Discussion: The Great Holiday Photography Competition

Content
21

:slight_smile:

I had some before you but they’re not eligible, and fair enough, because I took them 3 years ago.

Someone complained even though it said in my post the photos weren’t eligible.

The mods. removed them, which I have no problem with, and so I’ve now put them and a few more in a more appropriate thread.

22

I like it, very clever kirschna :slight_smile: (bread - post 4)

The face didn’t hit me until I looked at the enlargement

23

[FONT=“Georgia”]Massive apologies to you guys for not posting an example submission sooner!

I’ll have to ask y’all to please follow that or a similar format when posting your own submissions from now on. It’s meant to help clear up any ambiguities when we’re ready for judging in January.

I made a big boo boo by not posting that right away but hopefully that doesn’t mar the rest of the competition.

Please accept my apologies.

[/FONT]

24

Need clarification to avoid confusion.

Can we submit more than one photo for each subject we enter?

I assume we can because it doesn’t say one way or the other in the rules in post 1.

Thanks :slight_smile:

25

[FONT=“Georgia”]Hey, Kalon.

Sorry just one submission per topic, so make it your best one!

hmm… I thought I typed that somewhere before, but thanks for pointing out that it wasn’t in the rules.

[/FONT]

26

yes you did say 1 submission somewhere but I couldn’t find your post this morning. but even if I had, I would have asked for the clarification anyway because I didn’t see it mentioned specifically in HAWK’s rules.

if someone just read’s HAWK’s rules and doesn’t see your other post or this one, there could be some confusion.

maybe we could ask HAWK to update his “rules” post so there is no misunderstanding resulting in some entrants inadvertantly submitting multiple entries for a given topic.

anyway, just my :twocents: and thanks for the clarification.

27

HAWK is a girl. :wink:

28

oooooops :headbang: sorry :blush:

29

[FONT=“Georgia”]Sweet photo, Tijmen.

Made me think of Walter Lewin.

[/FONT]

30

tactics, tactics, tactics…hmmmmm :scratch:

in that case, I suppose the really keen shutter bugs out there will probably wait until the “last minute” to submit their photos lest they risk being trumped by someone else who otherwise will then be able to see what they have to beat :scratch:

31

[FONT=“Georgia”]Not necessarily.

If I was entering this kind of contest I wouldn’t do that. I’d just go for the best image that it’s practical for me to make, and enter them as I make them.

Because if you wait until the last minute, even if you now know what someone else is doing, there’d be no time to do anything (properly) to trump it.

The real shutter bugs know that taking the time to make an image is more important than minding the competition.

The real tactic would be in managing such a large number of topics.

For me, I’d start grouping the topics into ones that I can do together.

So, for example, we have both “Bread” and “Holiday Food”. So I’d maybe try to plan them both at the same day. Maybe wait for some type of X-mas dinner, or fake one with Sunday lunch by dressing the food up.

First I’d dress up my table. Nice table cloths (solid colours rather than patterns so there’d be no distractions). Maybe some candles if needed to give some context to the photo (if I chose to go for a “holiday” theme).

I’d use a wash of egg on my loaf of bread to “glue” on some oats or grains then pop into the over to get a sheen. Cut some nice slices, then take some pretty photos on my pretty table.

Next I’d start arranging my other foods around it, using principles like the Rule of Thirds or arranging things in triangles. Photograph it all before I get too hungry, then there we have it, two images down and ready to submit.

The thing about taking your time to properly make an image is that even if your competition knows what you’ve done, they still won’t be able to match it. Because there’s no substitute in photography for taking your time.

The more time you spend on your image (meaning, more time prepping your subject, more time fussing with details after each snap) the better it looks. No substitute.

(Food is a bad example though, because with some foods you do have a time-limit before lettuce starts to wilt, or things look soggy. In general what I just said is true though.)

[/FONT]

32

[FONT=“Georgia”]Another example of merging;

I might have chosen to do both “Christmas Lights” and “Aerial View” on the same evening.

I’d take some friends for company and safety, then hike up a hill or ask to climb onto a neighbour’s roof. Aim the camera down the street and take my snaps under that beautiful evening light.

Then, while we’re walking home, it would be getting dark now so the Christmas lights of those neighbours who decorated would be coming on. Here’s me with camera in hand so I can take advantage. If it’s safe, I’d probably stand looking down the middle of the street and do some more photos from there. Or, maybe pick out some details, like a string of lights around a tree outdoors or something.

Two more topics done.

It’s about planning more than it is about technique.

And certainly the price of your camera doesn’t matter.

[/FONT]

33

ok each to their own regarding tactics I guess :slight_smile:

but I just don’t see any advantage to me in posting any photos now, say today for example, because then everyone else will then have until Jan 16 to come up with a better photo if they have one atm they intend to submit but feel it might not now be good enough after seeing other peoples’ submitted photos.

I’ll take and post some photos early in the new year. I doubt I’ll have much time before Christmas.

fyi: I would regard myself as a photography enthusiast, but certainly not a professional and so any professional or serious hobby photographers should be able to come up with something better than whatever I will submit.

34

I would be more inclined to submit photos early if we were allowed to submit more than 1 photo (up to some max.) per topic.

just my :twocents:

35

After reading the first topics I know the kind of “mood” I want to give them all, and I’m planning for shooting the pictures in one or two days… and maybe with part of the topics of the second group of topics… as far as the total must be submitted before the deadline I don’t see a problem here.

36

I haven’t seen any posts that said there is a problem :confused2:

37

Seeing what one has to beat does not necessarily give one the opportunity or ability to beat it. Furthermore, since the winners will be selected by the subjective judgement of the judges, you really won’t be able to tell what is likely to win at the time anyway. You might be thinking “Oh noes! I cannot beat that!” while we’re thinking “Not snow again!”

You can think about tactics all you want but while you do, think about how much you’re enjoying your photography and what is more important: Making a photo you like that means something to you or winning a prize. Are you in this to win, are you in this to work on your photography or to have fun? (Note: There are no wrong answers to this except the ones you don’t honestly feel.)

38

all you say is totally valid.

I was just thinking out loud, I guess, when I made my “tactics” post.

Personally, I am only in it for fun and I posted earlier that I will post some photos early in the NY.

But if I was a serious photographer actually trying to win a prize in this competition, sure I could and probably would plan to take photos throughout the competition period, but I just don’t see any advantage in posting photos early, especially when you are limited to 1 per topic. If we were allowed more than 1 per topic then I would be more inclined to post photos early.

But as I said, I was just thinking out loud about how I think a serious photographer trying to win might approach this competition.

I actually did post some photos on day 1, but as I was posting them I realised they were ineligible and they were rightfully removed by a moderator. I since posted them in a more appropriate thread (post 26).

39

Where is the link to submit the photos? I’m having alot of trouble finding it, since this page is so busy!

40

All submissions go into this thread.