06:56 PM

Have to get my finger out and pick my entry... didn't really get anything spectacular (but whats new?

)

Good entries so far.

Shep · #7 31-12-2009, 07:32 PM

All of the entries are great but I LOVE Humayun's - I'm a sucker for those colours, how fantastic are they!

firstlight (Tony) · #8 31-12-2009, 10:07 PM

As I said there are some pretty cool entries this month.

When Anne-Louise and I went on our first road trip to the NACAA in Sydney in 1998, we were very impressed with the massive cuttings into the rock walls as you came in from the north. I have no idea of the locality of these features... nor where the photos we took are as well.

supernova1965 (Warren) · #9 01-01-2010, 07:50 PM

18 entries good turnout should be a good comp this month lovely entries this month

firstlight (Tony) · #10 02-01-2010, 09:03 PM

Great piece of art RB

mithrandir (Andrew) · #11 02-01-2010, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firstlight

Great piece of art RB

It's on a roundabout on Hickson Rd, outside the Wharf Theatre.

At least it was still there the last time we went to the Wharf.

It was even better the first time we saw it. There were barricades around like it was an accident scene.

Octane (Humayun) · #12 02-01-2010, 11:28 PM

Can the person in charge of the challenges please explain why these aren't anonymous anymore?

It really takes it out of the voting. People will always have favourites.

I, personally, feel that these would have more merit if all the entries were anonymous like they used to be.

H

Photo Challenge · #13 03-01-2010, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octane

Can the person in charge of the challenges please explain why these aren't anonymous anymore?

It really takes it out of the voting. People will always have favourites.

The Photo Challenge is not a competition with major prizes as such.

It's a friendly challenge to encourage all our members to submit their entires on the topic of the month.
Through this we get to know each other and each other's character, style and creativeness.

After running the challenge in "Anonymous mode" for a while, we found that participation declined dramatically, to the point that only one or two entries were submitted each month.
In other words it was hardly a challenge at all.

Following discussions amongst the Admin team and from feedback from our members it was realised that the best and easiest way to conduct the challenge was to revert back to it's original format where everyone just posted their work.

As for 'having favourites', I think people that participate in the voting care enough and have honour enough to judge each photo on it's merits and not on whether it's been submitted by a mate of their's.

bloodhound31 · #14 06-01-2010, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octane

I, personally, feel that these would have more merit if all the entries were anonymous like they used to be.

H

I agree, entries should be anon. until after the winner is picked. I also think entrants should not be allowed to vote at all. Just MO.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photo Challenge

Through this we get to know each other and each other's character, style and creativeness.

...which just as easily be achieved after the winner has been picked.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photo Challenge

As for 'having favourites', I think people that participate in the voting care enough and have honour enough to judge each photo on it's merits and not on whether it's been submitted by a mate of their's.

People in general will nearly always favor their friends. It's human nature. That's why you can't have relatives on the jury at your own trial.

Baz.

Photo Challenge · #15 06-01-2010, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photo Challenge
Through this we get to know each other and each other's character, style and creativeness.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloodhound31

...which just as easily be achieved after the winner has been picked.

There's no need to roll your eyes at me Baz, the reason I said that is because people indicated to us that they prefer to know the entrants during the Challenge, not at the end.

The general consensus was that it was more pleasurable to run it this way than having it anonymously.

We were also asked to allow the voting progress to be viewable during the voting period, people didn't want to see the poll results only at the end, they preferred to watch the 'race' as it unfolded, in their words "it added excitement to the Challenge."

As I said we ran the Challenge in anonymous mode and the entries dwindled to one or two entries per month, this and the feedback we were getting indicated to us that the majority preferred the original format back so it was changed back to what it is now.

This is a friendly Challenge (not a trial) and I can't for the life of me understand the attitude that has been expressed here for such a basic thing as this.

Octane (Humayun) · #16 06-01-2010, 02:49 PM

My own view is that we can get to know each other in various ways through this forum. The general forum, for example. It's not just restricted to the terrestrial photography challenges.

People post their work often, whether it be their macros, or landscapes, or events, etc. and can get to know each other through their normal postings. I don't see how the fun and getting to know each other is restricted to the challenges. I just don't see it.

It would be really nice to see a return to the anonymous entry system as it just adds a little excitement and makes the challenge (bearing in mind that it is a fun little thing -- no prizes) a bit more credible. Not knowing who submitted what also ensures that one votes without prejudice.

I agree with Barry, though, that with the way things are people will vote for their friends. It's just the way it is.

I also would have figured that if the challenges were anonymous, it would encourage more people to enter as they have nothing to be afraid of. I know of other forums where they have a "picture a day" sub-forum and the entrants literally get torn new ones if their images look like snapshots and/or have absolutely no meaning whatsoever. Interestingly, though, the entrants generally smarten up and start submitting works of art quite quickly, which is pleasing, as the criticism actually works. It's not like that, here; on the whole, we're all pretty much a friendly happy bunch.

Just my two cents. I know these thoughts won't get anywhere as it seems the previous feedback has formed a consensus with no avenue for review. It's not an attack on anyone, and, not sour grapes, at all; just airing my own thoughts. However, at the same time, it is assuring to know I'm not alone as at least one other person seems to agree.

H

Photo Challenge · #17 06-01-2010, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octane

It would be really nice to see a return to the anonymous entry system as it just adds a little excitement and makes the challenge (bearing in mind that it is a fun little thing -- no prizes) a bit more credible. Not knowing who submitted what also ensures that one votes without prejudice.

I agree with Barry, though, that with the way things are people will vote for their friends. It's just the way it is.

I also would have figured that if the challenges were anonymous, it would encourage more people to enter as they have nothing to be afraid of. I know of other forums where they have a "picture a day" sub-forum and the entrants literally get torn new ones if their images look like snapshots and/or have absolutely no meaning whatsoever. Interestingly, though, the entrants generally smarten up and start submitting works of art quite quickly, which is pleasing, as the criticism actually works. It's not like that, here; on the whole, we're all pretty much a friendly happy bunch.

Just my two cents. I know these thoughts won't get anywhere as it seems the previous feedback has formed a consensus with no avenue for review. It's not an attack on anyone, and, not sour grapes, at all; just airing my own thoughts. However, at the same time, it is assuring to know I'm not alone as at least one other person seems to agree.

H

You may like to know that I and some of the other members of the admin team first suggested the anonymous format to see if it would work.
We went to a lot of trouble and had to devise a way to submit the entries anonymously and I came up with the idea of sending them in via email and then the Photo Moderator would post each one.
It was more work for us but we were very happy to do it.
I also made it so that the votes were not viewable until the poll closed in case anyone suspected favoritism.
That was quickly rejected by the members as they preferred to see the progress as it added excitement.

The Challenge dwindled and at the end we were getting only a couple of entires. This went on for a long while but we were in the hope that things would improve.
Finally after discussions and listening to the feedback from members we reverted back to this format and the Monthly Challenge was once again well received by our members and has continued to attract good participation rates.

As I've said, people have told us they prefer it like this so we have changed it to what it is now.

bloodhound31 · #18 06-01-2010, 04:30 PM

No worries peeps. I'll compete either way if I have a decent enough and relevant photo. I didn't mean the rool eyes thing to be taken personally mod and I apologise if it seemed that way.

Good luck everyone.

Cheers,

Baz.

RB (Andrew) · #19 06-01-2010, 04:52 PM

My heartfelt congratulations to Tony and Anne-Louise.
Well done on your deserved win and well done to Barry too.

I think at this point it would be nice to see others offer their congrats too.

Well done to all who participated.

bloodhound31 · #20 06-01-2010, 05:11 PM

Yep, right on RB, congrats earthlight and firstlight. Well done.

Baz.