Challenge Talk and Suggestions

[misupix]

This thread is for talk, suggestions and discussions about the NikonCafe Challenges.

To not disturb the running Challenges, please post any talk or questions about the "modus operandi" here.

Thanks! :smile:


BTW:
Please mind the Nikon Cafe Challenge Guidelines: here

 

[Removed User 2]

My posts have been deleted instead of been moved here? Why is it so? This is VERY insulting!

 

[Phil K]

Ned, your posts were not deleted. They're moved here.

 

[DM Rosner]

Participant voting question

All right, silly question of the day, perhaps, but I'll ask anyway...

I've enjoyed voting for participants of the last few contests. Now, for the first time, I'm participating, too.

What the Cafe standard practice is regarding participants voting? Do you generally refrain from voting if you're participating, or do you vote for other participants?

Thanks!

 

[Leigh]

I try to vote, regardless of whether I have participated or not. That being said, I have never voted for myself (I'm not even sure anyone else has either).

 

[DM Rosner]

Thanks, Leigh! I'll be sure to vote, then. :smile:

 

[DM Rosner]

CHALLENGE RULES:


2. The picture has to be taken between the submission start and end date.

Not to be difficult, but...

According to the Cafe, the point of the challenge is to make it an actual challenge and not a typical best picture contest, so it seems like this rule should be observed for the sake of fairness. Otherwise, I'd have submitted a great silhouette I shot about 15 years ago.

I hope that's not out of line, and I certainly don't mean to put down anyone's beautiful photos--but if there are rules for the challenge, it seems they should be followed.

:smile:

 

[Ottrott's Human]

Not to be difficult, but...

According to the Cafe, the point of the challenge is to make it an actual challenge and not a typical best picture contest, so it seems like this rule should be observed for the sake of fairness. Otherwise, I'd have submitted a great silhouette I shot about 15 years ago.

I hope that's not out of line, and I certainly don't mean to put down anyone's beautiful photos--but if there are rules for the challenge, it seems they should be followed.

:smile:

Dawn,
Your bring up a good point that I actually PM'd Mitchell about this morning. I don't think folks are intentionally posting shots taken outside of the time frame for the competition, but since I started entering this contest I have noticed many shots with either no exif data or exif data showing they were taken outside the allowed window. There was even a winner recently that had no exif data.

Since apparently a lot of folks are unaware of this rule it seems logical to me that every entry should be required to have exif data attached and that the challenge host should check each photo for compliance.

Just my 2c, but let's keep this thing fair so that folks who *are* abiding by the rules will continue to participate.

 

[DM Rosner]

Sorry, Shaun!! I didn't mean to make anyone feel bad or anything! :frown:

It's not like it's an easily enforced rule, and it seems someone else just called the photo that prompted the post anyway (not yours, BTW). I just felt it worth mentioning, because if people want to make it a challenge, it should remain a challenge. If that rule isn't observed, there's little point in having it.

Personally, I like the idea of trying to come up with a suitable photo in a limited time. Stretches the mind and imagination. I tried like heck to come up with something for Shock and Awe, but just couldn't do it--and my favorite was Chalk & Awl, which the photographer probably never would have shot without the contest prompt.

So... I just felt it was something worthy of discussion. Didn't mean to hurt any feelings along the way, honest!

 

[Ottrott's Human]

A quick check of the 21 entries currently posted:

8 have exif and show they were taken within the time frame

9 have no exif data available and no way to verify when they were taken.

4 have exif that shows them taken outside of the allowed time frame.

 

[DM Rosner]

Since apparently a lot of folks are unaware of this rule it seems logical to me that every entry should be required to have exif data attached and that the challenge host should check each photo for compliance.

I don't know that this is something easily enforced. To be honest, I have no idea if my camera's date is set correctly (hmmm... suppose I should go look now), so I don't know how helpful exif data would be for enforcement.

I agree that people are probably not intentionally disregarding the rule, so it might be enough to remind participants that the rule exists, and trust that they will observe it.

 

[Ottrott's Human]

Sorry all I didn't mean to be a poo poo. I am new here and don't want to rock the boat.


epressed

It's a valid concern and needs to be addressed. There's no point in having a competition of this particular nature and then allowing photo's that were taken outside the time frame.

This competition is supposed to get folks out taking photo's.....not get them scouring their hard drives for old photo's

 

[DM Rosner]

Yeah! My camera's date is actually set correctly!

Whew.

That's a load off of my mind. Now, does my photo have exif data? I have no idea. If it doesn't, how does one ensure that's included when you save/upload it?

If the exif data becomes a requirement for submission, there will need to be a section included with the contest rules reminding people to check their camera dates, and telling them how to be sure the exif data is included with their entry.

That's beginning to sound more and more complicated (maybe I'm wrong), and that might turn away people who would otherwise particpate. I wouldn't want that to happen, so again, I'm okay with the honor system, provided everyone is reminded to be sure they are following the rules.

Of course, it's not my contest, so really the whole thing is up to the Powers-that-Be.

 

[Ottrott's Human]

I don't know that this is something easily enforced. To be honest, I have no idea if my camera's date is set correctly (hmmm... suppose I should go look now), so I don't know how helpful exif data would be for enforcement.

I agree that people are probably not intentionally disregarding the rule, so it might be enough to remind participants that the rule exists, and trust that they will observe it.

It's hard for me to imagine any serious photographer not having their camera's date set correctly. That's kind of critical for cataloging shots.

It's easy...... if you want to enter the competition.....set your camera's date to the current date and time and don't strip exif when you save the file to be entered.

Seems like a no brainer to anyone who reads the rules for the competition.....which is probably a good idea if you are going to enter.

Okay.....that's enough of a mild rant for one day.:smile:

 

[Ottrott's Human]

Now, does my photo have exif data? I have no idea. If it doesn't, how does one ensure that's included when you save/upload it?

I believe it is as simple as choosing to "Save As" versus "Save For Web". I know my shots that I "Save As" Always contain full exif.

 

[tommhans]

oo
so when u save for web u dont save the exif data?:O
i didnt know
abit late now isn't it? or can i upload again?
if its that important

 

[Ottrott's Human]

oo
so when u save for web u dont save the exif data?:O
i didnt know
abit late now isn't it? or can i upload again?
if its that important

Just go back to the master photo and resize etc.....and then choose Save As rather than Save For Web. Then you can just repost it.

Workflow should always include saving a fully edited, full size version of all photo's you PP and then a smaller saved for web sized photo if you plan on posting it.

My "stacks" consist of:
1. Master (right out of camera)
2. Full size, fully edited final version
3. Alternate PP versions at full size such as B&W or various crops
4. Sized and sharpened for web photo.

So for each shot that I keep I will have a minimal of two saved after PP (master and full size final edit), but typically more like 4 or 5 depending on how many different PP methods I do and save.

As far as how important it is.....I guess it should be left up to Mitchell as to whether or not he wants to eliminate shots posted that contain no exif, but my vote would be that going forward it become a hard and fast rule that exif data be included.

 

[alexf]

I agree that there should be contest rules and they should be followed. That's an important part of any contest.

If a photo does not have any EXIF it is the same as out of date, it should be dissallowed IMO.

 

[DM Rosner]

Sorry for misunderstanding you, Bryan.

Back to the exif data, I still don't see a real point to getting that involved in verifying. If someone wanted to, they could easily alter their info, so how important is it, really, to verify it? Here's a site showing info on a program that lets you do it:

http://www.colorpilot.com/exif.html

Since the main point is that people are unintentionally submitting photos that don't qualify, it seems the easier solution is to simply make them aware of it.

I didn't mean to stir up a hornet's nest here, I just wanted to point out that the rules should be followed. Reminding people still seems the best solution.

I'd be interested to hear the moderators' opinions of this issue.

 

[IrishBryan]

Your exif data doesn't have time and date shot though.

You need to hover your mouse over the image and on the upper right hand side an explaniation point will appear on the upper right hand side simply click on it.

But I agree with DM I don't think we need to get into the whole verifing deal. Simply make people aware that they need to submitt a photo that was taken between the time the contest started and ended. And trust that they will comply, and if they don't I doubt the photo police will come after them.

:smile: