Challenges!

[lordsux]

I'm a member of a couple of photography forums and find the weekly/monthly challenges they hold very enjoyable. Would it be a good idea to start similar challenges here on this forum?

This is the sort of thing I mean

Here are some 'tweaked' challenge rules from the aforementioned forum.

Rules for Challenges

Challenges will be posted each week by the winner of the previous challenge. If the winner doesn't post the next week's challenge and can't be contacted by Weds. 1200GMT, the second place winner is free to start the next challenge with a topic of their choice.

All challenges will end at 1200GMT on Monday of the following week the challenge was posted.

Challenges are limited to photos taken within Thailand or are clearly Thailand related. You may post up to 3 photos in each challenge. Photos must have been shot within the last 3 months.

Post processing is OK, but it will be up to the judge if it works or not.

Keep your images to 600-800 pixels on their longest side, otherwise it makes the site look like crap.

Please include some EXIF data including: speed, aperture, ISO, and any PP you've done.

Please save comments until the close of the challenge and a winner is announced.

I think a voting system would be the best way to find the winning image/photographer.

Any interest here to set this up? Input, ideas and suggestions welcome.

[astral]

It sounds like a good idea, but who will be qualified to act as judge???

[aeon]

cool I am in

[Jimmyd]

No use beating around the bush: Here's the first challenge (I have chosen this one as it came to mind and I have no pictures (that I can think of) that fit this category:

Challenge #1: Pretty woman at least 50 years old.

Entries due by Feb 9, 2009.

Edited February 1, 2009 by Jimmyd

[lordsux]

Good to see some enthusiasm for this idea. Maybe with this first challenge we can test the water and see how things go, tweak the rules if need be an so on.

Astral, I have also thought a bit about the judging. On one of the other forums it is the previous weeks winner that gets to choose the current challenge winner, as well as setting the new challenge.

Personally I prefer another method which allows all forum members to vote for the winner. Maybe on the closing date of the weeks challenge, the person who initiated the challenge sets up a poll on the thread so that everyone could vote for their favorite photo. I would imagine that by dropping a link in the 'General Forum' asking people to come vote would give this sub-forum plenty of exposure and extra activity.

Nice one Jimmyd for getting the ball rolling with Challenge #1: Pretty woman at least 50 years old.

Entries due by Feb 9, 2009.

Remember that this is purely for fun, it doesn't matter if you are a begginer or pro, have the latest DSLR or a throwaway one time camera, anyone can join in. Input, ideas and suggestions are welcome as always.

[astral]

Nice one Jimmyd for getting the ball rolling with Challenge #1: Pretty woman at least 50 years old.

Entries due by Feb 9, 2009.

Remember that this is purely for fun, it doesn't matter if you are a begginer or pro, have the latest DSLR or a throwaway one time camera,

anyone can join in. Input, ideas and suggestions are welcome as always.

OK go for it.

Astral, I have also thought a bit about the judging. On one of the other forums it is the previous weeks winner that gets to choose the current challenge winner, as well as setting the new challenge.

Personally I prefer another method which allows all forum members to vote for the winner. Maybe on the closing date of the weeks challenge, the person who initiated the challenge sets up a poll on the thread so that everyone could vote for their favorite photo. I would imagine that by dropping a link in the 'General Forum' asking people to come vote would give this sub-forum plenty of exposure and extra activity.

Lets try the members poll.

The challenge initiator must set it up.

A short post in the General section with a link is an excellent idea.

I am sure that some members may think this section is for Photo nerds,

and perhaps we can encourage them to join in.

[Old Croc]

No use beating around the bush: Here's the first challenge (I have chosen this one as it came to mind and I have no pictures (that I can think of) that fit this category:

Challenge #1: Pretty woman at least 50 years old.

Entries due by Feb 9, 2009.

Can I suggest a rule?

Anyone who posts this picture is banned for life.

[astral]

I have pinned the rules at the top of the forum.

Let me know if I have missed anything.

[Kan Win]

I have pinned the rules at the top of the forum.

Let me know if I have missed anything.

Hi "astral",

Just a little point or two:-

why the rule on

4. Photos must have been shot within the last 3 months.

I have photos taken for the last 8 years all in Thailand, so why restrict this to that timetable ?

6. Keep your images to 600-800 pixels on their longest side, otherwise it makes the site look like crap.

Your entry in Photo Challenge #1 is "3072 x 2048 (1.03MB)" of Mrs Astral (nice photo btw) when opened.

Only helping out.

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[jtp]

It sounds like a good idea, but who will be qualified to act as judge???

I VOTE FOR KAN WIN!!!!!!!! He is perfect for the role of judge,but i suspect he would rather be a contestant....

[Kan Win]

It sounds like a good idea, but who will be qualified to act as judge???

I VOTE FOR KAN WIN!!!!!!!! He is perfect for the role of judge,but i suspect he would rather be a contestant....

Hi "ritexengineering",

Thank you very much, but one has to decline since I am a Mod on this forum and yes I may also be a contestant in future comps.

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[jtp]

It sounds like a good idea, but who will be qualified to act as judge???

I VOTE FOR KAN WIN!!!!!!!! He is perfect for the role of judge,but i suspect he would rather be a contestant....

Hi "ritexengineering",

Thank you very much, but one has to decline since I am a Mod on this forum and yes I may also be a contestant in future comps.

Yours truly,

Kan Win

Yes,i have seen your photo's..Stunning is the word! I think if you were to compete,the others would just have to go home,as you already won!! I imagine you have been at it for a long time,as you always seem to have the perfect angle when you shoot.

[lordsux]

The reason that there is the 3 month rule is to make it more of a challenge. If someone has a lifetimes archive of images available, then almost every challenge subject would be in the archive. This rule can of course be adjusted regarding the period of time.

The size rule is in fact irrelevant for this forum due to the fact that a thumbnail is automatically created when attaching the image. On some other forums the images are displayed in the post. This rule could be dropped.

In fact the whole way this 'Challenge' concept should commence is open for discussion and input is more than welcome.

I've just noticed Challenge #1 for unexplained reasons has been closed.

Maybe this is a waste of time?

[hughden]

I think it's a good, fun idea; although I do think we should extend the time limit a little, one year perhaps?

Indeed, why has the first challenge been closed??? Shouldn't the Mod doing the closing make a remark and tell us why? I suspect a mistake.

[Jimmyd]

I'm confused why the thread was closed, too.

I admit I didn't read the rules either, so my entry is invalid (past the 3 month date by far). Also, I thought the 9th of Feb was too short a time.

I feel we don't need too many rules--it's not like we are going to get a huge flood of pictures in any case. I personally would prefer if a mod would delete all 'joke' posts and non entries, but I'm even flexible on that. Nobody's life is in danger here.

Edit: Oh, and since I can't comment on that thread--Mrs. Astral is gorgeous!

Edited February 7, 2009 by Jimmyd

[Goshawk]

i think the whole idea of a serious 'challenges' competion/thread on this particular forum is defo' not a good idea..

inevitably, it will attract the flurry of moronic (albeit funny) posts that saw the last one closed... :D

[lordsux]

Obviously the challenge threads would have to be moderated closely and posts deemed irrelevant removed just like any thread.

I planned to shoot a few shots for Challenge#1 this weekend, maybe a few others had similar plans?

[jtp]

I'm confused why the thread was closed, too.

I admit I didn't read the rules either, so my entry is invalid (past the 3 month date by far). Also, I thought the 9th of Feb was too short a time.

I feel we don't need too many rules--it's not like we are going to get a huge flood of pictures in any case. I personally would prefer if a mod would delete all 'joke' posts and non entries, but I'm even flexible on that. Nobody's life is in danger here.

Edit: Oh, and since I can't comment on that thread--Mrs. Astral is gorgeous!

She was an attractive woman for sure,Mr Astral did well!

[astral]

The three month rule was part of the original suggestion,

but I see no reason to make it hard and fast,

though it will encourage member to be on the look out for new shots.

6/9/12 months. What do you think?

I have no idea who closed the thread.

It is open again.

I will pass on the compliments to the lady wife.

Oops on the size.

As long as we use thumbnails I am not sure it matters too much,

it is links that lead to large images that take the time downloading

All comments welcome. Remember this is a project in the making.

[The Vulcan]

May I butt in here?

I believe you definitely need a time scale to even out the playing field and make the challenge fair to all. Without a time scale “old stagers” will have enormous image banks that they can call on from years of shooting and give them (possibly) an unfair advantage over newcomers to photography. Where’s the “challenge” in digging through the archives for a suitable snap?

Conversely, the whole thing is for fun so why not set out the monthly challenges in advance thus allowing time to shoot and consider the subject. I mean, if “sport” was a category I personally would struggle because there ain’t much sport around my neck of the woods! Few, if any, have the time the rush out and shoot their required submission so a little advance notice would be good for all.

Suggested categories could be (say) Sport, Still life, Water, Macro/Close up, Landscape, Night, Urban/City, Transport, Portraiture - that’s nine months worth to take you to the year end.

“Challenges” is a good idea - and at the end of the year maybe the winners will be featured on the Thaivisa calender.

Have fun

The Vulcan

[Kan Win]

I have no idea who closed the thread.

It is open again.

I will pass on the compliments to the lady wife.

Oops on the size.

As long as we use thumbnails I am not sure it matters too much,

it is links that lead to large images that take the time downloading

All comments welcome. Remember this is a project in the making.

I did not either close the thread and thank you "astral" for re-opening it.

Noted on the "Links" part (the rule No.6 has been changed, I see ), now I have to delete my attachments folder as it is up to 83% full.

Also good, is that it has been explained in more detail, the "3 Month Rule", which I now do support to a point, but not fully as topics will change. Let see how it pans out, shall we.

Yours truly.

Kan Win

[Kan Win]

May I butt in here?

I believe you definitely need a time scale to even out the playing field and make the challenge fair to all. Without a time scale “old stagers” will have enormous image banks that they can call on from years of shooting and give them (possibly) an unfair advantage over newcomers to photography. Where’s the “challenge” in digging through the archives for a suitable snap?

Conversely, the whole thing is for fun so why not set out the monthly challenges in advance thus allowing time to shoot and consider the subject. I mean, if “sport” was a category I personally would struggle because there ain’t much sport around my neck of the woods! Few, if any, have the time the rush out and shoot their required submission so a little advance notice would be good for all.

Suggested categories could be (say) Sport, Still life, Water, Macro/Close up, Landscape, Night, Urban/City, Transport, Portraiture - that’s nine months worth to take you to the year end.

“Challenges” is a good idea - and at the end of the year maybe the winners will be featured on the Thaivisa calender.

Have fun

The Vulcan

Hi "The Vulcan",

Nice to have you back .

Yours truly

An old stager Win