October 2017 Challenge

[snowbear]

With a total of two entries, the Photo Challenge for October 2017 has been canceled. I want to thank @gk fotografie and @jcdeboever for taking the time to enter.

It may be possible that the forum is currently saturated with various contests, so I am going to switch to a bi-monthly format to see if interest increases. Soon, I'll announce the theme for November-December.

 

[Low_Sky]

I've never participated in the Monthly Challenge, but I will say that I felt particularly discouraged by the theme this month. I often look at the themes and think about how I'd shoot them, and I was stumped by "Harvest". I guess I'm not too creative, but I wasn't the only one.

 

[snowbear]

And the entries:
"Harvest 2017" by @gk fotografie

"Harvest Promise" by @jcdeboever

 

[darkblue-x]

Great photos...what a shame.
Last months was packed.
I will admit--and this is my opinion..but voting could have been more spread out if people took more time to look at composition and lighting first instead of just IQ.

 

[Raj_55555]

I've never participated in the Monthly Challenge, but I will say that I felt particularly discouraged by the theme this month. I often look at the themes and think about how I'd shoot them, and I was stumped by "Harvest". I guess I'm not too creative, but I wasn't the only one.

I'd agree with that - even I checked out the thread but was not sure what to shoot.

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

I have to apologize to gk and jc. I actually had taken a photo earlier in the month to be used for this contest and forgot I had it. According to the rules, 3 entries would have been enough to have the contest. I am very sorry. One of you 2 would definitely have won.

 

[benhasajeep]

Ah, I didn't think the theme was that difficult. Don't stop in the contests very often. That's a shame didn't get enough. I should stop in more often.

Maybe if there is a half dozen or so by the end of Nov. It should stay monthly??

 

[snowbear]

If anyone is ever stumped or unsure of a theme, by all means send me a PM and I will help you with the concepts and give you some general ideas. If anyone has ideas for themes (SFW only), send them to me.

The lack of a solid idea is not the only reason someone won't enter. One of the rule changes I implemented was allowing the contest moderators to enter the Monthly Challenge when there are less than two entries (we are normally excluded from the Monthly Challenge and Photo of the Month). In this case, I had two ideas, but didn't have time to set up something by the time I realized we probably weren't going to make it. Lessons learned - shoot something at the start and hold it aside, just in case.

I will probably keep it bi-monthly for a little while. If the participation is consistent we can go back to monthly, which is my desire.

I will admit--and this is my opinion..but voting could have been more spread out if people took more time to look at composition and lighting first instead of just IQ.

I'm sorry, but I'm not sure of what you mean when you refer to voting. Do you think the voting needs to be longer than 168 hours / seven days?

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

Great photos...what a shame.
Last months was packed.
I will admit--and this is my opinion..but voting could have been more spread out if people took more time to look at composition and lighting first instead of just IQ.

Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is " IQ "? I searched the acronym threads and saw it was mentioned, but everyone overlooked giving the meaning

 

[darkblue-x]

Great photos...what a shame.
Last months was packed.
I will admit--and this is my opinion..but voting could have been more spread out if people took more time to look at composition and lighting first instead of just IQ.

Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is " IQ "? I searched the acronym threads and saw it was mentioned, but everyone overlooked giving the meaning

image quality

 

[limr]

If anyone is ever stumped or unsure of a theme, by all means send me a PM and I will help you with the concepts and give you some general ideas. If anyone has ideas for themes (SFW only), send them to me.

The lack of a solid idea is not the only reason someone won't enter. One of the rule changes I implemented was allowing the contest moderators to enter the Monthly Challenge when there are less than two entries (we are normally excluded from the Monthly Challenge and Photo of the Month). In this case, I had two ideas, but didn't have time to set up something by the time I realized we probably weren't going to make it. Lessons learned - shoot something at the start and hold it aside, just in case.

I will probably keep it bi-monthly for a little while. If the participation is consistent we can go back to monthly, which is my desire.

I will admit--and this is my opinion..but voting could have been more spread out if people took more time to look at composition and lighting first instead of just IQ.

I'm sorry, but I'm not sure of what you mean when you refer to voting. Do you think the voting needs to be longer than 168 hours / seven days?

I'm also not sure why darkblue feels that people are judging solely on IQ. There is no discussion or critique, so really, one would have to be a mind reader to know how people are choosing the photo they want to vote for. As for me, I look at any number of things, including the very intangible, 'How does it hit me?' In general, IQ is fairly low on my list and only enters the equation if it is so poor that it interferes with my enjoyment of the image.

I think that there are a lot of good intentions when the contests are announced, and then as the weeks go by, there's a lot of life that gets in the way. I think one strategy could be to promote/bump the thread more frequently in the first week to catch people when their attention is still on those ideas or intentions, and then again towards the end to light fires under our asses

As for this month, with the holidays coming up, I do believe it's wise to keep it a two-month theme. There's a whole lot more life thrown at us at this time of year, so even with regular bumps right in the head, it may be hard for people to get something together. Then see how it goes.

Now watch, there's going to be a veritable flood of entries before the end of the year

 

[limr]

I wonder if there's some way to add some sort of countdown ticker into your signature.

 

[darkblue-x]

If anyone is ever stumped or unsure of a theme, by all means send me a PM and I will help you with the concepts and give you some general ideas. If anyone has ideas for themes (SFW only), send them to me.

The lack of a solid idea is not the only reason someone won't enter. One of the rule changes I implemented was allowing the contest moderators to enter the Monthly Challenge when there are less than two entries (we are normally excluded from the Monthly Challenge and Photo of the Month). In this case, I had two ideas, but didn't have time to set up something by the time I realized we probably weren't going to make it. Lessons learned - shoot something at the start and hold it aside, just in case.

I will probably keep it bi-monthly for a little while. If the participation is consistent we can go back to monthly, which is my desire.

I will admit--and this is my opinion..but voting could have been more spread out if people took more time to look at composition and lighting first instead of just IQ.

I'm sorry, but I'm not sure of what you mean when you refer to voting. Do you think the voting needs to be longer than 168 hours / seven days?

I'm also not sure why darkblue feels that people are judging solely on IQ. There is no discussion or critique, so really, one would have to be a mind reader to know how people are choosing the photo they want to vote for. As for me, I look at any number of things, including the very intangible, 'How does it hit me?' In general, IQ is fairly low on my list and only enters the equation if it is so poor that it interferes with my enjoyment of the image.

I think that there are a lot of good intentions when the contests are announced, and then as the weeks go by, there's a lot of life that gets in the way. I think one strategy could be to promote/bump the thread more frequently in the first week to catch people when their attention is still on those ideas or intentions, and then again towards the end to light fires under our asses

As for this month, with the holidays coming up, I do believe it's wise to keep it a two-month theme. There's a whole lot more life thrown at us at this time of year, so even with regular bumps right in the head, it may be hard for people to get something together. Then see how it goes.

Now watch, there's going to be a veritable flood of entries before the end of the year

Conjecture but a feeling I had gotten.
Im really just speaking in general when I say the following...
I feel a lot of shots are underrated in photo contests (not just here) often because some competition are using a high res camera that an APS-C couldnt compete with. With that super high resolution, the photos tend to bear a more professional look thus leaving other valiant shots overlooked completely.

 

[Designer]

I feel a lot of shots are underrated in photo contests (not just here) often because some competition are using a high res camera that an APS-C couldnt compete with. With that super high resolution, the photos tend to bear a more professional look thus leaving other valiant shots overlooked completely.

You series, Bro?

 

[darkblue-x]

I feel a lot of shots are underrated in photo contests (not just here) often because some competition are using a high res camera that an APS-C couldnt compete with. With that super high resolution, the photos tend to bear a more professional look thus leaving other valiant shots overlooked completely.

You series, Bro?

Vry srs