Sour Grapes? A competition outcome

[nossie]

I spotted a calendar photo competition run by the Halifax Bank (Ireland). €10,000 first prize!!!! - Man you betta be good to win this!! Right?? I didn't get my hopes up but I said I'd have a go.

The theme was...

What is the Halifax ‘Extra’ Photographic Competition?
The ‘Extra’ Photographic Competition is being run by Halifax in conjunction with RTÉ‘s The Late Late Show. The objective of this competition is to encourage Irish artistic talent and create a 2008 calendar of inspiring images.

Entrants must include a description (max 30 words) of how the subject of the photograph adds a little extra to their world

"Halifax - Always giving you extra" is their catch phrase

I didn't have much time to enter, I thought about it, had a few ideas but no time to put them together. Just so I could enter I dug out this photo...


Maybe not a competition winner but if you're not in you definately won't win that much we do know. In fact it's just a snapshot taken on our trip to Paris (Guess what the trip was about). As you can see I framed it and gave it the title "...a little extra sparkle".

Having looked at the winners I get the feeling it's not exactly what they were looking for. All pro's take note.

Am I suffering from sour grapes (bad loser). I don't think so since I don't care but as a discussion for photographers can you see any €10k winners there? I see blurry, out of focus, etc etc poor quality images (for their calendar). Click this link to see for yourself.


Direct criticism on my shot also welcome. And from comparing to the competition 12 shots do you think it was at least a runner up by comparison?

[Ads]

[Sideburns]

all of their photos have something going on...perhaps that's more important in their criteria.

[nossie]

Maybe your right Sideburns but from the looks of it, it was more of an open theme contest rather than a "add a little extra to your world". Seems strange to me.

[Rrr3319]

Maybe your right Sideburns but from the looks of it, it was more of an open theme contest rather than a "add a little extra to your world". Seems strange to me.

I have to agree, I'm not entirely sure how a girl sitting in leaves or kids walking on a path, etc. fits the theme of "a little extra". I'm also not too sure I'd want to stare at most of those pictures for a full month. But maybe that's just me.

[LaFoto]

Only shows how "general crowd juries" judge things all differently from how you would - even if the "general crowd" is a select group of bank employees (don't know who voted, though) ... they don't really look for a photo that best meets their theme, and is compositionally and photographically well done. They look for what is "pretty", "cute" and such. Same with our local papers monthly competition. You can almost RELY on the fact that as soon as there is a pet in a submission, that photo will win. Or an animal.

[DHammer]

Well if a bank talks about doing 'extra' for you. I doubt they are trying to relay a message of anything monetarily (diamond). After all they should be presenting that message daily and it surely shouldn't be extra but normal business. I think the other photos were more in theme at least in how I would have thought. Extra's in life are those moments when a child does something endearing or when you are performing, or participating in a sporting activity. Or when you see something you don't see everyday. The biggest problem (or challenge) with contests that don't lay down exactly what they want is you have to assume, the biggest advantage is you get a large range of ideas and that hidden gem you would have never thought of.

[wildmaven]

I hate competitions, which is why I try to stay out of them.

So, I'll just give a little critique on your photo. The fuzzy part along her hand makes me think she has hairy hands. I know it's her coat, but it's very distracting to me. Love the sparkle!

Marian

[nossie]

The fuzzy part along her hand makes me think she has hairy hands.
Marian

She's actually a Shebear

I'm not at all competitive but I do think competitions help us improve our own standards, but fekin 'el €10k would be tasty.

Uhmmm 1 Canon 1Ds mkIII + lights mmmm

[nossie]

She's actually a Shebear

scratch that ^^


Actually she's European and that's her untamed under arm hair