Orientation for Newbies - DPChallenge Forums

07/22/2002 05:02:18 PM · #1

As a newcomer to this great site, I would love to have had an "orientation" page to get me ready for what happens during the voting and submissions process. For instance, (and yes, this is no-brainer and I should have checked first) I didn't think to even look through the archived challenges until "after" I had submitted for Texture. (In fact, I didn't realize there were archived challenges!) Sure enough, there was a very similar photo in the Tranparency challenge. Oh well, I almost pulled my image. But after looking them over I decided they each had their own merits and were different enough (hopefully) for mine to not get flamed into cinders this week. We'll see.

Also, I was a bit slow to dig into the forums. This proved to be a mistake as well. As I had no idea that my comments went anonymous during the voting period unless I signed them!

Speaking of comments, here is how I view the comment/voting process. If I really like your photo, I will tell you why (and I now sign and score for the artist as well). If I see something that I feel would have improved the image for me, I'll tell ya that too. But since I am not about to comment on 150+ images, I will rarely give a comment if the photo just doesn't do anything for me. So yes, I'm commenting only on the images I like. I realize that this amounts to a lot of back-patting, with little or no constructive criticism trikling down to the images that may need it the most, but that's what I feel the forums are for. If the artist wants genuine feedback after the challenge--request it. Seems the community here is happy to help.

07/22/2002 08:01:51 PM · #2

I too am a newbie and I see many similar images in transparency and texture.I'm sure that if you looked back at the old challenges you would see many repeat ideas. But I should have studied the past more to get ideas of what looks and perspectives score well. Oh but who wants a high score anyway(hah hah)!

07/22/2002 08:37:38 PM · #3

There is a connection between transparency and texture. IMHO you can have texture without tranparency, no problem there. But if you try and get a shot of transparency without texture it will likly be very, very boring. Like looking through a clean window. Even the winning and runner up photos in the Transparency challenge were textured...some call it, smoooth.

I personally feel that a degree of transparency is the only way to get some textures at their best. (see the 3rd place winner in the Transparency challenge) So, for me, the two are often linked. I see no reason to penalize a texture shot just because it also has a lot of transparency.

07/22/2002 09:29:14 PM · #4

I don''t think you would be penalized for that at all - it''s just that if people who have voted on the past challenges see something too similar you would lose points for creativity(old news, seen that) - I know that I saw something in this challenge that I commented on because it was so similar to 2 others( dart boards). I hope that isn''t yours - I don''t want to offend.
I looked at the 3rd place - fabulous photo!

* This message has been edited by the author on 7/22/2002 9:40:57 PM.

07/22/2002 09:45:13 PM · #5

No dart boards here, thx. The one negative comment I had was concerned very much with transparency. So there are at least a few folks who will gig me for it.

But I'm not beat up about it. After all, it is my first challenge. So I'm still learning. Seems that it pays to: A)Conform well to the challenge topic, B)Have a technically pleasing/well composed subject, and C)Submit original (at least to the challenge) works.

My fiancee hated this weeks winner. She thought it was obviously staged from the moment she laid eyes on it. Says she would have scored it a 1 only because there was no zero. She wanted to comment, saying that she could put it up on the wall right next to her "Hang in there baby..." kitten poster.

Staged or not, I liked it and scored it a 9. (And I did vote, she didn't) So there ya go. It can be hard to figure, to say the least.

07/22/2002 10:12:58 PM · #6

I also gave it a 9. I''m sure that the flower was placed there, but it still had a great look . My favorite was panache- it should have won(it came in 2nd). What is your favorite this challenge or are those things hush hush?
By the way, I see you are just as obsessed with the site as I am - on it all night.

* This message has been edited by the author on 7/22/2002 10:14:54 PM.

07/22/2002 10:54:21 PM · #7

Obsessed is a very strong word. But I guess you gotta call em like you see em. '-)

My favorite, the only 10 I gave, wound up at #25 "Caught by the Sun." I was shocked to see it so far down on the list. I also like "Sun, Moon, Star." As for "Panache," well, it didn't really do anything for me. I scored it a 6.

And I think its fine to discuss such things once the challenge is over.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

07/22/2002 11:30:00 PM · #8

I'm checking for the last time tonight and am upset to see that the averages never came back today and I'm still at 4 comments. Oh well, tomorrow's another day. Good Night.

rruth

Samsung Galaxy Note 4

07/23/2002 02:28:27 AM · #9

Being new to this site and entering a photo for the very first time I feel rather disappointed to find that shots very similar to mine had been entered in a previous challenge. I was even more shocked to see that one had won a challenge. Yes, I entered the dartboard shot. I can only assure everyone that my entry was a genuine effort at texture after much searching and effort. One that I thought at the time of submission was very original. I was trying to capture the texture of the bristles, the dart scratched wire frame and the knurling on the dart. I have since looked at the archive that contains similar pictures and will now make a point of reviewing all archives before submitting my next photo.

I would like to note that given the large number of entrants similarities are bound to occur. Take the number of pineapple entries this week. Voters should try to ignore previous challenges and vote on pictures with view to how it addresses the challenge at hand.

I hope my next entry fares better.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

07/23/2002 03:19:01 AM · #10

Originally posted by rruth:
...my entry was a genuine effort at texture after much searching and effort. One that I thought at the time of submission was very original...I have since looked at the archive that contains similar pictures and will now make a point of reviewing all archives before submitting my next photo.

...Voters should try to ignore previous challenges and vote on pictures with view to how it addresses the challenge at hand.

I hope my next entry fares better.

If you didn't look at the archived challenges until after you submitted your shot, how could it be anything but "original?" Besides, we are supposed to be learning from each other, so anything not a blatant reproduction of someone else's work should be perfectly acceptable. And I think most folks already try hard to judge each photo individually.

--Paul

07/23/2002 07:58:03 AM · #11

It''s not that we don''t vote them individually, but isn''t originality to the voter something that usually effects them? I know that first I look at the overall photo, then I look at the quality of it, how it fits the challenge, then I look at the idea of the shot. I think a shot scores better if it is totally original. You just view it differently.
Even if you don''t know about the other shots there is bound to be a comparison to the quality - it is not your fault, but it is the reality.

* This message has been edited by the author on 7/23/2002 7:59:23 AM.

* This message has been edited by the author on 7/23/2002 7:59:52 AM.

07/23/2002 09:12:34 AM · #12

Originally posted by rruth:
"Being new to this site and entering a photo for the very first time I feel rather disappointed to find that shots very similar to mine had been entered in a previous challenge. I was even more shocked to see that one had won a challenge."

Ahh, now thats what I'm talking about. I started this post specifically because I felt that I was not the only one to jump so quickly out of the starting blocks and submit a less than original photo. At least partly because I didn't review the archives. But if you are like me, you wern't even aware there were archives!

As to originality... Are we being judged more critically on this basis alone? Who knows for sure. While I would imagine that most people are attempting to give up a fair and impartial judging on the works own merits, comparisons--even subconscious ones, are bound to be made. Either way, we will hopefully learn a something for our trouble. I started this thread because I thought a section titled "New Comers," or "First-time Voters," or some such thing, might be welcome by many people.

The rules are just the rules. They are a guideline, and there is so much more to it than that.

And don't be too hard on yourself for the dartboard shot. I scored it a 5 '-) Which seems about average for several of us newbies this week. (BTW, I read somewhere it's "normal" for your score to drop during the week. And I was so hoping mine would go up....)

07/23/2002 11:48:54 AM · #13

I scored it a 5 as well - but I was the one to comment that I had seen it. Sorry, didn''t mean to offend. My scores have been dropping ever so slightly as well. Still hovering above 5. Please let it stay there. I think I should have picked one of my others. I am definitely going to research the archives more in the coming weeks. I still say originality helps the vote.
Also, any suggestions on where to build a good site(free)for showing photos - I see that this dinky one I have isn''t working too well

* This message has been edited by the author on 7/23/2002 11:57:32 AM.

07/23/2002 11:55:39 AM · #14

I think we should all be, if not pleased, at least accepting of any score in the neighborhood of 5.

Such scores would place us near the middle of the pack, I think, and for the first time out that isn't bad.

07/23/2002 12:02:29 PM · #15

True - middle is all I was really hoping for. But one could always dream. How are you doing with this weeks challenge? At first I hated it, but then I did come up with several ideas. Of course I do live close to NYC but I not even going to bother going there. I think I can do it anywhere. Now, will it be original?

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

07/23/2002 12:25:45 PM · #16

Well, I'm a bit stumped. I don't live anywhere near NY, but I dont live in a swamp either. Corporate World is everywhere, I guess. But how to portray it?

ClubJuggle

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

07/23/2002 12:27:18 PM · #17

Originally posted by mcmurma:
Well, I'm a bit stumped. I don't live anywhere near NY, but I dont live in a swamp either. Corporate World is everywhere, I guess. But how to portray it?

That, my friend, is why it's called a challenge. Good luck.

-Terry

07/23/2002 12:31:49 PM · #18

Tis true. I think if you read the challenge and the way it is worded (much better than the original wording)you might start to think of ideas that don't require any special locations. Of course I won't give up any of my ideas!

07/23/2002 12:42:09 PM · #19

It's not that I dont have ideas, its just putting them to use '-) That, and making an honest evaluation of how well they will work before putting up the effort.

Some ppl toy with many ideas, take lotsa "test" shots, then go from there. I tend to previsualize exactly what I want, then figure out how to get as close to that vision as I can. It usually leads me in some interesting directions that I had previously not thought of, hopefully with the settings at hand to make it happen.