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POTM POTM Rules

Discussion in 'Photography, Art & Design' started by Nath, 30 Jun 2006.

  1. RTT

    RTT #parp

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  2. J-Pepper

    J-Pepper Minimodder

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    Hmm.. i have two branches both within 10 minutes away...

    itchy fingers...

    checks account balance online...

    damn... has loads of money...

    itchy feet...

    badger!
     
  3. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    Oh no.... people talking about spending cash!...

    [Pookey runs away]
     
  4. olv

    olv he's so bright

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    I think adding in different categories and galleries and stuff is just going to make the whole thing far too confusing. Best keep it simple, one theme, one photo, one timeframe. That'll make it easier to judge and keep track of.
     
  5. Guest-16

    Guest-16 Guest

  6. Da Dego

    Da Dego Brett Thomas

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    hehe...ok pook, you're now going to have to show me how to use this bloody thing. :) w00t!
     
  7. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    Indeed. You only need to ask :D
     
  8. RR5

    RR5 What's a Dremel?

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    Hang on a second, if this is a photography contest, isn't post processing with photoshop and such kind of an unfair advantage?

    I feel it should be a straight point and shoot, then upload contest. If your shots come out with some visual defect, well then, have another go!
     
  9. Nath

    Nath Your appeal has already been filed.

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    But then you get into the world of "My camera doesn't autosharpen so my photos aren't as crisp as his. Waah." and general moaning. I'm not saying you should post-process an image so much that it's unrecognisable but saturation/exposure/unsharp mask and all the features of the software that photographers would use if presenting their work anywhere else are fair game. :)

    Edit:

    Not a clue :D

    Just going by my usual strategy of wandering round with the camera until I find something worth photographing, seems to have worked alright in the past. Will be going into Manchester to have a wander today :thumb:
     
    Last edited: 1 Jul 2006
  10. olv

    olv he's so bright

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    Seriously, don't be silly. The majority of DSLR cameras need post processing to get the most out of the them. Personally I see DSLRs as great tools for capturing the data of what you see rather then the image, (especially when shooting RAW) which then needs to be exploited in post processing for best results.

    It's the same with film SLRs. What you do in the dark room to your film has a massive effect on the end results and you never find people slating film users for 'faking' effects in the dark room.

    So imo, post processing is a hugely important part of photography and shouldn't be seperated.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 12 Jul 2006
  11. Nath

    Nath Your appeal has already been filed.

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    W00t, managed to find a perfect shot this morning too. :D

    I agree, the images which come out of most DSLRs often benefit from more saturation and general editing.

    Anyway, entries can now be posted in the sticky though somehow I can't see many people giving up the element of surprise this early on in the month. :D
     
  12. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    No. Go back as far as you like, and post processing was always the larger part of photography. What else did people do in darkrooms? Just do straight prints? I think not.

    To save typing a big wordy post, as I'm really, really tired, I'll copy and paste an extract from a thesis I wrote... hnag on...

    You get the idea.. there's abouyt another 300 pages of that... but that's a pretty relevant section, simply because it's about Adams.. the guy was doing more post processing than anyone before, or since.. yet regarded as on of the most "straight" landscape guys in the world.

    If he was alive today, I bet my life he'd be using photoshop.

    No.. we must have post processing, or it's not photography. Just be careful when judging: Excessive use of filters to hide poor photography should not be tolerated. In fact, with the exception of blur and sharpen tools, I think we should ban photoshop filters... hateful things.

    If you insist on a straight, raw, unedited image, then you're stifling people's creativity, and therefore making a mockery of the whole point of a photography competition. Pre-digital, you never heard of people insisting that award entries were not to be printed, and you must send in your negatives for fear of darkroom trickery, so what's changed? I thought we'd grown out of differentiating between analogue and digital.

    If you think post processing gives an advantage to those with photoshop skills, you'd be right!!! That's the point. Photoshop, and image post processing is a vital part of photography, just as darkroom skill were a vital skill pre digital, ESPECIALLY when you're talking about fine art printing.
     
    Last edited: 1 Jul 2006
  13. Nath

    Nath Your appeal has already been filed.

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    I fully agree. Just a quick note about toleration of excessive photoshopping - there is no single judge in this competition since I quite like participating and I'm sure the mods of this part of the forums will too, therefore it's up to the community whether an entrant may have used post-processing to excess. I'm not saying flame every single person who takes a bit of time in Photoshop to clean up an image a bit (I'm quite fond of the clone stamp tool myself :D) but please raise any issues you may have with entries. :thumb:
     
  14. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    I think just no obvious pre-set, or third party filter use. It may fool some, but you gotta get up pretty damned early to catch ME out.

    Filters are just talent free, quick fixes, and hide-alls.. you can't polish a turd. If your RAW is rubbish, it will show.

    I'm not saying all post work must be invisible either... just relevant, and not for the sake of it.
     
  15. J-Pepper

    J-Pepper Minimodder

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    So what if you wanted to create an antiquated effect to the photo? Is that PS trickery or classed as post processing the RAW to achieve the effect desired?
     
  16. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    It all depends on whether it's justified, or relevant, or just something done for the sake of doing it. If it's a picture of teh Lowry Centre or some other ultra post-modern building reproduced in cheesorama Sepia it wouldn't even be ironic.. it would just be awful.

    Use as much post processing as you want, just avoid effects filters: They're a dead giveaway, and look awful.

    If what you do is relevant, and doesn't just become all about the post work, then it's no different from applying the effect in camera, or in a darkroom... assuming you did actually do it yourself via hard work, and not cheat by using an effects filter.
     
  17. Cthippo

    Cthippo Can't mod my way out of a paper bag

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    Please add the bit about "Photos must be taken in the month of the contest" in the main part of the rules. I had mine submitted and then had to change it after I read this thread. I realize that this is still a work in progress, but it confused the heck out of me. :sigh:
     
  18. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    How do people feel about the lack of EXIF data on some of these shots? On some, it's actually been edited, or deleted. Why do that? I know of no image editing program that will destroy the EXIF data. Hmmm....

    I think as it's an image that we've said has to be taken since the start of the contest, editing the exif data in any way, or using a process that damages it so we can't establish when it was taken should be banned.
     
  19. Cthippo

    Cthippo Can't mod my way out of a paper bag

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    I think two competitions would be clumsy. Maybe a critique & feedback thread for photos would be better.

    I'm not suggesting that we remove any entries that are already there, but should perhaps make it a rule for future competitions: Don't edit or delete the EXIF data.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 9 Jul 2006
  20. Hwulex

    Hwulex Minimodder

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    Photoshop's Save For Web setting doesn't include EXIF data by default.


    I always attach info to mine, though, and think it should enforced. But even if you do, it is easily editable.


    What do people think to some kind of 'open to critique' marker? On another comp in which I participate you have to include an asterix in your photo title if you're willing to allow people to rip your work to pieces. Some people are more sensitive about their photos and would rather it just accepted for what it is. Is there a need for this here?

    For the record, mine always have asterisks on.
     
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