Photo Challenge Contest

[mattpayne11]

I like the idea of the monthly photo challenge and the themes are great; however, I've personally found that the method and requirements for participation are a bit daunting. It should be quite easy to enter a contest with a few clicks. The current process seems like a lot of steps and instructions. Just my 2 cents.

Perhaps use a new gallery for photo submissions each month to make it easy. I also don't see the value/need for anonymity, although I'm sure someone has an idea why that was a good idea.

 

[robbins.photo]

I like the idea of the monthly photo challenge and the themes are great; however, I've personally found that the method and requirements for participation are a bit daunting. It should be quite easy to enter a contest with a few clicks. The current process seems like a lot of steps and instructions. Just my 2 cents.

Perhaps use a new gallery for photo submissions each month to make it easy. I also don't see the value/need for anonymity, although I'm sure someone has an idea why that was a good idea.

I think the anonymous thing is probably so it is about the photo instead of being a popularity contest with people just voting for people they like. I think the rest is needed to maintain the anonymous thing.

But yup, your right, they would probably get more people to enter if the entry process was simplified somehow.

 

[sm4him]

Yes, the anonymous factor is so that it doesn't become a popularity contest.

We are always open to suggestions: How would you suggest simplifying it?
While there IS a lot of "explanation" to read before entering, it really is pretty simple. Many of those explanations or "rules" are there because someone asked for clarification or someone sent a 16MB photo, or whatever. Kinda like the warnings on product labels; they might seem superfluous, but they are there because someone DID that.

But I mean, basically:
1. Take a picture and size it so it's no more than 1200px on its long edge.
2. Email it to the given address, along with the answers to 3 really simple questions--your TPF username, the photo title, and whether the photo has been posted on TPF before.
DONE.

I'm not clear on how it could be too much simpler.

 

[sm4him]

In fact, perhaps I'll change the instructions, to list JUST the steps to "how to enter" so it'll be clear how easy it is.
Then put all the additional stuff, about how the voting happens, how long the entry period for the current challenge is open, blah blah blah as "fine print" below for those who have the extra 90 seconds needed to read through all that.

 

[mattpayne11]

Yes, the anonymous factor is so that it doesn't become a popularity contest.

We are always open to suggestions: How would you suggest simplifying it?
While there IS a lot of "explanation" to read before entering, it really is pretty simple. Many of those explanations or "rules" are there because someone asked for clarification or someone sent a 16MB photo, or whatever. Kinda like the warnings on product labels; they might seem superfluous, but they are there because someone DID that.

But I mean, basically:
1. Take a picture and size it so it's no more than 1200px on its long edge.
2. Email it to the given address, along with the answers to 3 really simple questions--your TPF username, the photo title, and whether the photo has been posted on TPF before.
DONE.

I'm not clear on how it could be too much simpler.

Thanks for this post. I'm not saying that it is "hard" it just seems overly complicated. I was a long-time member of another forum that had a monthly contest and it was as easy as commenting with your BB Code from Flickr. I also don't really think things are a popularity contest in general, at least not on this site. I'll give your instructions a shot and report back on my experience.

 

[robbins.photo]

As for myself I was kind of hoping for a button on my camera I could just push - something that would do all that post processing and cropping crap, upload it and enter it into the contest for me.

I was also kind of hoping Sharon would stop by and push the button for me.

I really don't think that's too much to ask..

lol

 

[limr]

Well, I for one would not like user names on the submissions. It really does make things more about the picture and not the photographer, and not just because it removes the popularity. Sometimes a person might submit something that is different or even not as good as their previous work, and we might unconsciously think "Well, I know SHE could do better" or "But his thing is landscape, why is he doing street?" and pass a photo over.

And of course, everyone knowing that I shoot film, it would give me an unfair advantage because everyone knows that a picture is better when shot on film!

(Oh relax, I'm just poking fun at the people who insist that all film-shooters are stupid poseurs.)

As for the submission process, I agree that perhaps the instructions could be written more precisely (and I volunteer to help in that area if you want, Sharon), but as for the process itself? *shrug* I dunno, you're just emailing a picture and making sure it's not too big. I know only basic stuff on Corel but I know how to resize a photos

Hotlinking from other photo-hosting sites might be simpler for the person submitting but it surely causes many more problems for the person administering the contest and creating the voting thread, especially if it were going to remain anonymous (which I strongly believe it should) and especially because not everyone uses the same photo-hosting site.

If there were a way for people to submit photos to a gallery here on TPF and still remain anonymous, it might be slightly more convenient, but how is that really much different from emailing? Either way, you're submitting a digital image through the ether, so does it really matter if that is email or a website?

For me, the hardest part of it all is just getting my arse moving and getting a shot to submit!

 

[mattpayne11]

As for myself I was kind of hoping for a button on my camera I could just push - something that would do all that post processing and cropping crap, upload it and enter it into the contest for me.

I was also kind of hoping Sharon would stop by and push the button for me.

I really don't think that's too much to ask..

lol

Hah.

That takes all the fun out of it. I mean, we all know how fun it is to click and upload and manage different versions of your photo for various sites' requirements...

 

[robbins.photo]

Hah.

That takes all the fun out of it. I mean, we all know how fun it is to click and upload and manage different versions of your photo for various sites' requirements...

Umm.. yah. Great fun. Like getting root canal. Or maybe listening to your 70+ year old relative droning on about their health issues in agonizing detail.

Yup.. barrel of monkeys there.. lol

 

[Derrel]

MY EYES GLAZED OVER when I tried to read the rules... The cart is way out in front of the horse.


Be sure to read ALL the rules and instructions below first, and be sure to ENTER by the end of the month!

This month's Challenge Theme: Orange.
Please keep in mind that these themes are meant to be subjective. Think outside the box and be creative! Good luck to everyone! We can't wait to see what you come up with!!

For all those who wish to participate in this challenge please take a moment to read through the following:

• Any registered member of The Photo Forum may enter, though anyone foolish enough to be responsible for running the silly thing is not eligible to win.
• New challenges will be posted on or around the first of each month.
• Themes are intended to have some measure of flexibility. This is an art thing, folks! Do what you think is right and run with it!
• The challenge will remain open to new submissions until precisely midnight GMT on the last calendar day of the month.
• Within five days of the end of the submission period, the images will be assembled for viewing and posted as a display and voting poll. Members of TPF will be allowed to vote for their favorite image. Polls will remain open for one full week.
• The winner will be announced at the end of the voting week.
• In the event of a tie, the moderators will select a winner.
• There are currently no prizes being offered, but we're hoping to change that. Bear with us and be sure to heckle as many moderators about this as humanly possible.
• I like bacon.
• It is at the sole discretion of the challenge moderators to accept or reject any image submitted for any reason they deem appropriate.
• All images must not have been previously posted to TPF, and ideally should be taken during the challenge month. (The idea is to get folks out and thinking about new ways to shoot!)
• Images must be emailed to [email protected]. All submitted photos must include a form that needs to be completed. A copy of the form will be posted each month (see bottom of this post).
• Images can be no larger than 500k. All images must be 1200 pixels long on their long edge. No edge of the image can exceed 1200 pixels.
• Images submitted must be anonymous and must bear no markings or indications of who the image belongs to. Watermarks, names and copyrights embedded in EXIF information, etc. count as identification and such images will be rejected.
• Images must be owned by the submitter and copyrighted or trademarked works from another party will not be accepted.
• Only one entry is allowed per person, but if you have already submitted your entry and wish to replace it with a different photo, simply email the new photo, along with the form, and note in your email that it is a replacement photo.

>>>>>>>>>> Copy and Paste this form into your submission email <<<<<<<<<<

ThePhotoForum.com Username:

* Photo Title (optional):

Has this photo been posted before on The Photo Forum? Y/N
>>>>>>>>>> End of form <<<<<<<<<<

 

[limr]

Wouldn't it be great if everything in life were arranged for our own personal convenience?

 

[JacaRanda]

I say scrap the whole thing so that Sharing can start Sharon her wild life with us more often.


Edit: Wildlife photos!

 

[robbins.photo]

Wouldn't it be great if everything in life were arranged for our own personal convenience?

Yes!!!! Exactly. Where do I go to sign up for this?

Sent from my 306SH using Tapatalk

 

[Derrel]

Wouldn't it be great if everything in life were arranged for our own personal convenience?

Wouldn't it be great if somebody put the most critical information into a short, brief post, instead of BURYING the most critical information beneath loads of meaningless shi-+?

Did you not notice the pathetic total of a whopping TWO entries the last contest managed to scrape up?

You of all people ought to recognize poor writing when encountering it. Again--the last contest managed to scrape up two entries.

Obviously, the contest's entry process needs some work done on it.

 

[snowbear]

I don't have any issues with the submission process. Quite frankly, I'm grateful the contest is even here, and applaud Sharon (and Runnah before her) for taking the time to work on it. Do I enter it frequently? No, but it's nice to know it's there when I have an idea that I can can put together.

I suspect the low number of entries last month were not due to the submission process. The process is the same it was a while back and there seemed to be plenty of entries. Maybe the low turnout was due to the issues from a few months ago (not pointing fingers - stuff happens), Maybe it was because the number of active members seems to be down from before the site format change.