Annual competition 2011

[Ian Pratt]

Congratulations to all the winners- some very good photos.
To those of us lesser mortals it would be a real encouragement if apart from the winners the judges gave out some commended/highly commended awards as I am sure there were other photos which impressed the judges?

[Ian Pratt]

I would be surprised if I am the only one who would like to see some encouragement for my photographs. Is there anyone out there?

[ChrisC]

Ian, i can understand your point but to be honest................having just looked at your gallery and flikr, i'm surprised you class yourself amoungst us lesser mortals.

[Rogerdodge]

Ian
In this thread-
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5762
Pete says-

I think I should also have said that there are many excellent images that didn't "make the cut". When I get some "down time" I hope to provide my own comments on these. In the meantime, I would encourage other visitors to share their own thoughts. Simply start at the 2011 competition album here: gallery/album.php?album_id=2109
... go into each album and, associated with each image, is a link next to the "Comment:" field. Just click on that and provide some feedback!

HTH

[Gruditch]

Since the Annual Competition started back in 2006, we have only ever listed a top three in each category. 18 pictures on the podium, surely that's enough.

Yes there are some very good shots that don't get on the podium. But we decided not to do highly commended awards. When you start down that road, it becomes difficult to know when to stop. The next thing you know, someone who didn't get a top three place, or a highly commended, will be asking if we could do a critique for all 207 entries. I think not.

Regards Gruditch

[Ian Pratt]

Since the Annual Competition started back in 2006, we have only ever listed a top three in each category. 18 pictures on the podium, surely that's enough.

Yes there are some very good shots that don't get on the podium. But we decided not to do highly commended awards. When you start down that road, it becomes difficult to know when to stop. The next thing you know, someone who didn't get a top three place, or a highly commended, will be asking if we could do a critique for all 207 entries. I think not.

Regards Gruditch

I quite understand this but the Royal Photographic Society Natural History group does have commended and hightly commended awards in their annual competition, so they must think there is some point in doing that!
What I am afraid of happening is that, as judging photographs is of necessity somewhat subjective, some photographers will stop entering the competition if they see the same people in the winning arena regularly, however good their photos may be. Some encouragement for lesser mortals is always appreciated and perhaps we should all be encouraged to comment on the photos as Peter has suggested elsewhere.

[Reverdin]

unless you've an amazing memory, you won't have seen me in the winner's enclosure at all! ... should be encouragement to all of us, I knew my shot was special (for me), as soon as I saw it on the PC , but even then, there are so many superb images I didn't think that would be enough . We all are, and should be, proud of what we produce, and not give up, just because we don't get mentioned in despatches, I love many of those in all competitions, they are great. Maybe we should all be more open, as Pete has suggested, with our comments and hopefully praise.

How about producing a league table, with everyone from the Man City to the Fleetwood Town of photographers together.... would everyone continue to contribute? Apart from being apallingly time consuming and complicated to keep going, I think that would put yet more people off!

Another way would be to judge the DSLR separate from the "bridge" and separate from the compacts, then the amount we spend on our hobbies would be accounted for somewhat. Again, more work for those who spend their precious time sorting/ judging etc.

Whatever, the whole business doesn't cost to enter, doesn't provide dramatic prizes, and should remain just a bit of fun and interest IMHO.

[Ian Pratt]

unless you've an amazing memory, you won't have seen me in the winner's enclosure at all! ... should be encouragement to all of us, I knew my shot was special (for me), as soon as I saw it on the PC , but even then, there are so many superb images I didn't think that would be enough . We all are, and should be, proud of what we produce, and not give up, just because we don't get mentioned in despatches, I love many of those in all competitions, they are great. Maybe we should all be more open, as Pete has suggested, with our comments and hopefully praise.

How about producing a league table, with everyone from the Man City to the Fleetwood Town of photographers together.... would everyone continue to contribute? Apart from being apallingly time consuming and complicated to keep going, I think that would put yet more people off!

Another way would be to judge the DSLR separate from the "bridge" and separate from the compacts, then the amount we spend on our hobbies would be accounted for somewhat. Again, more work for those who spend their precious time sorting/ judging etc.

Whatever, the whole business doesn't cost to enter, doesn't provide dramatic prizes, and should remain just a bit of fun and interest IMHO.

Thanks for that down to earth reminder. It should be fun and we should all be proud of what we produce. Thanks for making me laugh!

[Gruditch]

as judging photographs is of necessity somewhat subjective

All photography judging, including that done by Royal Photographic Society Natural History group, is going to be subjective.

Another way would be to judge the DSLR separate from the "bridge" and separate from the compacts

That has been suggested before, but you only have to attach a close up lens to a bridge camera, and you will get the same results as a DSLR & macro set up. Plus I'm not sure what equipment that the under 16 winner used, but that one won because the trees in the background gave a nice sense of environment.

Regards Gruditch

[David M]

If I remember correctly, not many people bothered to vote for the October competition so it's perfectly understandable that only a small number of individuals take responsibility for judging the annual contest.

There's a lot of work involved in this and I think it's unrealistic to expect these few members to be providing feedback on every shot.

Perhaps the solution could be to throw the voting open to everyone for a week and the top 6 in each category could subsequently go forward for further voting by Pete & Gary (thus reducing their workload ).There would then be a rating for each individual photograph submitted as well as a list of first, second and third for each section.

Of course, there's not much point doing that if only 7 or 8 members are willing to spare the time to rate 200+ photographs. Maybe Pete could seek volunteers who would guarantee to do this prior to final voting. If 20 people were keen to do it (I'd certainly be happy to) then the top half dozen would be fairly reflective of photographic standards.

[Mark Colvin]

I'm not sure what equipment that the under 16 winner used, but that one won because the trees in the background gave a nice sense of environment.

An old, 6 megapixel, Canon Digital Ixus 65 compact!

[Gruditch]

Do we have to go through this after every competition, it really is so disheartening. The competition rules were there to see before entering.

An old, 6 megapixel, Canon Digital Ixus 65 compact!

Cheers Mark, proves my point.

Regards Gruditch

[NickB]

Well done to all; every year there are more and more great images to choose from...
I understand what Ian has been saying; unfortunately, with every competition there are always "winners" and "losers", tho' I like to think we are all winners to have such a lot of great images on display. And if you asked a different set of judges on a different day, they would most likely come up with some different choices as well. Camera clubs demonstrate that very well - unplaced one week and highly commended the next!
The best advice I have had from photographers is to "take the pictures you like"....

[Reverdin]

Yes, It has been gone over, over and over and over again. It does no harm to reflect on procedures but I for one am totally behind the UKB philosophy, judging etc etc, you can't make 200 people happy all of the time, but I think the guys that try deserve our respect and admiration, full stop. When it all stops being enjoyable we really have lost a lot. Let's all put some comments by the images, constructive and/or complimentary only I would suggest.

Maybe we don't comment 'cos none of us feel qualified to do so. I would suggest if we care enough to take photos, then we are indeed amply qualified!

[Vickie B]

Congratulations to all the winners and all my fellow competitors really enjoyed looking at all the wonderful photographs!