[Barbara G.]

ShutterTalk Photography Contest - Need 3-5 Willing Members to Judge Photos

Would you like to help judge photo entries for ShutterTalk's upcoming Monthly Photography Contests? Do you like to critique photographic images and offer assistance as well as valuable insights?

We are planning on doing a monthly contest on site with various themes for entry in our photo contests. If you would like to help judge or critique the entries, please send me a private message with the following info:

Any experience judging/critiquing photos you have

How long you have been practicing photography

Ideas you would like to see for themes used

Info on what you feel is most important on judging entries

Whether you think you will be available on a monthly basis or on only a small number of contests

We are excited to offer the monthly contests! If you know others who are interested in joining as a member and participating, please let them know!

Thank you so much!

[Wight snapper]

ShutterTalk Photography Contest - Need 3-5 Willing Members to Judge Photos

Would you like to help judge photo entries for ShutterTalk's upcoming Monthly Photography Contests? Do you like to critique photographic images and offer assistance as well as valuable insights?

We are planning on doing a monthly contest on site with various themes for entry in our photo contests. If you would like to help judge or critique the entries, please send me a private message with the following info:

Any experience judging/critiquing photos you have

How long you have been practicing photography

Ideas you would like to see for themes used

Info on what you feel is most important on judging entries

Whether you think you will be available on a monthly basis or on only a small number of contests

We are excited to offer the monthly contests! If you know others who are interested in joining as a member and participating, please let them know!

Thank you so much!

I am willing to put myself forward for consideration as a Judge on a monthly basis.
I have been a semi-pro and amateur photographer for over forty years and an active Camera Club member here in the UK. My work has gained me licentiateship of The Royal Photographic Society.
As Chairman of my local club, I have been personally running five week training courses for mature students at regular intervals consisting of evening lectures followed by Saturday morning camera rambles to practise techniques learned. Students all send me three images each week which I critique and return. So I can demonstrate long experience in this area. I have also undergone RPS Judge training at Club level. I love Land and seascapes, macro and reportage with a weakness for B&W images. Unlike many older photographers, I see real merit in HDR imaging if tastefully crafted. Here if you want me !

[Barbara G.]

Wight snapper - awesome! Welcome to the forums! Thank you so much for offering your help!

What themes or categories do you suggest? Any other thoughts or suggestions?

Would love to hear more!

[Wight snapper]

Hi Barbara. Most of us have terabytes of files that we have already taken over the years, a number of which have been groomed for stardom in the competition world and buffed up in Photoshop. Set the standard all embracing categories . . . say Landscapes or Seascapes ( I live on an island !) . . . and we will shuffle them, sort out a couple and put them in. The more worldwide your group, the more diverse and interesting will be the results. In her changing moods and wearing a different sky each day, she is a constant source of inspiration, healthy exercise and source of fine images.
I also love to get up close and personal with her using my Sigma 105 mm 2.8 Macro Lens. A whole different, out of focus backed world literally at your feet and often overlooked.
That said, the "Set Subject" alternative is more of a challenge to us all and helps us , having first indulged ourselves in a little pre-conceptualising as to how to tackle it, to get off our butts and create something new and hopefully exciting. So what have you in mind ? Conventional "off the shelf" stuff or something more challenging . . . or both ?

[Wall-E]

ShutterTalk Photography Contest - Need 3-5 Willing Members to Judge Photos

Would you like to help judge photo entries for ShutterTalk's upcoming Monthly Photography Contests? Do you like to critique photographic images and offer assistance as well as valuable insights?

We are planning on doing a monthly contest on site with various themes for entry in our photo contests. If you would like to help judge or critique the entries, please send me a private message with the following info:

Any experience judging/critiquing photos you have

How long you have been practicing photography

Ideas you would like to see for themes used

Info on what you feel is most important on judging entries

Whether you think you will be available on a monthly basis or on only a small number of contests

We are excited to offer the monthly contests! If you know others who are interested in joining as a member and participating, please let them know!

Thank you so much!

Barbara;

It is my opinion that the images submitted for the contests, should be taken no more than 30 days prior to the announcement of the contest, and not have won ANY awards or merits ANYWHERE. Otherwise, it's just going to become another venue for the seasoned photographers among us to flout their excellence. It should be about bringing along the less experienced. The images submitted should be taken by the member submitting the image, and all PP done by that same person. Exif data should be attached to the image and not manipulated/changed. And, as Nikon now requires, no scanned prints/negatives/slides, as this forum IS about digital photography

[Barbara G.]

Thank you for your responses. I think each of you have provided some nice ideas. Over the course of the year, it would be nice to do a variety of contests - with different themes, some can be more challenging than others. I agree that the photos should have been taken in the last 30 days or so (generally speaking) depending on the theme.

As members of the forum - all of your ideas are appreciated and respected. I do think that photos entered should be taken by the individual who is entering and it should be original. I really had not thought of the idea of the photo should not have been entered in another contest - this is something which will be considered.

Also, great point on the scanned prints, negatives, and slides. Also having the member attach the photo info is of great importance.

I feel some of the contests should include images taken without post processing (except maybe cropping). Some contests can include the post processing.

What do you think? Any other ideas and suggestions? The forum is about all of us being involved and giving their ideas - so please post your thoughts! :0)

[NorfolkMike]

I agree with Barbara with the exception of 30 days prior to the competition, I feel they should be taken FOR the competition and therefore any taken prior to the competition date should be excluded.

[Barbara G.]

Any other suggestions or comments? We would like to start our first contest here soon.

Any others interested in providing critique to pick the contest winner? Thanks for letting me know!

[Phil J]

Thank you for your responses. I think each of you have provided some nice ideas. Over the course of the year, it would be nice to do a variety of contests - with different themes, some can be more challenging than others. I agree that the photos should have been taken in the last 30 days or so (generally speaking) depending on the theme.

As members of the forum - all of your ideas are appreciated and respected. I do think that photos entered should be taken by the individual who is entering and it should be original. I really had not thought of the idea of the photo should not have been entered in another contest - this is something which will be considered.

Also, great point on the scanned prints, negatives, and slides. Also having the member attach the photo info is of great importance.

I feel some of the contests should include images taken without post processing (except maybe cropping). Some contests can include the post processing.

What do you think? Any other ideas and suggestions? The forum is about all of us being involved and giving their ideas - so please post your thoughts! :0)

Hi Barbara,

Just a thought, would it be useful to have various categories of entrant? Say, those with less than five years experience and other various time frames of experience. This may be further subdivided into amateur, pro, semi-pro or maybe even those with formal qualifications in photography.

As I said, it's just a thought.

Regards.

Phil.

[Barbara G.]

Thanks Phil - we could rotate the experience level over the course of the year. This is a great thought - thanks for sharing with us!

[Phil J]

Barbara,

You're very welcome.

Regards.

Phil.

[Phil J]

I agree with Barbara with the exception of 30 days prior to the competition, I feel they should be taken FOR the competition and therefore any taken prior to the competition date should be excluded.

Hi Mike,

Is it 'really' necessary to stipulate a time frame when the entries should be taken? I mean, a blisteringly good photograph is still of the same standard be it taken this morning, yesterday or fifty years ago. The same applies if the photograph was absolutely dreadful.

Just my tanners worth.

Phil.

[Wall-E]

I agree with Barbara with the exception of 30 days prior to the competition, I feel they should be taken FOR the competition and therefore any taken prior to the competition date should be excluded.

Hi Mike,

Is it 'really' necessary to stipulate a time frame when the entries should be taken? I mean, a blisteringly good photograph is still of the same standard be it taken this morning, yesterday or fifty years ago. The same applies if the photograph was absolutely dreadful.

Just my tanners worth.

Phil.

Phil;

In a word, YES!

Allowing submission of images that are either not digital to begin with, or that are not within the timeframe, defeats the purpose, which is to showcase digital PHOTOGRAPHY, and to allow those with a limited portfolio at least a chance.

And another part of it is to set a challenge to capture and process an image to a theme/specification for the purpose of advancing the member's KSA's (knowledge, skills and abilities). Allowing older images doesn't help with that.

The one thing the organizers will have to watch out for, is seasonal differences across the world. Right now, it's fall in the northern hemisphere, and spring in the southern.

[john.mcintosh]

I agree with Barbara with the exception of 30 days prior to the competition, I feel they should be taken FOR the competition and therefore any taken prior to the competition date should be excluded.

Hi Mike,

Is it 'really' necessary to stipulate a time frame when the entries should be taken? I mean, a blisteringly good photograph is still of the same standard be it taken this morning, yesterday or fifty years ago. The same applies if the photograph was absolutely dreadful.

Just my tanners worth.
Phil.

Hi Guys
Im new in here and to DSLR camera chat. I think the only important date is the closing date.
John

[Durango1941]

I can see the point of those who feel the image should be taken for the contest. No argument here that a good picture is a good picture regardless. Perhaps they could have their own wide open category (no specified subject matter). An open contest.
At the very least, a prior winning shot should not be eligible for more than one win or honorable mention.
I won't be going outside till Spring anyway, too cold here in Kingston,Ontario.

Durango

[Wall-E]

I can see the point of those who feel the image should be taken for the contest. No argument here that a good picture is a good picture regardless. Perhaps they could have their own wide open category (no specified subject matter). An open contest.

Durango

Durango;

What you describe already exists. It's called Photo Showcase.

And it's not a contest if there are no rules.

[Durango1941]

I can see the point of those who feel the image should be taken for the contest. No argument here that a good picture is a good picture regardless. Perhaps they could have their own wide open category (no specified subject matter). An open contest.

Durango

Durango;

What you describe already exists. It's called Photo Showcase.

And it's not a contest if there are no rules.

[Durango1941]

In that case I agree with those who indicated that a photo should be entered that was taken for the contest.

[out of the box]

Hi
As a new member, with six years experience of club photography and I have been teaching photography for two summer seasons in London. I have also had images accepted for international exhibitions.
Might I suggest rather specific subjects for the competions, subjects out of the box so photographers have to think about what they produce for the competion, rather than trawl through their hard drives.
suggestions Handles, candles, pencils, proverbs, on a swing, in a box, only clouds, sand art, a pond, smoke images.
I admit this is a limited genre but it's also images that photographers wouldn't have in hard drives and may have to experiment with subjects that they haven't shoot before.
The comp. subject is announced, entry's start the following month during judging takes place, and prizes announced at the end of the judging month.
Just a few suggestions, if you require a judge then I will stand in if required.

[Barbara G.]

Hello and thank you for your suggestions. We will be adding more contests each month. Some will be more specific than others, and please feel free to continue with any suggestions you may have in the future.

Thank you for offering your help to judge photos as well. Last but not least, welcome to the forums!