CWAS "David Malin Awards", 2011 submissions now open

[EddieT (Eddie)]

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

Was the comp going before 2006. Maybe I need to count again.

Paul, the comp started in 2004.

Since we're quoting stats, I might as well add my lowly numbers,
1 Outright, 3 category, 5 HMs and now 4 HC.

At least some mention in every award since 2005, makes me happy enough

And may I add my congratulations to all of this years mentions. I'll have to visit the display when it gets to Brisbane.

[leon]

The overall wining image, well i am very surprised, in fact are you guys for real.

Leon

[Phil Hart]

Originally Posted by gregbradley

My wife is interested in time lapse and I can also write and perform music so I can add a sound track.

Some of the areas around my dark site are rather scenic so perhaps some can be used for a time lapse.
A coastal location though seems to be ideal. Victoria is a good spot as it is one of the few areas of Australia where
you would be imaging looking out to sea southwards so the Milky Way would be rising out of the sea.

Perhaps Phil would be so generous as to offer some advice on lenses. cameras etc.

Greg.

Timelapse is technically pretty simple.. I typically use a 5DmkII, 24mm f1.4 lens, rolling ~10 sec exposures at ISO3200.

The hard bit is dragging all the gear out to interesting locations and leaving it there for hours. And then there's motion control..

[Paul Haese]

Originally Posted by EddieT

Paul, the comp started in 2004.

Since we're quoting stats, I might as well add my lowly numbers,
1 Outright, 3 category, 5 HMs and now 4 HC.

At least some mention in every award since 2005, makes me happy enough

And may I add my congratulations to all of this years mentions. I'll have to visit the display when it gets to Brisbane.

Ah thanks Eddie. The website only has comps from 2006. That makes sense now. The name of the game seems to be persistance.

[leon]

Hi Guys, I have gone over the results here, probably three times and read every entry carefully, because i am prone to many a mistake.

And from the limited view of the recipients and the over all themed winner, i am just astounded how that happened.

I have seen some entries in this section, put a couple in myself, but that is neither here nor there.

That shot should not have won overall, IMHO.

Yea, now I'm going to cope it, but it just isn't that good, and I was always told if you want to say something have the guts to put your name to it.

Leon

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by leon

That shot should not have won overall, IMHO.

Yea, now I'm going to cope it, but it just isn't that good, and I was always told if you want to say something have the guts to put your name to it.

Leon

I doubt you will cop it Leon. But it's important to appreciate the CWAS David Malin awards are just that, David's call and no-one else's. David ruminates extensively on his choices...clearly not all will agree.

Next year there will be changes, David will get input from other judges, and after each year a review is always made, so watch this space

That said, OMG the standard is high! Entries that won some years ago wouldn't make the cut today....it has been a great catalyst for Australian astrophotography.

[Octane (Humayun)]

You're right, Peter. There were images shown as highly commendable, particularly those entered by Bratislav, where I was thinking "Wow! If they didn't get an honourable mention or a win, I can't wait to see what did!"

You really need to pull out something spectacular to get a category win, based on what I saw on Saturday night.

H

[EddieT (Eddie)]

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

I doubt you will cop it Leon. But it's important to appreciate the CWAS David Malin awards are just that, David's call and no-one else's. David ruminates extensively on his choices...clearly not all will agree.

And that is the ultimate truth year after year around this time

Entries that won some years ago wouldn't make the cut today....

And that could be said of any images taken sometime in the past, not just winners of this contest. It's important to keep things in perspective, I think.

It has been a great catalyst for Australian astrophotography.

Agreed! However I also see a slightly sad side to this that I have mentioned in the past. Nobody here can say that they started astroimaging to enter contests. Yet contests seem to have become the ultimate goal for some. I think it's a little sad....

[Paul Haese]

Leon as a person who made complaint about the competition in the past I can well see you point of view.

However, I have come to accept (through the guidance of a few of the chaps here Eddie included) that this competition is not about the best image (be it technically or aesthetically) but the images that appeal to David's tastes. Davids criteria is different to what some might think is correct, but it is David's competition. One either accepts this or one does not.

As Eddie has quite rightly pointed out, no one should enter astro imaging just to enter competitions. One should enter it for any reason but this particular reason. These competitions should not be viewed as verifying your skills but more of a chance to show case what you love most. That being the night sky and all its wonders.

Well that is how I see it now.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

As Eddie has quite rightly pointed out, no one should enter astro imaging just to enter competitions. One should enter it for any reason but this particular reason. These competitions should not be viewed as verifying your skills but more of a chance to show case what you love most. That being the night sky and all its wonders.

Yes yes, we all have noble words to say about why we enter/compete in competitions. (myself included)
But in the end we all hope to either win or gain the recognition of our peers. Otherwise we wouldn't have entered. We'd be quite happy to just keep sharing our images online with our friends.
Don't take this as a snide remark. I have the highest respect for the skill it takes to get to produce images of the calibre entered in the Malin's.

[Paul Haese]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

Don't take this as a snide remark. I have the highest respect for the skill it takes to get to produce images of the calibre entered in the Malin's.

Not at all. To some extent everyone does put up the images to win, but it should not be the reason we image.

[anthony.tony]

Hello All Alan Dyer From Alberta Canada .Writes in Aust Sky and Telescope -Canadian SKy news -Etc. Said to me The Problem with Contests is You get The same crowd Coming in and Cleaning up every Year-What they do is to a Point is Once you win In a Catergory is you can't enter the Next year.That gives some some of the other imagers That are still honing their Skills a chance to get in and get at least a place or a win,Otherwise you get " and so we all meet up again Syndrome. "-Reguard's Tony -and Yes at No offence too the people that come into The Malin Award's and clean up every year.people do enter Contests to win or at least get a place to gain some recognition of their imaging skills.Remember once the Bug bites you can pour Thousands of Dollars into the Pass time.For most there is no way of getting any Income out of it .It's Just for the love of it .So Entering Contests and getting a Place or a Win puts Your Name up on the Billboard. Reguard's Tony from Canowindra.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

The images that win, are an inspiration to us all. They're the bench mark we aim for.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by gregbradley

I can also write and perform music so I can add a sound track.

This is something I've gone into in a big way over the past few months Greg. What instruments do you play and have to play with?

Me? I've gone down the analogue synthesizer route and have a Moog Slim Phatty and a Doepfer Dark Energy is on its way from Germany - as well as about a zillion software synths. Great for "space" music

[Octane (Humayun)]

Or, you could just use any old Klaus Schulze track (with permission, of course) for the same space soundtrack.

H

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

This is something I've gone into in a big way over the past few months Greg. What instruments do you play and have to play with?

Me? I've gone down the analogue synthesizer route and have a Moog Slim Phatty and a Doepfer Dark Energy is on its way from Germany - as well as about a zillion software synths. Great for "space" music

Moog slim phatty would be nice. I haven't heard of the Doepfer Dark Energy - I'll check it out.

Various guitars and virtual synths. I had a modified MiniMoog for years but sold it. A fabulous but unstable instrument. A Roland SY85 is the interface I use. Virtual synths are great but probably lack that last 10-15% of the real thing. A keyboard very often these days is really only a workstation that runs everything else.

I also use Spectrasonics sampled products. Very nice. Also some nice virtual synths from Native Instruments. Moog V, MiniMoog, Hammond B4, Prophet V.

Music has always been my main aesthetic interest but astroimaging has dominated in the last several years. Music has never been far away though. I am in the process of putting together a sound studio in my house to start writing and recording again.

As far as the Malins go I am appreciative of the fact that a competition exists in our local area for our work. It definitely does increase interest in our pursuit (it took me a while to come up with a name for what we do - calling it a hobby sounds demeaning don't you think?). It also creates a game which is fun as long as you don't take it too seriously. Now if I only start drinking 20 cups of coffee a day instead of 15 maybe I can win next year!!

Greg.

[anthony.tony]

I have Attended every Malin award from Day 1.Every year The Quality of The Images gets better...Some of the Imagers must spend hours taking the shots then Even longer To process them.I suppose you could spend 2 to 30 hours all up recording the The Information-Then Probably up to 8 to 20 hours processing the images.You would want to have a lot of patience and a kind of fanaticism to get things done. Trevor Barry said at his Talk once he has captured his Planetary data -he can spend 12 to 14 hours processing it.From what I have heard our Australian Imagers the ones that Clean up at the Malin Awards are Equal or Better than Any of the Imagers from around the world. ---- Tony

[DavidTrap (David)]

I'd like to pass on my concern about how some individuals have responded to the results of the David Malin competition.

A friend of mine, who had success in the competition, has received communications from members of the IIS community saying how "disappointed" they were that his image was well received by the judge. Some of these comments have come from prominent, longstanding members of the IIS community. I am personally disgusted by such behaviour. My friend does not want to name and shame these individuals, but agreed to me posting this comment on the existing thread about the competition.

The fact that these awards are subjective has been acknowledged on this thread. To personally attack the recipient of one of these coveted awards is extremely low. Criticism of the judge's decision should be directed to the judge - or are the attackers frightened they might offend him and jeopardise their future entries. Leon has at least had the guts (in his words) to voice his disagreement with the overall result in a public forum.

David Malin is an amazing individual - we are privileged to have him involved in amateur astronomy. Please don't sully this competition by such acts.

DT

[Paul Haese]

Originally Posted by DavidTrap

I'd like to pass on my concern about how some individuals have responded to the results of the David Malin competition.

I am personally disgusted by such behaviour. My friend does not want to name and shame these individuals, but agreed to me posting this comment on the existing thread about the competition.


DT

Agreed David. Attacking a winner is not on. Despite what you might think of the results attacking the winner of a category is just not on in my opinion either.

[beren]

Unbelievable, pretty disappointing to hear..... put your manners in place to those members who lowered themselves to that level.

On a positive note congratualtions to all the winners and contributors to the Malin awards and everyone that has a go