Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

[MJ224]

Re: March Monthly Challenge: Bridges (time restricted)

Are we all OK with this change of rules? Personally, as someone who works full time, I have to take my photography when I can get it rather than having the luxury of shooting when I want. This new rule will probably mean I submit entries infrequently, or not at all.

This months competition was designated as a time restricted theme several months ago. Thus I felt we ought to keep to that decision. If you read back on this thread, there was a lot of discussion about time restricted events. It was kinda decided that we should include several of these restricted themes.

After the relatively poor turn out for the Christmas theme, I did ask whether the turn out was due to the restriction. I did not get any negative opinions about it.

But we are in this for fun, and to suit the majority, so lets have opinions again if you wish. If most prefer not to have time restrictions then the answer is simple. Personally almost all my entries are taken fresh for the comp, but then I am retired and gives me something to do...

To keep this thread for the competition, I suggest we air opinions in the original thread...http://e-group.uk.net/forum/showthread.php?t=44816

Mark j

[MJ224]

Re: Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

This months competition was designated as a time restricted theme several months ago. Thus I felt we ought to keep to that decision. If you read back on this thread, there was a lot of discussion about time restricted events. It was kinda decided that we should include several of these restricted themes.

After the relatively poor turn out for the Christmas theme, I did ask whether the turn out was due to the restriction. I did not get any negative opinions about it.

But we are in this for fun, and to suit the majority, so lets have opinions again if you wish. If most prefer not to have time restrictions then the answer is simple. Personally almost all my entries are taken fresh for the comp, but then I am retired and gives me something to do...

Mark j...

[MJ224]

Re: Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

After due consideration, and consultation, the following themes for the next six months have been allocated................

April..........Seasonal Colours
May...........Humanity in Action
June..........Reflections
July...........Night lights
August.......Drama
September.Landscape

None will be time restricted at this moment, due to discussions going on.

Good hunting............

Mark j

[wornish]

Re: Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

I said in earlier posts on this thread that a competition with no time constraints for when the shot was taken favours people who have a very large archive of photos going back many years vs a recent Oly convert with very few photos. Like the first post in this months competition where the shot was taken in 2008.

Like Mark I always try and take my shot during the month I also am retired and it gives me something to do.

I will go with the majority decision on this being democratic, no third referendum though

[chris]

Re: Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

I've only ever entered one of these so far, so my opinion may not stand for much..

I like the idea of time limited, as in one way it puts everyone on an even footing, someone new to the hobby won't be at a disadvantage to an old hand with a huge catalogue of work to pick from. On the other hand, like Paul, I work full time and cant always get out. Perhaps a compromise of taken within 3 or 6 months might work?


and as an aside, how do you go about making the exif available?

[wornish]

Re: Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

I've only ever entered one of these so far, so my opinion may not stand for much..

I like the idea of time limited, as in one way it puts everyone on an even footing, someone new to the hobby won't be at a disadvantage to an old hand with a huge catalogue of work to pick from. On the other hand, like Paul, I work full time and cant always get out. Perhaps a compromise of taken within 3 or 6 months might work?


and as an aside, how do you go about making the exif available?

If its loaded into your gallery here or even on another hosting site like Flickr then the basic EXIF is automatically included. On the gallery here if you click on your photo there is a section called Photo Details. If you then click on the little camera icon it will display all the EXIF info.

[MJ224]

Re: Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

I've only ever entered one of these so far, so my opinion may not stand for much..

I like the idea of time limited, as in one way it puts everyone on an even footing, someone new to the hobby won't be at a disadvantage to an old hand with a huge catalogue of work to pick from. On the other hand, like Paul, I work full time and cant always get out. Perhaps a compromise of taken within 3 or 6 months might work?


and as an aside, how do you go about making the exif available?

Thanks for the reply Chris, your opinion is valued as any others are.

I go along with your views, and maybe a wider time limit is the answer. Thus we publish themes for several months ahead, and that maybe the time limit. ie you might see that September is a landscape, and you have between now and then to go get it.

Those amongst us who travel a lot might have a slight advantage in that they can photo scenes we would not normally see. But heck, a good photo is a good photo, and in the end WE vote on it with our fingers/keyboard()

Do want to keep it simple, as I do some checks on photos for camera and times, I DO NOT want a full time job here, so there is some trust taken.

My point here is a wider time limit wanted/needed, or do we just get rid of of it...................

Views please

[MJ224]

Re: Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

Any more views please...

[cliff]

Re: Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

This months competition was designated as a time restricted theme several months ago. Thus I felt we ought to keep to that decision. If you read back on this thread, there was a lot of discussion about time restricted events. It was kinda decided that we should include several of these restricted themes.

After the relatively poor turn out for the Christmas theme, I did ask whether the turn out was due to the restriction. I did not get any negative opinions about it.

But we are in this for fun, and to suit the majority, so lets have opinions again if you wish. If most prefer not to have time restrictions then the answer is simple. Personally almost all my entries are taken fresh for the comp, but then I am retired and gives me something to do...

Mark j...

Just a thought, how about for time restricted themes we run two categories on the same theme (run two parallel threads that month) one not time restricted allow members to enter and vote in both one or none?

If you like this idea please click the like button.

If you hate it please click the thanks button.

Cliff

[Bikie John]

Re: Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

We had lots of discussions about what sort of challenge we wanted quite a while ago. Our earlier round of challenges required that the photo always be taken during the month of the challenge. We re-launched the challenge in its current format because support for the old form was dwindling away to almost zero.

Among all the discussions, two seemingly contradictory views were expressed. Some felt, as Paul said earlier, that it was too limiting and there isn't always time to do justice to a theme within the timescale. After all, real life has an annoying habit of getting in the way. Others said that they enjoyed the challenge of shooting to the brief and within the timeframe - that having to go out and make a photo for the challenge was part of the enjoyment, rather than just raiding the archives for something that fit the bill.

I can't see any way to reconcile these two views in a single challenge. After more to-ing and fro-ing we agreed to have most of the challenges without any time restriction, but occasionally to have one with a time limit.

It strikes me that we have reached a pretty reasonable compromise as a result of discussion. Which is a rare achievement!

John

[MJ224]

Re: Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

Thanks John,

In the last six months, including March, we have had two time restricted themes. The Christmas theme had a low turnout, and this months theme seems to have caused a little stir of unrest. So I am coming to the conclusion that we don't bother with any further time restricted themes.

But I reckon we should stick to what was agreed several months ago about this months Bridges being restricted. Just cos I don't want to keep changing the rules at a moan or two from competitors.

Just lets get on with it, in any event the most "Liked" photo wins, whatever date it was taken. I guess voters can make that decision themselves.

All I want is for the Challenge to be as inclusive as possible, so everyone can take part. Building up a portfolio is part of what we do. As I have said before, personally I try and take a fresh photo every month anyway.

Mark j

[pdk42]

Re: Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

I guess I'm dithering somewhat in my view on time restricted comps. I said some time back that they were OK and then yesterday I complained that it would be too restrictive. So, apologies for coming over all Theresa May-like!

Time-restricted entries do challenge us to go out and shoot - which is a good thing. OTOH, sometimes time can work against us and it might mean we don't get a chance to enter. I think that if we were a more active forum then time-restricted entries would be the way to go. However, we clearly struggle to get a good number of entries so casting the net wider is probably the best thing.

The current compromise of some months being restricted but the rest not is OK I think as a means of testing the waters. The Christmas entry list may have been short, but then again it's a time of year when many have lots of other things on our plates so it could be that. I'd be tempted to see how this March's comp goes in terms of entries before making any changes.

[OM USer]

Re: Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

Just a thought, how about for time restricted themes we run two categories on the same theme (run two parallel threads that month) one not time restricted allow members to enter and vote in both one or none?

Sorry Cliff, the idea may have merit but it just sounds too complicated to administer.

[OM USer]

Re: Monthly Photo Challenge - Forthcoming Themes

Any more views please...

I believe that time restricted photos were introduced to try and encourage members to get out and take photographs and I still think this is a good idea. In practice it seems that having a time restriction AND a theme (e.g "bridges") can impose undue constraints on some people who due to pressures of work or other commitments are not able to take part in that months competition. To loosen the constraints a little and still encourage photo taking perhaps a time limited photo should be exactly that - any subject but taken that month?