LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

You've run up against the Achilles Heel of judging. Unless there are clearly defined, measurable elements to the photo, such as: "There must be at least 6 cabbages included in the photo", it is all subject to personal opinion. No matter how accepted or thorough the list of criteria is people will never see exactly the same level of compliance for the entire list, even if there is only one criteria. Unless the sole criteria is: You must remove your lens cap! Even I could judge that! :lol:
Just between you and I, my photos are always MUCH better then what the judges think! Obviously, judges can't be trusted! :-D

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

I would add to the list of 12, not based on my personal preferences, rather observation... is there a child in the photo (dogs can be substituted for children especially if small and pooping on the sofa... cats are negatives, points off)... is there human interaction (conflict) that will get you extra points in our club. .... aaaa.... low necklines on buxom young gals also gets points. Such is life.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

They always got points with me! Even before I owned a camera! :-D

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

[quote=Meives]

From your writing I am reminded of what was told to me when I went to court. "The law is what the judge says it is" When you enter a photo contest, your work is evaluated by judges who see things differently than you do, if you asked 10 people to evaluate your work, you would get 10 different answers. It is my belief that when you submit a photo into a contest you have entered it because you like it. Isn't that what photography is all about, what you like. Aren't we all just trying to take a photograph that we will be pleased with. Why do we always question what others have to say about our work. Your work should speak for itself, if it does, then why should it matter if it wins or is not considered for any award. Isn't it enough that you like the photo.

Bobbee

Reminds me.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

There is no right or wrong and no correct photo to be awarded here. Judges like you and I, have their own personal preferences and styles. I've won many comps and been published numerous times. It's not that my snaps were any better than the competition. They were just chosen over the others. Yes there photographers with much better vision and skill than others. Just as there are judges with vision, and many without. You can see this daily in Flickr comps. There is some truly crappy images that are awarded wins over some very goog images. Being a judge does not imply that they are any more adept at seeing than others. Just as owning a camera does not make you a photographer. It makes you a camera owner. Don't take competitions seriously.

To quote Lao Tzu "the way of the master is to act. Not to compete."

To quote Russ, "A photograph that mirrors reality, cannot compete with one that reflects the spirit."

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

Keep in mind, that 99% of the worlds most memorable images were made with photographic cameras and lenses that are vastly inferior to what we use. It's all about vision.

Mark7829 Loc: Calfornia

I think you have to look at the competition. A mediocre image in a group of less than mediocre images will win. You were the best in that show but no necessarily the best in another show. Have you considered that factor?

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

A long time ago a wise man told me "when you enter a contest, you're paying for one person's opinion." That opinion has value to the point you value that person.

I've judged shows and I have a criteria list with a numbering system that I use. Even though that's objective to a point, one of the things about artwork of any kind is its appeal. And appeal means "I like it" for whatever reason. A technically perfect photo or painting or an unappealing subject still has no appeal. The best ribbon of all is someone parting with cash to purchase something. And they don't buy it because it's technically perfect. They buy it because it appeals to them.

I've noticed on this forum that my images don't get amazing remarks. However, those same images get lots of hits and positive feedback (and sales) on my website.

elee950021 Loc: New York, NY

At Park West Camera Club, here in NYC, our monthly competition consists of prints and projected digital images. We hire and pay an honorarium to a "professional" photographer to judge the images from A with honors (better than A) throught C with one of the "honor" A's the "print or PDI of the month." We also include several "ringers" where we track its score and comments at every competition. Before judging, the judges are given a copy of the PPA list of elements as mentioned in an earlier message to read and reference. Our experiences are similar to other hoggers and competitions in general. To further compound things, our final competition has 3 judges and members can enter up to 8 images, again prints and/or PDI's, any image regardless of its score from a previous monthly competition but must be unaltered. The previous high scorers very often become also rans and lesser images can now be A's or "Print or PDI of the year!". No accounting for judges' decisions!

Another factor in any competition is the total number and overall quality of the entries. There is the possibility that the winning images were the "best" of a small group of average entries and not necessarily memorable images.

DEBJENROB Loc: DELRAY BEACH FL

several months ago, I entered a photo in competition and it scored a 9 out of 10 ... 6 months later ... the same photo was entered in a competition ... with the same judge and it scored a 7 out of 10 .... go figure ...

Mark7829 Loc: Calfornia

I think it is not the person that you value but the information he/she provides. If you don't connect with the feedback, there can be no value. It is not so much the person but what the person provides.

I have looked your images posted here and on your website, please do not be offended. My personal opinion is that you shoot pretty much at eye-level and in mostly broad day light. Many of your shots are with a wide angle but without a focus point to balance scenery.

I am hesitant to post this comment at all as many are sure to jump all over me. But my intentions are the best.

Shoot Happens

I have trained for and judged many photography competitions. For most of the competitions I am involved with, impact has a value of 40%, Technical 30% and composition at 30%. Those cover the above list of 12 that I see. Impact is the subjective part of an image and it bears the greatest single % value. The technical and compositional side is, for the most part, fairly standard looking at the general guidelines of photography such as the rule of thirds and if you broke those rules, did it make the image better. Is the lighting, saturation, post processing etc. right for that image? Are their sensor spots, poles out of peoples heads or a cut off hand.

All images will have a different impact on the observer. As an example, ocean images likely have a very different impact on a judge from California than a judge from Montana, as it should. We are all different so it makes total sense to me that images can be rated differently by different judges.
In addition to that, it also depends on every other image that was submitted to the competition. I have seen mediocre images at best, win, because the competing images scored less.

Then there is the fact that judges are not infallible. They can get it wrong. Just because someone is a good photographer does not mean they will be a good judge because we all have our biases and we all have our genres of photography we are most comfortable with.

To minimize bias, many competitions have 5 judges with the highest and lowest score thrown out. Unfortunately, there are many competitions where a local single photographer will pick the winner. Those competitions can certainly not reflect the best image generally, just the best image as chosen by that person.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

Is that not how we learn and grow, from honest opinions and critique?

Cykdelic Loc: Now outside of Chiraq & Santa Fe, NM

Great pic and painting! What was your physical location on that photo? A helicopter? Bridge?