OOYCZ Challenges Guide
JAG
Super Moderators Posts: 9,088 moderator
Welcome to the Out Of Your Comfort Zone Challenges!
The goal of these challenges is to challenge you to Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone and try something that may be new to you. Consider it like a photography class with no diplomas. The only reward is your own feeling of accomplishment of learning or trying something new, or maybe it will be just an exercise of showing others you know how to do it and you can help others with your expertise by giving suggestions and constructive critiques.
Phase 1: The Instructions/picture taking
Each challenge will have a 3 week period of learning. In which I will first post a thread that will be called The Instructions (with the challenge number). There will be links to tutorials and it will generally be where you can ask questions if you are unclear about the challenges. During that two weeks, you can have the opportunity to explore and experiment the assignment. During these two weeks you can take pictures for the challenge.
You must start a new thread with images you are considering for the assignment so that others can constructively critique. Also, if you do start a thread, please post any improvement images in that same thread so that we can see the growth of work. Do NOT start a new thread with your improvements.
For critiques, please read this "HOW TO CRITIQUE" LINK. It is encouraged that everyone read about critiques and even though you may not feel that you are comfortable with doing so, please try to give a critique once in a while. This will help you learn another Out Of Your Comfort Zone challenge! They get easier once you start doing them correctly.
Also be sure to read the next couple posts down on the thread of the Critique link above. If you are posting an image for critiques and you really do not feel that the critique is a just one, then just leave your image alone. You do not need to change your image if you are perfectly happy with it!
Everybody who is a member of Dgrin can give critiques (including moderators), at this point of the learning portion of the challenge.
Phase 2: The Entry
After the 3 week period of the original instruction periods, a new post will be made and be called The Entry (challenge #) you will be given a key link to enter your image to the image gallery. This entry period will generally be 3 days or more if time permits. You must put your dgrin user name in the caption of the image. All names that are not registered Dgrin usernames will be disqualified.[/B]
Phase 3: The Finals
After the close of The Entry thread, the images will be grouped into a poll thread that I will start and number the images and keep them all in the order which they were entered. No names or titles will appear. This new thread will be called The Finals (with the challenge number).
Voting and Critiquing is open to all Dgrin members and will now be required to give a short critique of all images except their own image if they are participating! This means that you will have to read the link given above for how to critique. Keep all your critiques in 1 reply to that thread.
Should you wish to edit your critiques, you can do so by clicking 'edit' on your post. Remember to use the NUMBER of the corresponding image that you are critiquing. If you are short on time that day, you can always come back and finish critiquing by clicking the edit button on your reply post you started. PLEASE do not start another reply! You have till the last day of the month, to get all your critiques done and then vote.
On the last day of the month, the results of the voting will be released. This will tell how well you did in the round.
This is a learning challenge for all. Whether you think you have the ability or not to critique, you must give constructive critiques to the best of your own skills if you have entered an image to the final thread. Remember to give reasons to why you like or do not like the image, and what they could have done to improve it if possible.
Please do not respond to critiques on the Final thread. Realize that everyone has different tastes and that opinions are subjective. Thus, all final critiques are absolutely final. Take it or leave it as being what it is and never take it so serious that you stop having fun of being challenged!
The Challenges start at the beginning of the month, and will end on the last day of the month. Participants can keep track of their own progress in how well they have done with points, plus with their learning to give a critique.
RULES:
The goal of these challenges is to challenge you to Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone and try something that may be new to you. Consider it like a photography class with no diplomas. The only reward is your own feeling of accomplishment of learning or trying something new, or maybe it will be just an exercise of showing others you know how to do it and you can help others with your expertise by giving suggestions and constructive critiques.
Phase 1: The Instructions/picture taking
Each challenge will have a 3 week period of learning. In which I will first post a thread that will be called The Instructions (with the challenge number). There will be links to tutorials and it will generally be where you can ask questions if you are unclear about the challenges. During that two weeks, you can have the opportunity to explore and experiment the assignment. During these two weeks you can take pictures for the challenge.
You must start a new thread with images you are considering for the assignment so that others can constructively critique. Also, if you do start a thread, please post any improvement images in that same thread so that we can see the growth of work. Do NOT start a new thread with your improvements.
For critiques, please read this "HOW TO CRITIQUE" LINK. It is encouraged that everyone read about critiques and even though you may not feel that you are comfortable with doing so, please try to give a critique once in a while. This will help you learn another Out Of Your Comfort Zone challenge! They get easier once you start doing them correctly.
Also be sure to read the next couple posts down on the thread of the Critique link above. If you are posting an image for critiques and you really do not feel that the critique is a just one, then just leave your image alone. You do not need to change your image if you are perfectly happy with it!
Everybody who is a member of Dgrin can give critiques (including moderators), at this point of the learning portion of the challenge.
Phase 2: The Entry
After the 3 week period of the original instruction periods, a new post will be made and be called The Entry (challenge #) you will be given a key link to enter your image to the image gallery. This entry period will generally be 3 days or more if time permits. You must put your dgrin user name in the caption of the image. All names that are not registered Dgrin usernames will be disqualified.[/B]
Phase 3: The Finals
After the close of The Entry thread, the images will be grouped into a poll thread that I will start and number the images and keep them all in the order which they were entered. No names or titles will appear. This new thread will be called The Finals (with the challenge number).
Voting and Critiquing is open to all Dgrin members and will now be required to give a short critique of all images except their own image if they are participating! This means that you will have to read the link given above for how to critique. Keep all your critiques in 1 reply to that thread.
Should you wish to edit your critiques, you can do so by clicking 'edit' on your post. Remember to use the NUMBER of the corresponding image that you are critiquing. If you are short on time that day, you can always come back and finish critiquing by clicking the edit button on your reply post you started. PLEASE do not start another reply! You have till the last day of the month, to get all your critiques done and then vote.
On the last day of the month, the results of the voting will be released. This will tell how well you did in the round.
This is a learning challenge for all. Whether you think you have the ability or not to critique, you must give constructive critiques to the best of your own skills if you have entered an image to the final thread. Remember to give reasons to why you like or do not like the image, and what they could have done to improve it if possible.
Please do not respond to critiques on the Final thread. Realize that everyone has different tastes and that opinions are subjective. Thus, all final critiques are absolutely final. Take it or leave it as being what it is and never take it so serious that you stop having fun of being challenged!
The Challenges start at the beginning of the month, and will end on the last day of the month. Participants can keep track of their own progress in how well they have done with points, plus with their learning to give a critique.
RULES:
- Image must be fresh with in the challenge time frame! Just be honest. Since there are no prizes, I will not really police this. However, if I know or see that the image was taken out of the time frame, it will be disqualified from the Final thread. The point of these challenges is to take an image with the challenge in mind, not to find an image already taken to match the challenge.
- Use all your own work (no editing restrictions): do not use tubes or textures or any other part of someone else's images. Again, I really will not be policing this, but this is for practice for you to learn to not rely on other's work to make your images completely yours!
- Only 1 image per person entered into the Entry thread.
- You must give short critiques to all images except your own if you made it to the Final thread.
- Only those who have an image entered to the Final thread will be able to critique the final images. All other replies or comments will be deleted.
- NO BRANDING MARKS or NAMES ON IMAGES. SMALL Initials of your personal name with a copyright symbol (c) or © is permitted in the bottom corner of your image if you want. Failure to comply with this rule in the Entry thread will disqualify your image from being in the Final thread.
- Play nice! Personal attacks of any kind when critiquing or responding to a critique will not be tolerated at any time. Offending party(s) will be put in a time out (temporary ban). If you see someone personally attack (i.e., name calling or attacking someone's integrity as a person or photographer/artist), please use the report post button and I advise you to stay out of it and let the moderators handle it. All decisions of the moderators are final and not up for discussion.
- Above all, have fun learning and socializing!
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