LPS Ponderings
Greensquared
Registered Users Posts: 2,115 Major grins
How much about your personality is judged along with your photographs? Not just in LPS, but in all of your work. I mean, think about it. So much about this forum (if your actively participate) speaks of who you are and how you feel about your own work. Perceptions can be made (whether accurate or not) on your personality from all of your postings, whether photographic, input on other's work, technical information, what you post and when, the list goes on.
So the question is, whether to stay quiet and just put your work out there, not wanting it to be affected by other factors, or put it all on the line, be who you are for all the world to see despite the consequences. Wouldn't be much of a "forum" without those braving the latter, would it? Add the LPS stakes and you have a drama to rival anything you might be able to watch on the tube. I have experienced an entire spectrum of emotions over the past month...inspiration, hope, doubt, fear, envy, elation, disappointment, indecision, awe...at least I know I am not alone!
So, to all the entrants, whether qualifying or not, stand strong and be proud. If you love your image, know that it speaks of who you are and that you're willing to put it out there for us all to see, then you have made a mark. Good luck to all the semi-finalists and the qualifiers-to-be!:lust
Emily
So the question is, whether to stay quiet and just put your work out there, not wanting it to be affected by other factors, or put it all on the line, be who you are for all the world to see despite the consequences. Wouldn't be much of a "forum" without those braving the latter, would it? Add the LPS stakes and you have a drama to rival anything you might be able to watch on the tube. I have experienced an entire spectrum of emotions over the past month...inspiration, hope, doubt, fear, envy, elation, disappointment, indecision, awe...at least I know I am not alone!
So, to all the entrants, whether qualifying or not, stand strong and be proud. If you love your image, know that it speaks of who you are and that you're willing to put it out there for us all to see, then you have made a mark. Good luck to all the semi-finalists and the qualifiers-to-be!:lust
Emily
Emily
Psalm 62:5-6
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I believe, I am the latter and have experienced in my very "open" view (nudes and semi) of photography, sometimes has not proven to be of the best choice for posting, for there are still those that have a very closed mind, no matter how artiscally, creative and well presented a photo is, they see the world only as landscapes, children and pets!! I know that there is a time and a place for everything, and my time will come!!
Although I have not placed here, I know my photos are liked and some have been bought for framing blah blah, although at times you can discouraged, the only good thing about my personality is I get off the ground wipe my butt off and continue, for I know that there are those photographers that see Out Of The Box!!
Remember to stay LOYAL to your Mind's Eye and not to popularity!! Let's take this competition to the HILT and make more want to join.
May the Great Spirit open your mind, heart, and eyes to go above and beyond to get that winning capture!! Good Luck to Everyone!
Very nicely said. You are certainly not alone in feeling a range of emotions over the past month.:D The only reason I've stayed quiet and just put a photo in LPS lately is that I've been overwhelmed by work and family. But at least I worked on a picture and joined in! My personal goal is to enter all the challenges for the year.
Jill
Bartleby.com defines trepidation
[FONT=arial, helvetica][SIZE=-1]Great agitation and anxiety caused by the expectation or the realization of danger: affright, alarm, apprehension, dread, fear, fearfulness, fright, funk, horror,...
Beyond that addition to your litany, Emily, I would also like to say my growth has been quite encouraging.
Normally more of a lurker, I began to evaluate and actually critique images. I began to see through others' eyes. I began to look at my own images with somewhat more of a "Can I attitude..."
After Steve Allens Navbar help, I even began to use EMOTICONs - is that a real Word or just a substitute for English?
No, Emily, you are not alone.
And LPS fans, neither are you...
Just Imagine Poor Shay's NEW load...
Johnny Cash usta sing
"Attaboy, Girl..."
Kudos, ALL!
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Award-Winning Photography, Workshop Instructor, Storyteller, Writer
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I understand how you feel, I'm totally bemused by the whole thing. In one round I entered what I thought was a pretty good image, not one vote did it receive, yet another entry that was so uninspiring I thought it had been entered as a joke garnered some votes.
I'll follow further rounds, and if the quality of the judging improves, I may enter again, however whilst poor images and images not related to the relevant themes receive votes I'm not going to put myself through the anguish.
Charlie
Don't give up just because your photos aren't selected. My photos are never selected...yet I think it's important to keep the voices diverse. You may be helping someone out there who thinks, incorrectly, that their image is not good because 5 random people in the universe didn't think that it met some criterion. Keep shooting and keep posting. Don't stop because someone has different taste than you. That would be bad.
GREAT Words of Advice and Wisdom!!
Thanks to you all for responding to this.
You know, I understand the disappointment and depression that comes from rejection. I've had plenty of it, left photography for a while and finally have come back inspired because of this forum. The truth is that there are many types of photography...that which is shot to other's specs and tastes, and that which is shot to your own. Question yourself, "Why do I shoot?" Is it to achieve images that I love and want to put on my wall, or to share and hear how much others liked my work? Most of us want both. We want to take awesome photos that we love and others say "Wow!" to. But, it is all subjective and there will always be someone who your work does nothing for.
The point is...growth. And how can you grow if you don't share? This forum contains so many oppotunities for constructive feedback outside of LPS as well as in. I just love the fact that people are looking at my shots and considering them. I am humbled by that. I also love that I am able to see a huge amount of other perspectives too. A broader view, so to speak. But the other thing I love about LPS is that in two weeks, you get to try again, then again, and again. Challenge yourself! You will have days of discouragement and days of success, but the only way to fail, is to quit! So please, shoot and post!
Emily
Great advice. Hope you don't mind, I'm stealing that quote for my signature
My Gallery
"Challenge yourself! You will have days of discouragement and days of success, but the only way to fail, is to quit!" - Emily (Greensquared)
Go ahead! I feel honored!:D
Emily, you said it all in the last line. Challenge Yourself. Forget the prizes. Take the shots for you. No one else.
Once that thought comes through, everything else will fall into place.
Basking in the shadows of yesterday's triumphs'.
Jesse
Hi Emily (and others),
You have a great thread going here - and I agree with you for the most part, yet, I do feel Charlie's pain. This is indeed a wonderful site to post photos and get amazing critiques, but I don't think I have quite figured out the challenges bit as yet
That being said, I am not a quitter and fully intend to participate as often as I can (work and time permitting) and like many others here, plan to enjoy shooting and hopefully improve my skills.
Cheers,
Sunita
Hi Emily (and others),
You have a great thread going here - and I agree with you for the most part, yet, I do feel Charlie's pain. This is indeed a wonderful site to post photos and get amazing critiques, but I don't think I have quite figured out the challenges bit as yet
That being said, I am not a quitter and fully intend to participate as often as I can (work and time permitting) and like many others here, plan to enjoy shooting and hopefully improve my skills.
Cheers,
Sunita
I was also very disheartened during the Stately/humble challenge, but then I thought, how does it matter. I like my photographs, the world can go and take a hike
My entry did not get any votes in this challenge, though I feel its the best of the shot.
So keep shooting and keep entering. If people like us leave then judges job will get easy. So no slacking for judges, we should keep posting horrendous images and party the day we get a single vote
FB:https://www.facebook.com/TanveersPhotography
Site :http://www.tanveer.in
Blog :http://tsk1979.livejournal.com
Take a shot that you yourself wouild be willing to print at 20"x30" (it's costly!), frame it (even more so) and hang on your wall.
If you got one - it's a definitel contender and you are a winner regadless of the challenge outcome. And if you don't - well, keep shooting and learning, you'll get it next time
I did not see in the rules anywhere which says
"Folks, take only beautiful pictures, fit for wall hangings, everything else, no matter how good a shot, if not fit for the wall will not be considered".
FB:https://www.facebook.com/TanveersPhotography
Site :http://www.tanveer.in
Blog :http://tsk1979.livejournal.com
It should be good for YOU, to hang on YOUR wall.
I don't care what it is, but I want to be proud of my own work first.
It's not always easy and quite often we go with the "ah, it fits the theme, so it's ok, maybe it'll slide past the judges/crowd" (forgive me father for I have sinned), but the longer I play, the more I feel the importance of being 100% satisfied myself.
The beauty of that approach is that once you reach this point, the rest REALLY doesn't matter...
Hi Charlie,
I went to your site and looked at your photos. I loved your entry for LPS#5. I thought it was a beautiful shot that covered the theme. I remember when I first saw it, I thought, "oh, wow - mine definitely isn't good enough". I am always perplexed by at least one or two of what gets through and what doesn't. Please don't ever give up. I am finding that I am learning so much faster by continually pushing myself in an attempt to please the "judges". You live in a lovely part of the world and you have a good eye for capturing it's beauty. Please keep sharing that with us!! - Karen
The words of Jimmy V apply to photography as much as living with cancer. If there is something you are passionate about do not let others dissued you or dampen your spirit.
You did not pick up a camera just because of LPS, this site, or because you cared what others thought about the pictures you would take. As we get better we want to hear how good we are and feel rejected when we do not make the finals of a contest. We do not agree with the judges because their tastes are different than ours so they must have favorites.
I will give you some of my personal story: I have been a member for 1 year. Entered the bi-weekly challenges on a regular basis and only made the top ten 2 times but never won or even placed in the top 3. I have entered every LPS and have not made a top ten.
However- I recently sold 3 16x20 prints of photos that I thought were good but not great. I then found out I was a finalist for a national contest for GoCardUSA with a picture I now think is just 'ho hum' from when I first starting shooting digital. None of these photos would have made the LPS but someone else thought they were great and loved them.
Do not let some judges impact your love of photography.
Read my signature quote!
Aaron Newman
Website:www.CapturingLightandEmotion.com
Facebook: Capturing Light and Emotion
“they see the world only as landscapes, children and pets” (+flowers) very true here I think. Not that there is anything wrong with that but I guess I don’t see the photography in it the same way they don’t really like my stuff.
My competition shooting takes on a flavor now a bit like writing a sonnet: creativity within a structured form. I have designed that form in a way that will often create shots that appeal to the judges, but within that form I am shooting for myself. Taking pictures this way is not somthing I would likely do on my own, but I am finding it has greatly improved my skills as a photographer.
I have three things I hope to gain from entering the competition:
1. Learn how to create images as opposed to just finding them. While the competition photos have a fairly strict set of restrctions on them, the skills I am learning let me put more of myself into my photos.
2. Put together a small gallery show for local coffee shops and the like.
3. Slowly build a portfolio of stock photography.
Personally, I think entering any photo competition expecting to win consistently is a fools errand. There is just too much variability in both the judging and in the other entries to expect to have that kind of control. All I feel I can reasonably ask for is that if I regularly enter good quality photographs, a few of them will be recognized and I will have a small chance of winning something.
I do think you should shoot for yourself, but I also think you have something to gain from letting the competition change you. Personally, I pick my 3 favorite winners from each round and try to learn something from those shots. That way I thinking about the I like rather than obsessing about the ones I am not as fond of. I figure if I can get to the point where I am consistently shooting as well as my favorite shot in the winners circle I'll be doing quite well.
Well I would disagree. It might be where you are posting. I have had the most success posting my car shots in the 'OtherCool Shots' forum. The Sports group seems the most cliquish to me
I am a car guy and like the artistic style you shoot in. Very simple yet complex.
Aaron Newman
Website:www.CapturingLightandEmotion.com
Facebook: Capturing Light and Emotion
Good idea! I like your thoughts and viewpoints...
This competition however has me perplexed, the judging system is flawed, although admittedly despite this flaw, fortunately the best 2 or 3 images in each round have made it through.
Firstly I don't understand why people enter images that are not related to the theme, or claim a link so tenuous it should be rejected.
Worse still, you would imagine such images would be rejected by the judges out of hand, but I'm not sure this is happening.
One might also detect a certain case of 'it's not what you know, but who you know' but that's just an unsubstantiated 'feeling' that's probably inevitable with the cliquey nature of these type of communities.
Anyway I'm feeling pretty chipper as I took these images on Monday evening and am really pleased with them.
Charlie
The judging here is no different from any other exhibit I've taken part in. From what I've seen, photography contests are very subjective. Your tastes may not necessarily be in line with that of the judges and that's something you cannot control. Of course, you can always find out what a judge's preferences are by visiting one of their web sites or going to one of their exhibits and then basing your selection on what you think may catch their eye.
As I've gone to and participated in various exhibits over the years, several things have always gone through my mind:
- I wind up agreeing with the judges on their choices for the most part.
- I wonder what the heck the judges were thinking when they made their choices.
- I wonder what the heck a photographer was thinking when he/she took a particular photo.
- I wonder what the heck a particular photo is even doing in an exhibit in the first place -- weren't they supposed to not include photos that obviously didn't meet certain criteria
.
Fortunately, I don't see the politics here like I've seen in local exhibits, which is a blessing.http://lrichters.smugmug.com
Even in photography, we never cease to learn and grow, for it is the nature of the human being which distinguishes us from our four legged friends.
I feel for the judges on this round, I hope SS has picked quality judges who have open minds and eyes to judge pictures, even though entries may not reflect their own personal style !!
Good Luck to All in the Semi-Finals!! With much anticipation, I look forward to viewing the entries.
Take Care
Donna
However, I did get through to the semifinal, which I am honored and humbled by, and as such, want to do my very best. Still, nothing I'm shooting seems to be "good enough". I wonder if anything I take will be. The pressure is definitely there and I guess that is what will separate the really great photographers. Here's what I've taken so far. http://greensquared.smugmug.com/gallery/2849439#152753093
Any comments would be greatly appreciated. I'm thinking I need to go in a totally different direction. They are beautiful to me as she is my daughter and I will definitely put some of them on my wall, but nothing LPS worthy I think.
Part of me just wants to quit, fearing failure. But also I know I need to keep trying. Keep shooting and do my best to try and enjoy the process. I also fell I owe it to all the great photographers who didn't get through this time around.
Emily
When I design a class, I always like to work from the end point (culminating event) backwards. In this case, the theme would give me context to evaluate. It might also provide you with clarity in regard to whether your images are worthy.
Jesse
Hey don't you dare think of quitting!! Do not fear failure....Hmm let me see if I remember correctly as per Mr. Franklin D. Roosevelt..a couple of quotes to dwell on.
So Emily, where and how do you wish to reach your port??
OH BTW I love your daughters photo #10 on the fence!!
Virginia
"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus
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