Voting Choices Difficult

[MikeEPhoto]

It is getting more and more difficult for me to vote choices for POW POM etc. The quality of images here is amazing to me and I enjoy being an ever so small part of it. Cheers to everyone and have a wonderful holiday weekend.

Mike

[RTaylor]

It sure is getting harder, images just keep getting better Sometimes you have to look closer at the images to make a choice. Which of the 6 in each category has the most impact and catches and holds your attention over others. When they all seem to have that same quality, then it ends up being a personal preference. I find the same happens with the judges at any of the art competitions I participate locally each year. I think voting every week on the top 36 even helps you learn more about your own photography
Have a nice July 4th weekend

[Tatanka001]

You have to look past the name and look at the work. Example if you were to sneak a Ansel Adams photo into the mix with no photographers name connected to the photo how many votes would the photo get and would the photo win a POW.

[RTaylor]

Well, I'm sure most of Ansel's images would stand out just because of the time he spent to compose and later post process his images the analog way.
But you are right, we should all look past the photographer and let the image stand by itself.

I thought about taking the names off during the voting, but most members would remember who the photo belonged to, plus it would be harder for us to go back to match the names for the 1st and 2nd place winners and take longer for us each week.
When I'm choosing the 36, I don't even look at the names which is why sometimes I catch myself and have 2 images by the same person in the same category if the images are different subject. Then I have to figure out which I feel could have a better chance at being a winner.

Maybe for fun I should create a vote for say 6 images but hide the photographer's name, to see who everyone would choose. Might have to wait until after my upcoming art festival which is July 9/10th

I'll contact 6 photographers and ask them to email me a photo that they never uploaded to the internet and feel it would be a good contender and not an image that is a subject others have seen you take before.
No one will see the exif data to figure out the camera and owner since they will only see the images in the contest area The chosen 6 will have to keep it to themselves until the voting is over.

[Kyotie]

As the overall quality gets better, we all will get better for it; harder is better. Striving to win makes you better but only if it's just about the photo and not the photographer. I, we, vote for people we like or friends, then everyone loses because the contest becomes about popularity and not excellence. I never think about names, the photo is always first in my mind. If the photo is the best, then it is the best, even if that person dominates the playing field. it just means I have to get better.
I am loyal to self though, I don't care how bad my photo is, I will always vote for my own, and expect everyone else to vote for there own. I want real wins, not a win because someone likes me, it should never be about that.
So the bottom line is, I think everyone should always vote for my photos because I'm the nicest guy. Did I say that?

[Skeuos]

Ruth,

I think that sounds like a fun idea - but I think the most fun would be to see what people have shot that's outside of their norm. I agree that I don't pick shots based on name either. Maybe a second contest would be to guess the shooter...

And I enjoy the higher competition - means I need to work harder, and also means that a win (if and when it happens) is more satisfying and earned.

steve

[RTaylor]

I thought of that the guess the shooter too Steve
Maybe we can do a monthly theme and members can submit to the secret category that only I can see (if I'm sure it works correctly first) then out of the submissions, I choose up to a certain number, maybe between 6-12 depending on how many participate, but would be the same number each month.
Maybe give one week before the new month to submit, then members vote the whole month. And if your photo is chosen for the finalist of this contest, then you can't vote on your on image And as a side game, I might be able to find a way for members to leave messages on who they think the image belongs to, again you can't leave a message on your own image for obvious reasons.

I'll have to do some more testing on the hidden category I already created and I uploaded to, to be sure its 100% feasible beyond the one account I have tested it with