>>> Last Photographer Standing (Discussion)

Shay Stephens

Lynie wrote:

If we don't make it through the first round, we can go again in the second right?

There are 5 qualifying rounds per semifinal. And there are 4 semifinals. So you have a total of 20 chances a year

System

Shay Stephens wrote:

There are 5 qualifying rounds per semifinal. And there are 4 semifinals. So you have a total of 20 chances a year

Hmmm...ok. So, if we qualify but then lose in a semi-final can we re-enter in the next qualifying round and try again?

Rhuarc

truth wrote:

Hmmm...ok. So, if we qualify but then lose in a semi-final can we re-enter in the next qualifying round and try again?

I read the rules again, and from my understanding once you are the winner in a semi-final, then you can't enter any of the otehr qualifiers for that semi-final. You may enter wualifiers for the next semi-final. You may enter up to the 4 semi-final rounds (assuming you won a qualifier for each) However, even if you win more than 1 semi-final you may still only enter 1 image into the Grand-Finale

From the rules:

You can qualify as a finalist once per semifinal round and up to 4 times per Grand Finale (year), however, you can only enter 1 photo in the Grand Finale.

Shay Stephens

truth wrote:

Hmmm...ok. So, if we qualify but then lose in a semi-final can we re-enter in the next qualifying round and try again?

Sure thing. Qualifying rounds are open to all.

Shay Stephens

Rhuarc wrote:

I read the rules again, and from my understanding once you are the winner in a semi-final, then you can't enter any of the otehr qualifiers for that semi-final. You may enter wualifiers for the next semi-final. You may enter up to the 4 semi-final rounds (assuming you won a qualifier for each) However, even if you win more than 1 semi-final you may still only enter 1 image into the Grand-Finale

From the rules:

You can enter any qualifying round. If you are a finalist of a qualifying round, then you are eligible to join the semifinal. The semifinal happens after 5 qualifying rounds take place. So the semifinal is the end of that cycle. When it starts up again, you will have 5 more chances at qualifying for the next semifinal.

When you get to the Grand Finale, no matter how many times you have been a semifinal finalist, you only get to submit one photo for the Grand Finale.

Rhuarc

Shay Stephens wrote:

You can enter any qualifying round. If you are a finalist of a qualifying round, then you are eligible to join the semifinal. The semifinal happens after 5 qualifying rounds take place. So the semifinal is the end of that cycle. When it starts up again, you will have 5 more chances at qualifying for the next semifinal.

When you get to the Grand Finale, no matter how many times you have been a semifinal finalist, you only get to submit one photo for the Grand Finale.

So you can enter more than one image in a semi-final round? If say I qualified in Qualifer 1 & 2 for Semi-final 1, then I would have two of the 50 spots available in the first Semi. Then even if I am eligable more than once for the Grand Finale I can only enter 1 image.

System

Shay Stephens wrote:

Sure thing. Qualifying rounds are open to all.

Even if you win a semi? What about if you win a qualifying round for the same semi?

Shay Stephens

Rhuarc wrote:

So you can enter more than one image in a semi-final round? If say I qualified in Qualifer 1 & 2 for Semi-final 1, then I would have two of the 50 spots available in the first Semi. Then even if I am eligable more than once for the Grand Finale I can only enter 1 image.

Each contest you can enter one photo, no more. If you qualified 5 times for a semi final, you would only get to submit one photo for that semifinal.

Shay Stephens

truth wrote:

Even if you win a semi? What about if you win a qualifying round for the same semi?

qualifying rounds are open to all.

System

Shay Stephens wrote:

qualifying rounds are open to all.

So, what exactly are you saying?

Shay Stephens

Shay Stephens wrote:

qualifying rounds are open to all.

Some may be wondering:
hmm, if someone wins a qualifying round all 5 times, then there will be 4 fewer people who can compete in the semifinal. That's not fair.

And then it hits you. Life is not fair. This is a contest that is playing for keeps. Oh my, I can't just rest on my laurels and hope I get lucky. One person can eliminate 4 of their potential competitors. Ohhhhhhh.....

Yes, you might start sweating a bit, but that is ok. A little adrenaline in the system can spark the imagination

Nikolai

And I think this is great

Shay Stephens wrote:

Some may be wondering:
hmm, if someone wins a qualifying round all 5 times, then there will be 4 fewer people who can compete in the semifinal. That's not fair.

And then it hits you. Life is not fair. This is a contest that is playing for keeps. Oh my, I can't just rest on my laurels and hope I get lucky. One person can eliminate 4 of their potential competitors. Ohhhhhhh.....

Yes, you might start sweating a bit, but that is ok. A little adrenaline in the system can spark the imagination

Person who works his/her back off during all 20 prequals and 4 semifinals SHOULD have better chances that the one that got lucky in 1 prequal and consequently 1 semi (I mean, come on, it's only getting into top ten :-).

And yes, if this person gets into top ten in all of these, it only means s/he would have 4 less competitors in semis and 3 less competitors in the final.

I actually think it is fair.
Otherwise why not give the 1st prize to every registered member...

Shay, "stay the course"!

claudermilk

Ah! So winning multiple spots for a semi round just reduces your competition for that round. It's incentive to keep entering & working. Seems fair to me. If you're good enough to grab 4 spots of ten, then you've earned the reduced number of competitors--of course those other 5 photogs benefit too...but maybe not, they've obviously got a real tough nut to crack to move on.

Lynie

Fair is Fair
Good, I just wanted to make sure that when the next round comes up, I can enter then too...I may be a beginner at all this stuff, and teaching myself on a lot of it but I have a LOT of ideas I can't wait to try and capture! It's all about fun and getting better right? .....Well and then there's winning.... lol

System

After giving this some thought, I've come to the conclusion that winning multiple qualifying rounds benefits all the other winners equally. Not only have you eliminated some of your competition, but you've also eliminated it for the others still in the round. By not giving a multiple winner multiple entries in the next round he/she's really not benefiting that much for his or her efforts relative to the others still in the contest.

That made my head hurt.

DoctorIt

truth wrote:

That made my head hurt.

Now will you just listen to us when we tell you not to worry about it and just go shoot?!

Shay Stephens

truth wrote:

After giving this some thought, I've come to the conclusion that winning multiple qualifying rounds benefits all the other winners equally. Not only have you eliminated some of your competition, but you've also eliminated it for the others still in the round. By not giving a multiple winner multiple entries in the next round he/she's really not benefiting that much for his or her efforts relative to the others still in the contest.

That made my head hurt.

Are your "odds" of winning better if there are only 46 photographers instead of 50? If so, then is it more important deny this benefit to the other photographer than it is to give yourself a better chance at winning?

Now the whole "odds" thing does'nt hold up tight because the contest is not truly random. Skill skews the odds in the favor of the skillful. But the general idea I think is still sound. Fewer competitors will most likely be more beneficial than more competitors.

When you get to the Grand Finale, you are going to be competing with strong photographers. And if you know your Princess Bride, unless you have a wheel barrow and dread cloak, fewer competitors are better

BistiArt

Definitely Chilled, But NOT Qualified
Well, Smugmug/Dgrin's clearly come up with a rather neat idea!
Many kudos; it's definitely going to be a place to watch. But that's not all, it's going to be a great place to compete!
And, I see we are beginning to get entries…

Darn...
I understand the Last Photographer Standing rules!

But this Bisti shot wasn't in New York City at a certain time; rather, it was one image from a 2 March Moonrise shoot in the Bisti Badlands of Northern New Mexico {unfortunately, not quite conforming to a 12:01 a.m. NYC time on 5 March}. Naturally, with Moonrise, one simply can't fit New York City time.

So, Wind Chill's Scream, under Magic Hour at BistiArt, is not precisely qualified to enter LPS.

However, I certainly feel Wind Chill's Scream clearly fits the first LPS challenge entitled Chilled [or was the Chilled moniker like the famous James Bond remark, "Shaken, Not Stirred?"]!

claudermilk

Shay Stephens wrote:

Are your "odds" of winning better if there are only 46 photographers instead of 50? If so, then is it more important deny this benefit to the other photographer than it is to give yourself a better chance at winning?

Now the whole "odds" thing does'nt hold up tight because the contest is not truly random. Skill skews the odds in the favor of the skillful. But the general idea I think is still sound. Fewer competitors will most likely be more beneficial than more competitors.

When you get to the Grand Finale, you are going to be competing with strong photographers. And if you know your Princess Bride, unless you have a wheel barrow and dread cloak, fewer competitors are better

...that would be a Holocaust Cloak. Yes, I'm a Princess Bride geek. ...anybody want a PEANUT?

Yes, reducing the number of competitors changes the odds for everyone else...but then they also know that there's one tough hombre in their round to deal with. To continue Shay's analogy: I'd rather BE the Brute Squad than have to face it/him.

Shay Stephens

claudermilk wrote:

...that would be a Holocaust Cloak. Yes, I'm a Princess Bride geek. ...anybody want a PEANUT?

Ahh yes, I hang my head in shame, thank you for the correction.

System

I propose a battle of the wits to the death! :duel

Andy

Bump for more prizes. $25,000 wasn't enough

So, while at PMA, I leaned on some good friends.

We've added some bling for the Public Choice Award winners, each 1st prize was sweetened with a Lensbaby 3G and a Crumpler Brazillion Dollar Home

w00t that's another $2300 in prizes!!

Details Here

LiquidAir

Oooooo! Nice. That public choice award is looking better and better.

Nikolai

Shhhweeeeettt!

Andy wrote:

Bump for more prizes. $25,000 wasn't enough

So, while at PMA, I leaned on some good friends.

We've added some bling for the Public Choice Award winners, each 1st prize was sweetened with a Lensbaby 3G and a Crumpler Brazillion Dollar Home

w00t that's another $2300 in prizes!!

Details Here

Nice!

ian408

Thanks Big Ben and Lens Baby Dudes!

annnna8888

Andy wrote:

We've added some bling for the Public Choice Award winners, each 1st prize was sweetened with a Lensbaby 3G and a Crumpler Brazillion Dollar Home

w00t that's another $2300 in prizes!!

Woo-hoo! barb
Well done, Andy!

Ana

simmo

Hi everyone, first post here, I hope you don't mind some questions and feedback on the competition.

Firstly, congratulations and thanks on starting such an innovative competition that not only has good prizes but encourages us to grow and respects the photographers rights at the same time. well done!

As of writing this, there are currently 12 entries to the first qualifying round of LPS. Assuming that people become more creative once the deadline draws near and submissions increase over the next few days, I could easily see that figure doubling to 20-30 entries. Is this the sought of numbers you envisaged?

Judging by a lot of the comments in this thread, people are keen to enter every qualifier purely for the creative challenge, if nothing else. While it is early days still, I think there is a risk that if you have the same faces winning each qualifier the semi final and final spaces will be filled with the same people and will become 'just another round'.

Obviously the solution to this is encouraging more entries. Hopefully word of mouth will generate this for round two and three and...but do you have any further plans for promotion, especially towards the latter half where enthusiasm might drop off.

I'm honestly normally a very positive person so don't expect to read negative comments everytime you see my name, this is really out of character. I just wanted to raise some thoughts of mine and (hopefully) see that you have already thought of these and made plans so the contest is a success.

oh, and I look forward to entering soon (probably not for a few weeks as I'm a bit busy right now though)

Nikolai

Simmo,
First of all, welcome to Dgrin!

I see where you coming from, but I honestly don't think it's an issue. While it is true that the dgrin veterans (e.g. Dee, Brett. Aaron, Douglas, LiquirAir and many others) will continue to submit their entries, we can already see that a brand new generation of challengers is here. Quite a few entries are from members with only a handful of prior posts. I personally expect this situation to enhance in the future, since more and more people will be attracted by this - really attractive - challenge.

FWIW

Andy

simmo wrote:

Obviously the solution to this is encouraging more entries. Hopefully word of mouth will generate this for round two and three and...but do you have any further plans for promotion, especially towards the latter half where enthusiasm might drop off.

We do indeed.

And have you told ten friends? And so on, and so on?

wxwax

Andy wrote:

Bump for more prizes. $25,000 wasn't enough

So, while at PMA, I leaned on some good friends.

We've added some bling for the Public Choice Award winners, each 1st prize was sweetened with a Lensbaby 3G and a Crumpler Brazillion Dollar Home

w00t that's another $2300 in prizes!!

Details Here

Condensed milk sweetness.