St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Let The Voting Begin! You have 2 Days to vote with 250 amazing entries... So take your time and choose carefully.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/photo_contest.jsp?pcnum=48

Please note the way voting works.

You can vote as many times as you like, but only have one voting point.
If you vote for multiple photos, your voting point gets divided across them all.

For example:

You see a photo you like and you vote for it. That photo now has a score of +1 point from you.
Later on, you see another photo you like and you decide to vote for it too. At this time, each of the two photos gets a score of +0.5 from you.
If you vote for yet another photo, then the three of them will get +0.33 points each from you.
And so on. The number of votes is only limited by the number of photos in the contest.

The rating of a photo is calculated as a sum of all points received from all users.

You can also revoke your vote for any photo at any time. Doing so recalculates your vote share.

So if we continue with the example above (you voted for three photos) and you decide to revoke your vote for one of the photos, then the two remaining photos would get +0.5 points from you added to their scores.

Such system allows you to "change your mind" in case some new photos get uploaded for the contest and you decide not to spread your voting power too thin. If the contest's settings allow it you can begin voting right away while keeping track of new photos added to the contest.

On the ratings page, each photo's rating is shown as two numbers like "4.5 (7)" -- which means the photo in question has a total of 4.5 points based on votes of 7 users.

To sum it up, you can vote for any many photos as you like. But your voting power gets spread across all photos for which you vote. So each photo gets a smaller bump in the score. On the other hand, more of the photos you like get a chance to be at the top of the contest.

Cameralark Loc: Torrington, CT

There is no question in my mind that almost all of the entries contain lines but my understanding of leading lines is that they should lead the viewer to the main subject matter. I hardly see any submissions that do that. In fact, most don't have any apparent subject matter. There are just a lot of pretty pictures.
Would anyone care to straighten me out, or am I correct?

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

In a world of professionals we might expect more, but we are not and therefore the challenges are meant to help push beyond the limits we keep. Education makes better.

renomike Loc: Reno, Nevada

Leading lines are lines within an image that leads the eye to another point in the image, or occasionally, out of the image. Anything with a definite line can be a leading line. Fences, bridges, even a shoreline can lead the eye.

Mike

mircea2309 Loc: Montreal, Canada

Hi! My feeling is that these contests are totally out of any control. Don't you think that it could be somewhat better organized, controlled, voted, ...

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

What would you suggest and when do you want to start?

mircea2309 Loc: Montreal, Canada

Hi St3v3M!
I would suggest by starting applying the rules already mentioned. For example, I've seen several untitled photos which were not removed. I've seen photos which were supposed to be vertical but were laying horizontal, photos which have absolutely nothing to do with the subject and with the art, at any level and are polluting.
Of course, probably many of us, me first, are not at a high artistic level, we are learning, photography is, first of all. a hobby. However, I think that we could do this contests somehow more attractive. Choosing from 250 pictures is difficult. Voting rules could/should be changed, also, in my opinion. We could probably all come with some suggestions to make something different from what already exists.

Old Redeye Loc: San Mateo, CA

I agree with these points.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

I understand and truthfully have been waiting for someone to call me on it.

From my point of view -
This is a challenge, not a contest, no money, no prizes, just weekly bragging rights.
Therefore I've tried to gear it to get everyone involved and to let them push themselves to learn more.
I meant to educate more along the way, but teter on the balance of staying out of it that I do not change their direction.
I have now resolved to educate on the technical challenges and let the rest be as they may.

With that in mind, and knowing that some people here are more or less advanced in their photo skills than others, how do I enforce the rules more thoroughly? Do you want to be the judge? Do you want to say you qualify and you don't?

At first while riding my high horse I PM'd everyone reminding them to add a title, some replied while some did not. I thought about deleting the non-replies, butlooking at the emails from the replies I realized a lot of these people are only on this site to play my silly game and probably do not check their email often. So many times it was, "Oh I am so sorry, I was so excited to add my entry I forgot" or "I'm sorry, this is the first time I've uploaded a photo and missed it." Sweet emails from people who are excited to be in a 'contest' probably their first.

How do I delete them? A 'secret' I will tell you since no one is listening but you is that I gave up and now name them (challenge name goes here). I still send PM's once a day to the Untitleds and correct them when they do not know how, but it breaks my heart to think I might 'have to' enforce my rules and delete the photo of someone who may be doing this for their first time all because they were excited.

The only photo I have ever deleted then is the one the poster admittedly copied from the internet. It was a beautiful shot, but it was unfair and after several PM's I pulled it. I can justify that, but not the other and until a panel of professional quality judges with well defined rules comes into play setting you up for cash or prizes I will keep on keepin on.

Am I open to suggestions? Always. Am I open to changes? Of course. As it stands though, this is all for fun and as long as people want to play I will keep it going.

I am stepping off my soapbox now and opening floor to discussion. Thank you.

ADDENDUM: The voting rules are controlled by Admin. At a request I have asked for some changes. Time will tell.

mircea2309 Loc: Montreal, Canada

I understand and agree with your point St3v3M, I find it noble.
As I am concerned, fun and play go well with some competition, but it could be only a matter of taste.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Seriously, if you can think of anything to make it better, please let me know!

mircea2309 Loc: Montreal, Canada

I'd like to hear some other opinions, too. I don't feel that I would be the most qualified to do it and I don't necessarily want to change the world. I already feel that my posts were kind of lack of modesty.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

If you are not here to change the world then what are you here for? Everyday you change someone's life, it is how you do it that matters.

mircea2309 Loc: Montreal, Canada

Thank you St3v3M. It's encouraging what you are saying. However, my "happy short life" taught me that not everything can, worth to or should - be changed.
I'll keep an eye on this forum, anyway, and I'll be glad to participate in some debates if it is to happen.

SWFeral Loc: SWNM

I just want to say that for some of us it's enough of a challenge to figure out how to upload a photo in the first place; and then it's a nice feeling to know that others will choose to view it. If you want a "real" contest with all sorts of strict rules, there are plenty of those out there. I think this one is fun.