I'm not saying I never enter contests but I do feel when I enter an image in a contest, I have to abide by the rules so I feel a little less artistic. When I make a photograph just for a contest, I feel less like an artist and more like a competitor.
I guess it all depends on your attitude toward winning. Personally I don't enter to win. I enter to get a kind of critical feedback on my work I don't get any other way. A contest is a great way to try something new and find out how well it worked. I find I take more risks when shooting for contests because the price of failure is zero.
It really does not matter what someone else uses to create their image. What does matter is how I create mine. There have been times where photoshop was used and the outcome was less then what was expected and others where straight out of the camera the same thing happened. I learned from both.
As for the last round, I was sure that the image that I voted for was the clear winner, I even told the person so. When I first saw it I told my wife that it was. My kids picked it. It did not win. So in looking at that instance what really matters is what the judges think, not what we think.
If a judge has a preference for a contest without manipulation, no matter how good your skills are in PP you won't get there vote and if you have a judge who loves Photoshop and your skills are good, you will get there vote. The nice thing about that though is you only need enough votes to get into the top ten, then it's up to the voters. One point was all that decided the outcome of SF3. One point another way and it's a whole other ball game.
But all in all it really does not matter in the grand scheme of things. I'm just thankful for the opportunity to play.........and win
This discussion started with the claim that some kinds of digtial manipulation cause an image to cease being a photograph.
I kinda agree with that, but probably to a lesser extent than most here. If you take a photo and then apply a creative filter to make it look like a chalk drawing then it would cease to look like a photo.
I do think that it takes a lot more talent to capture the light with the camera than it does to paint it in later in post processing. If you look at the number of people who rely heavily on post processing to produce an image, verses those who do not, then I think the percentages would agree with me...
There are also even stronger claims in this thread that amount to saying that if you use Photoshop in certain ways you are no longer a photographer no matter what you do with the camera.
I don't agree. IMHO what makes someone a photographer is their skill with the camera, and their understanding of how the quality of the light is going to influence what they capture with it. What someone does during post shouldn't make a difference. Like I've said before: Ansel Adams was a photographer -he understood all of the things that needed to come together before he pressed the shutter release. Did he do a lot of post processing? Sure. Would his images have looked good without it? Yes...
The adgenda behind the discussion appears to be that certain kinds of images should not be allowed in a competition with "Photographer" in the title; that is really the issue I am trying to address.
Due to the lax rules this has never been a photographic competition. A few of us were joking at the beginning that the title should be "The Last Graphic Artist Sitting at a Computer"
...what really matters is what the judges think, not what we think.
If a judge has a preference for a contest without manipulation, no matter how good your skills are in PP you won't get there vote and if you have a judge who loves Photoshop and your skills are good, you will get there vote.
Joe
Very well said Joe! It really does boil down to submitting an image that the judges are going to like -and that's why I don't enter every cycle. If I have something that I think fits the theme then I'll post. If I don't then I don't -I continue to shoot the images that I like to take. Developing as a photographer is infinitely more important to me than any contest. Yes, there are things to be learned here so I watch every cycle. But as someone said before taking a photo just for a contest takes something away from it -sometimes the passion just isn't there. I've seen a lot of really talented shooters submit images that were "low quality" for their level of expertize and I think it was because they were shooting for the contest instead of taking a photo that they really had an interest in...
One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the simple fact that we can all discuss a subject that we are passionate about and yet do it like adults
If I have something that I think fits the theme then I'll post. If I don't then I don't -I continue to shoot the images that I like to take. Developing as a photographer is infinitely more important to me than any contest. Yes, there are things to be learned here so I watch every cycle. But as someone said before taking a photo just for a contest takes something away from it -sometimes the passion just isn't there.
I can understand that. I just enjoy the challenge of taking the theme and challenging myself to come up with outside the box ideas. I mean let's face it, how many landscape pictures or portraits (while very nice) are going to be worth $1500.00 let alone $7500.00.
I've seen a lot of really talented shooters submit images that were "low quality" for their level of expertize and I think it was because they were shooting for the contest instead of taking a photo that they really had an interest in...
Or maybe they were just shooting outside of their comfort level? Sometimes we get caught in a rut and challenging ourselves to do something different gets the juices flowing. ANd if you love what you shoot it will come across in the image. Just like yours do. If not, well..............
Comments
I guess it all depends on your attitude toward winning. Personally I don't enter to win. I enter to get a kind of critical feedback on my work I don't get any other way. A contest is a great way to try something new and find out how well it worked. I find I take more risks when shooting for contests because the price of failure is zero.
It really does not matter what someone else uses to create their image. What does matter is how I create mine. There have been times where photoshop was used and the outcome was less then what was expected and others where straight out of the camera the same thing happened. I learned from both.
As for the last round, I was sure that the image that I voted for was the clear winner, I even told the person so. When I first saw it I told my wife that it was. My kids picked it. It did not win. So in looking at that instance what really matters is what the judges think, not what we think.
If a judge has a preference for a contest without manipulation, no matter how good your skills are in PP you won't get there vote and if you have a judge who loves Photoshop and your skills are good, you will get there vote. The nice thing about that though is you only need enough votes to get into the top ten, then it's up to the voters. One point was all that decided the outcome of SF3. One point another way and it's a whole other ball game.
But all in all it really does not matter in the grand scheme of things. I'm just thankful for the opportunity to play.........and win
Happy Thanksgiving To All!
Joe
I kinda agree with that, but probably to a lesser extent than most here. If you take a photo and then apply a creative filter to make it look like a chalk drawing then it would cease to look like a photo.
I do think that it takes a lot more talent to capture the light with the camera than it does to paint it in later in post processing. If you look at the number of people who rely heavily on post processing to produce an image, verses those who do not, then I think the percentages would agree with me...
I don't agree. IMHO what makes someone a photographer is their skill with the camera, and their understanding of how the quality of the light is going to influence what they capture with it. What someone does during post shouldn't make a difference. Like I've said before: Ansel Adams was a photographer -he understood all of the things that needed to come together before he pressed the shutter release. Did he do a lot of post processing? Sure. Would his images have looked good without it? Yes...
Due to the lax rules this has never been a photographic competition. A few of us were joking at the beginning that the title should be "The Last Graphic Artist Sitting at a Computer"
Looking for tips on macro photography? Check out my Blog: No Cropping Zone.
Very well said Joe! It really does boil down to submitting an image that the judges are going to like -and that's why I don't enter every cycle. If I have something that I think fits the theme then I'll post. If I don't then I don't -I continue to shoot the images that I like to take. Developing as a photographer is infinitely more important to me than any contest. Yes, there are things to be learned here so I watch every cycle. But as someone said before taking a photo just for a contest takes something away from it -sometimes the passion just isn't there. I've seen a lot of really talented shooters submit images that were "low quality" for their level of expertize and I think it was because they were shooting for the contest instead of taking a photo that they really had an interest in...
One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the simple fact that we can all discuss a subject that we are passionate about and yet do it like adults
Looking for tips on macro photography? Check out my Blog: No Cropping Zone.
And how do you know WHAT they will like? That question is what has inspired me for my final image in this contest.
I can understand that. I just enjoy the challenge of taking the theme and challenging myself to come up with outside the box ideas. I mean let's face it, how many landscape pictures or portraits (while very nice) are going to be worth $1500.00 let alone $7500.00.
Or maybe they were just shooting outside of their comfort level? Sometimes we get caught in a rut and challenging ourselves to do something different gets the juices flowing. ANd if you love what you shoot it will come across in the image. Just like yours do. If not, well..............
Agreed
Joe
I don't -and maybe that explains my standing in the contest
Looking for tips on macro photography? Check out my Blog: No Cropping Zone.