This debate has been very interesting, and after some thought, alludes to the heart of why I personally like LPS so much.
Sure, I could enter other photo contests, but it just isn't very FUN. I really don't want to compete against a bunch of other wedding photographers, I'm not going to grow from that. Even if you win, you feel like you're winning on an island; you know nothing about the other contestants, what their style is, what their creative process is like....and what they think about your work. Judges feedback may be given to you on your own image, but its usually only if you do well.
At the risk of sounding warm and fuzzy,: here, we have a chance to grow together as artists as the contest progresses and I find that incredibly engaging.
Where else can a direct competitor, a stranger nonetheless, give you totally honest and helpful feedback on your work before and after you enter it. I never once felt like someone was leading me astray for their own positioning, which is shocking in this "me first" world we live in. There is a solidarity here that I find refreshing and downright addictive. Where else would someone I didn't know PM me and say, "you know you can do better, Lynne."
I really don't care what the rules are, what the judging system is (although the public choice only votes I think tend to suffer from the "Thomas Kincaid" effect)...I can say I don't like this or that, but the fact is.....I'll be back.
About half of the top 10 are composites including the shot which is now in first place.
My personal interpretation of Shay's intent for this competition is to think of each image like you would a movie: don't worry about how it was done, just sit back and enjoy the show. I think it is fundamental to the nature of the "2 weeks to shoot a theme" format that most of the entries will be fictions rather than facts. As such, debating how that fiction was created seems a little pedantic.
Well, I guess I should have stated "obvious composites". While I suppose it is quite possible that "Lone Ranger" is a composite, nothing about it screams composite to me. The top three all don't look like composites to me, though of course they could be. Of the current top 5 only "school outing" is an obvious composite. And I really like it, I definitely wouldn't want any rule that kept something like "school outing" out of the competition. My point was that most of the photos that look like cool photoshop tricks aren't doing so well, which gets back to some of the original points which was if it doesn't "look" like a photo it may not connect with folks. How it is created is of little concern to me and I don't see compositing techniques giving anyone an "advantage".
And yeah, I completely agree your interpretation. Spot on in my book.
Wow! You guys were really busy yesterday while I was slaving away at my job!!! :whew I think for it's first go-around LPS has been hugely successful. We have all gained from the experience even if some of our best work ended up not qualifying. :cry The big complaint seems to be the judging. If the judging were more predictable, there would be those who could possibly feel it was 'slanted'. There were moments I was not pleased with how the judges 'interpreted' the themes. My biggest complaint being that I think of this media as an art form and should be a chance for personal expression. I found artistic expression being squashed sometimes in favor of 'meeting the theme' instead of judging other merits of the work. In fairness, many of the judges, myself included, were judging for the very first time. That too was an opportunity to grow. In the end I decided to let any negativity that I witnessed or experienced go and just shoot for myself and that is what I will continue to do.
Re: the photoshop issue...there is no issue. Let it be. I admit to being frustrated when the contests seemed to be leaning away from the more pure form of photography. I found myself Sunday night attempting my very 'first' layered composition. It wouldn't have met the high qualifications here, although it probably would have scored better than the shot I posted which, though it looks like it, is NOT a compilation!! No one should feel that any media (or subject-matter) is inferior. We will see the best of everything if we embrace all of it.
What about having fewer rounds with each round longer? That would require fewer judges if they keep getting switched out and give them more time to peruse the entries....
What about having fewer rounds with each round longer? That would require fewer judges if they keep getting switched out and give them more time to peruse the entries....
Oh, shoot. I said I was lurking. Sorry.
I have to chime in and agree. Two weeks is plenty of time if I'm spending most of my waking hours working with a camera, but instead I spend 40 hours a week behind a desk. Many weekends I've got things going on, usually planned a month or more in advance, shoots with models, shoots to cover events or a trip to a specific place. If something that fits with the theme happens to come my way, I might by chance get something, but with only two weeks for the round, in practical terms that usually means one weekend, and most of the time that weekend already has photographic projects planned for it.
Myself, I think I'd like more advance notice of what the theme will be. Or perhaps shifting the time frame. For example if the theme is announced on a Wednesday and closes two Wednesdays later, then I'd have two full weekends to work on it and would be more likely to have some free hours to think about the theme and do something. And a little bit of cushion on the last Monday and Tuesday evenings to evaluate and select or edit.
Just some thoughts from another mostly lurker, :-)
Brandon Smith http://redwoodtwig.com
Sony A7r4 with a selection of Rokinon Cine primes that I'm really enjoying learning how to use.
Myself, I think I'd like more advance notice of what the theme will be.
This is one of a few points that we are absolutely NOT flexible on. Let me elaborate, from where we're standing:
1) takes away from equal participation in all rounds. If you don't know what the themes are, you have to work in EACH round, just in case thats the best one you get all year. No waiting for your favorite theme to come up.
2) makes "cheating" more tempting... we like to think the best, but if you happen to get that perfect theme shot too early, well, we all know temptation is evil. with fresh themes, we remove a part of that.
3) throw your freaking dayplanner away when it comes to LPS, photography is art!
1) takes away from equal participation in all rounds. If you don't know what the themes are, you have to work in EACH round, just in case thats the best one you get all year. No waiting for your favorite theme to come up.
Food for though on this point, this may be a good justification for themes in the SFs and Final. Those that qualify in the 1st couple rounds have way more time to plan for the SF, and those that make it from the 1st SF have nearly 9 months to plan for the final. A theme would put everyone on level footing, plus, I think the themed shots have been more interesting, but the last part is just my opinion.
Hey Erik
I haven't said a word (recently) (as I'm always stirring up a hornet's nest)...so, I just wanted to say, thank you ......you have a tremendous responsibiltiy on your shoulders with no pay and have to listen to all sorts of suggestions/bickering/complaining/and once in awhile, some positive fodder. I for one appreciate your involvement and appreciate your continued efforts keeping this contest systematic and in tact. Maybe that's why you're the DOCTOR
This is one of a few points that we are absolutely NOT flexible on. Let me elaborate, from where we're standing:
1) takes away from equal participation in all rounds. If you don't know what the themes are, you have to work in EACH round, just in case thats the best one you get all year. No waiting for your favorite theme to come up.
2) makes "cheating" more tempting... we like to think the best, but if you happen to get that perfect theme shot too early, well, we all know temptation is evil. with fresh themes, we remove a part of that.
3) throw your freaking dayplanner away when it comes to LPS, photography is art!
Whew! Didn't mean to stir up the hornets, :-) I was agreeing with the previous poster on a desire to have a little more time. Two weeks is plenty of time if you don't have have a dayplanner and don't have places you have to be and things you have to do.
And I guess I didn't realize that LPS requires participation in every theme, though "Last Photographer Standing" does kinda imply that by the title, now that I think about it. So I will not be able to participate as I have commitments that are going to keep me away from the internet two weekends in a row at least twice during the upcoming contest period. Where I will be may in fact be a good place to capture the theme, if I knew what it was, but it's very unlikely that I'd have the opportunity to sit down at my digital darkroom and select/edit for an entry, let alone be at a place where I could submit.
But I'll lurk along and see how it goes, there were some truly magnificent entries last year.
Brandon Smith http://redwoodtwig.com
Sony A7r4 with a selection of Rokinon Cine primes that I'm really enjoying learning how to use.
And I guess I didn't realize that LPS requires participation in every theme
Nope, you've misunderstood. You definitely don't have to participate in every round. As the current rules are, you could compete in as little as 3 rounds over the course of an entire year (one contest round, one semifinal, and the grand finale) and win!
Again, the idea is to encourage more lurkers to jump in at any time, not sit by and wait for round #5 to come up, because they think they like that theme.
Nope, you've misunderstood. You definitely don't have to participate in every round. As the current rules are, you could compete in as little as 3 rounds over the course of an entire year (one contest round, one semifinal, and the grand finale) and win!
Again, the idea is to encourage more lurkers to jump in at any time, not sit by and wait for round #5 to come up, because they think they like that theme.
make sense?
And then there are us nutcases who shoot for every round... I'll have to say I really enjoy the surprise of each new theme. As for the planning for the semi or final, thinking about unthemed shots is something I do all the time whether or not there is a contest.
And then there are us nutcases who shoot for every round... I'll have to say I really enjoy the surprise of each new theme. As for the planning for the semi or final, thinking about unthemed shots is something I do all the time whether or not there is a contest.
Food for though on this point, this may be a good justification for themes in the SFs and Final. Those that qualify in the 1st couple rounds have way more time to plan for the SF, and those that make it from the 1st SF have nearly 9 months to plan for the final. A theme would put everyone on level footing, plus, I think the themed shots have been more interesting, but the last part is just my opinion.
Just an idea.
-r
I don't know about that. Since there is no theme, Everyone has exactly the same amount of time to prepare for SF and Finals. Just because you don't know that you'll "make the cut" doesn't mean you can't try and figure out what you'll do if you win. The photos for everyone have to be taken in the same 2 weeks, so all you can do before that is get things read and do test shots.
Just gotta have faith in yourself that you'll make the cut
I've unstuck this thread to clear as many stickies as possible for this critical time... I'm sure it'll stay right up at the top anyway.
You might even consider putting a "Questions and Discussion" link to it from the rules thread and leave it unstuck. That way it'll keep getting bumped. While I am making suggestions, it might be worth putting that wonderful set of links you put at the start of each entry thread in the rules thread as well. Its especially important now when we don't have a stickied entry thread, but it seems worthwhile to make those links as easily accessible as possible.
Of course I realize that all may be subject to change...
Regarding the recent change in voting rules for the finals, does this mean that the polls will not reflect the true numbers and that we all should just wait until the official announcement after the conclusion?
Regarding the recent change in voting rules for the finals, does this mean that the polls will not reflect the true numbers and that we all should just wait until the official announcement after the conclusion?
They will updated in bulk pretty soon, probably in a few hrs or so. Then we'll be keeping things fresh till the closing.
I just wanted to say a thank you to everyone involved in putting this together...I am not in the contest and new around here and it seems that everyone that is working on this is giving it their all which requires a ton of work and time, so big UPs to them... The money is a great thing, but I think people are thinking about the money more then just having a good time with the contest and that is kind of sad.
So thanks to everyone involved and the photos that have been entered are amazing clap
The money is a great thing, but I think people are thinking about the money more then just having a good time with the contest and that is kind of sad.
You've come to this forum at a rather unique time. Normally a new submission thread opens at the same moment the old one closes. Largely the focus of the discussion stays on works in progress for the current round. Now, for the first time in a year, we don't have a contest to shoot for and at the same time we have a very high profile voting thread. It is natural, I think, to expect that the discussion will shift under those circumstances but I have full faith that when the next contest cycle starts the conversation will shift quite rapidly back to the new photographs in process.
You've come to this forum at a rather unique time. Normally a new submission thread opens at the same moment the old one closes. Largely the focus of the discussion stays on works in progress for the current round. Now, for the first time in a year, we don't have a contest to shoot for and at the same time we have a very high profile voting thread. It is natural, I think, to expect that the discussion will shift under those circumstances but I have full faith that when the next contest cycle starts the conversation will shift quite rapidly back to the new photographs in process.
Yeah I figured that was the case...money always seems to riun anything good in my experience and that is just where our society is at...but I am very excited about being a part of this community and entering my very humble photos in the contest and learning from what seems like a whole bunch of experience.
Photo frame?
This is probably not the correct forum but I thought I remember somewhere around here a link to a website that sells photo frame. What I mean by that is this company will print photos from smugmug and mounted it on some kind of bracket for hanging on the wall.
This is probably not the correct forum but I thought I remember somewhere around here a link to a website that sells photo frame. What I mean by that is this company will print photos from smugmug and mounted it on some kind of bracket for hanging on the wall.
Any insights is highly appreciated.
Thanks
OK I found it. It was fotoflot. Thanks for reading anyway.
One thing I want to make perfectly clear, again: If you win a prize, from LPS, it is indeed your prize to do with what you wish. But you may not ever, ever, ever sell such prize on Dgrin. What you do with it beyond that, well, that's up to you. But we won't allow "for sale" threads of LPS prizes here on Dgrin.
first of all, great job, guys! this is simply wonderfull!
Second, i can't wait for a new start! The LPS just took first place in my agenda! Maybe I'm not that good (actually, I'm not good at all), but learning is my first objective! So, LPS, here i come, even I will probably make a complete foll of my self (hope it will start soon)!
And third... there is no third!
Enjoy! I sure will!
2009 Lps?
will there be one this year? I've only seen really old threads from last year and no info on if it continues in 2009. Where can I go to find out when it'll start/if it will be this year?
The LPS challenges went from 07 - 08. The challenges are still going on, it's just that the format has changed somewhat and they're called DSS challenges now. Information can be found here: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=101510
Comments
Sure, I could enter other photo contests, but it just isn't very FUN. I really don't want to compete against a bunch of other wedding photographers, I'm not going to grow from that. Even if you win, you feel like you're winning on an island; you know nothing about the other contestants, what their style is, what their creative process is like....and what they think about your work. Judges feedback may be given to you on your own image, but its usually only if you do well.
At the risk of sounding warm and fuzzy,: here, we have a chance to grow together as artists as the contest progresses and I find that incredibly engaging.
Where else can a direct competitor, a stranger nonetheless, give you totally honest and helpful feedback on your work before and after you enter it. I never once felt like someone was leading me astray for their own positioning, which is shocking in this "me first" world we live in. There is a solidarity here that I find refreshing and downright addictive. Where else would someone I didn't know PM me and say, "you know you can do better, Lynne."
I really don't care what the rules are, what the judging system is (although the public choice only votes I think tend to suffer from the "Thomas Kincaid" effect)...I can say I don't like this or that, but the fact is.....I'll be back.
50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 24-70 2.8L, 35mm 1.4L, 135mm f2L
ST-E2 Transmitter + (3) 580 EXII + radio poppers
Oh man, she's not leaving?! Competition will still be fierce.
www.tessa-hd.smugmug.com
www.printandportfolio.com
This summer's wilderness photography project: www.tessa-hd.smugmug.com/gallery/3172341
Well, I guess I should have stated "obvious composites". While I suppose it is quite possible that "Lone Ranger" is a composite, nothing about it screams composite to me. The top three all don't look like composites to me, though of course they could be. Of the current top 5 only "school outing" is an obvious composite. And I really like it, I definitely wouldn't want any rule that kept something like "school outing" out of the competition. My point was that most of the photos that look like cool photoshop tricks aren't doing so well, which gets back to some of the original points which was if it doesn't "look" like a photo it may not connect with folks. How it is created is of little concern to me and I don't see compositing techniques giving anyone an "advantage".
And yeah, I completely agree your interpretation. Spot on in my book.
Ken
Re: the photoshop issue...there is no issue. Let it be. I admit to being frustrated when the contests seemed to be leaning away from the more pure form of photography. I found myself Sunday night attempting my very 'first' layered composition. It wouldn't have met the high qualifications here, although it probably would have scored better than the shot I posted which, though it looks like it, is NOT a compilation!!
Oh, shoot. I said I was lurking. Sorry.
www.tippiepics.com
I have to chime in and agree. Two weeks is plenty of time if I'm spending most of my waking hours working with a camera, but instead I spend 40 hours a week behind a desk. Many weekends I've got things going on, usually planned a month or more in advance, shoots with models, shoots to cover events or a trip to a specific place. If something that fits with the theme happens to come my way, I might by chance get something, but with only two weeks for the round, in practical terms that usually means one weekend, and most of the time that weekend already has photographic projects planned for it.
Myself, I think I'd like more advance notice of what the theme will be. Or perhaps shifting the time frame. For example if the theme is announced on a Wednesday and closes two Wednesdays later, then I'd have two full weekends to work on it and would be more likely to have some free hours to think about the theme and do something. And a little bit of cushion on the last Monday and Tuesday evenings to evaluate and select or edit.
Just some thoughts from another mostly lurker, :-)
http://redwoodtwig.com
Sony A7r4 with a selection of Rokinon Cine primes that I'm really enjoying learning how to use.
1) takes away from equal participation in all rounds. If you don't know what the themes are, you have to work in EACH round, just in case thats the best one you get all year. No waiting for your favorite theme to come up.
2) makes "cheating" more tempting... we like to think the best, but if you happen to get that perfect theme shot too early, well, we all know temptation is evil. with fresh themes, we remove a part of that.
3) throw your freaking dayplanner away when it comes to LPS, photography is art!
moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]
Food for though on this point, this may be a good justification for themes in the SFs and Final. Those that qualify in the 1st couple rounds have way more time to plan for the SF, and those that make it from the 1st SF have nearly 9 months to plan for the final. A theme would put everyone on level footing, plus, I think the themed shots have been more interesting, but the last part is just my opinion.
Just an idea.
-r
I haven't said a word (recently) (as I'm always stirring up a hornet's nest)...so, I just wanted to say, thank you ......you have a tremendous responsibiltiy on your shoulders with no pay and have to listen to all sorts of suggestions/bickering/complaining/and once in awhile, some positive fodder. I for one appreciate your involvement and appreciate your continued efforts keeping this contest systematic and in tact. Maybe that's why you're the DOCTOR
NAPP Member | Canon Shooter
Weddings/Portraits and anything else that catches my eye.
www.daveswartz.com
Model Mayhem site http://www.modelmayhem.com/686552
Whew! Didn't mean to stir up the hornets, :-) I was agreeing with the previous poster on a desire to have a little more time. Two weeks is plenty of time if you don't have have a dayplanner and don't have places you have to be and things you have to do.
And I guess I didn't realize that LPS requires participation in every theme, though "Last Photographer Standing" does kinda imply that by the title, now that I think about it. So I will not be able to participate as I have commitments that are going to keep me away from the internet two weekends in a row at least twice during the upcoming contest period. Where I will be may in fact be a good place to capture the theme, if I knew what it was, but it's very unlikely that I'd have the opportunity to sit down at my digital darkroom and select/edit for an entry, let alone be at a place where I could submit.
But I'll lurk along and see how it goes, there were some truly magnificent entries last year.
http://redwoodtwig.com
Sony A7r4 with a selection of Rokinon Cine primes that I'm really enjoying learning how to use.
Again, the idea is to encourage more lurkers to jump in at any time, not sit by and wait for round #5 to come up, because they think they like that theme.
make sense?
moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]
And then there are us nutcases who shoot for every round... I'll have to say I really enjoy the surprise of each new theme. As for the planning for the semi or final, thinking about unthemed shots is something I do all the time whether or not there is a contest.
My images | My blog | My free course
I don't know about that. Since there is no theme, Everyone has exactly the same amount of time to prepare for SF and Finals. Just because you don't know that you'll "make the cut" doesn't mean you can't try and figure out what you'll do if you win. The photos for everyone have to be taken in the same 2 weeks, so all you can do before that is get things read and do test shots.
Just gotta have faith in yourself that you'll make the cut
Now go vote - ROUND #2 is LIVE!!!!
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=85283
moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]
You might even consider putting a "Questions and Discussion" link to it from the rules thread and leave it unstuck. That way it'll keep getting bumped. While I am making suggestions, it might be worth putting that wonderful set of links you put at the start of each entry thread in the rules thread as well. Its especially important now when we don't have a stickied entry thread, but it seems worthwhile to make those links as easily accessible as possible.
Of course I realize that all may be subject to change...
Oh, and, ummm... bump.
www.tessa-hd.smugmug.com
www.printandportfolio.com
This summer's wilderness photography project: www.tessa-hd.smugmug.com/gallery/3172341
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
So thanks to everyone involved and the photos that have been entered are amazing
www.brandonperron.com
You've come to this forum at a rather unique time. Normally a new submission thread opens at the same moment the old one closes. Largely the focus of the discussion stays on works in progress for the current round. Now, for the first time in a year, we don't have a contest to shoot for and at the same time we have a very high profile voting thread. It is natural, I think, to expect that the discussion will shift under those circumstances but I have full faith that when the next contest cycle starts the conversation will shift quite rapidly back to the new photographs in process.
Yeah I figured that was the case...money always seems to riun anything good in my experience and that is just where our society is at...but I am very excited about being a part of this community and entering my very humble photos in the contest and learning from what seems like a whole bunch of experience.
www.brandonperron.com
This is probably not the correct forum but I thought I remember somewhere around here a link to a website that sells photo frame. What I mean by that is this company will print photos from smugmug and mounted it on some kind of bracket for hanging on the wall.
Any insights is highly appreciated.
Thanks
www.pickled-photons.smugmug.com
OK I found it. It was fotoflot. Thanks for reading anyway.
Regards.
www.pickled-photons.smugmug.com
I'm sorry if this upsets any of you
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
Second, i can't wait for a new start! The LPS just took first place in my agenda! Maybe I'm not that good (actually, I'm not good at all), but learning is my first objective! So, LPS, here i come, even I will probably make a complete foll of my self (hope it will start soon)!
And third... there is no third!
Enjoy! I sure will!
will there be one this year? I've only seen really old threads from last year and no info on if it continues in 2009. Where can I go to find out when it'll start/if it will be this year?
Thanks!
You can participate now.
http://lrichters.smugmug.com