I wish this didn't bother me so much.

[jmtonkin]

Hey all,

My university is having a photography contest! Great news for people like me, who actually have a passion for photography, and strive to be the best I can be. However, they are judging the contest based on "likes" on their Facebook page. Most of the submissions appear to be directly from a cell phone, and have little to offer, so it is very frustrating that I am doing so poorly. This isn't a photography contest as much as it is a popularity contest, and that REALLY bugs me.

I really just needed to vent that, and if this isn't the appropriate forum for that, I'm sorry.

For those wondering, however, here is my entry! My fiancee and I went on a week-long camping trip to Wyoming last summer; a brief thunderstorm had just broken, and the sun was starting to shine from behind the stormcell. We had decided to call it a day (we hiked nine miles that day), and were on our way back to our campsite when I saw this scene before me. I pulled over, grabbed the camera and my tripod, and took some test shots. I wasn't getting the contrast I wanted in the clouds, so I grabbed my graduated ND filter (2-stop), and played around with that. I really enjoy this shot - probably mostly for the memory.

 

[Derrel]

It just earned a "Like" from me...but I'm not a contest voter.

 

[sm4him]

Hey all,

My university is having a photography contest! This isn't a photography contest as much as it is a popularity contest, and that REALLY bugs me.

^Exactly that. You SAY they are having a photography contest, but they are not. They are having a popularity contest. I realize it can be frustrating, but there's not a thing you can control about it except how you respond to it.
Just recognize the contest for what it is--this is exactly why I don't bother with any photo contest that relies on "likes" for the outcome.

I'd say just let this one go, learn your lesson about entering popularity contests as if they were something else, and perhaps start looking around for some VALID places where you can enter your work.

 

[jmtonkin]

Thanks! I won the last two years, but they changed the structure of the contest to this "like" based judging. Previously the board of the organization voted on it.

Oh well - you win some, you lose some, and this is certainly a valuable lesson about entering contests!

 

[Msteelio91]

Been there friend. FWIW, it's a nice shot. Your horizon is off a tad though

 

[bribrius]

just get all your friends, their friends, and their friends to vote for it and you will win again. Also, if you could post it on many forums asking for votes you could get people world wide voting for it. Then you are sure to win.

 

[SquarePeg]

It's a beautiful scene.

 

[jmtonkin]

Been there friend. FWIW, it's a nice shot. Your horizon is off a tad though

Does this look better? I honestly had never noticed that!

 

[jmtonkin]

I don't know if this allowed, so if it isn't, please let me know!

For those interested, HERE is the link for the photo! If you think this is a worth-while picture, feel free to go ahead and "like" it!

 

[The_Traveler]

Liking to win is OK
Wanting to win a contest that you know is not about pictures but about popularity hurts your work because it is pressure to do what is liked and common and known.

Let that go.

 

[jaomul]

I suggest you enter competitions based on finished product, not the type you just entered. I know a great photographer who never won a Facebook comp, because he's not on Facebook

 

[480sparky]

If I were in your shoes, I'd simply not enter.

 

[Msteelio91]

I don't know if this allowed, so if it isn't, please let me know!

For those interested, HERE is the link for the photo! If you think this is a worth-while picture, feel free to go ahead and "like" it!

Two votes from me

 

[jmtonkin]

I don't know if this allowed, so if it isn't, please let me know!

For those interested, HERE is the link for the photo! If you think this is a worth-while picture, feel free to go ahead and "like" it!

Two votes from me

Thanks!

 

[jmtonkin]

I suggest you enter competitions based on finished product, not the type you just entered. I know a great photographer who never won a Facebook comp, because he's not on Facebook

If I were in your shoes, I'd simply not enter.

Both are valid points. The problem now is that I have entered the contest, and put my work out there to be evaluated by my peers. It frustrates me that this contest is being run like this, but I can't will myself to just up and quit!