St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

The current Weekly Photo Challenges (WPC) Rules read:

Now for the legal stuff:
- Archived photos are not encouraged - please shoot your photo during the challenge

With the rash of complaints, it seems for some, archived photos are a point of contention to the point where they will not participate.

The spirit of the challenges have always been to have learn and have fun. I do not wish to change that, but I have found a fairly easy way to monitor the entry Creation Dates. It is time consuming, but acceptable.

I ask you then, how important is it to you to disallow archived photos in the challenges and what do I do with photos where the EXIF Data has been stripped away as some photo editors do? Will verification PM from the owner be acceptable, or will you 'require' more?

From this day forward do we categorically disallow archived photos to make the challenge aspect fair or do we continue to encourage people to shoot within the timeline, but allow those that cannot to enter an archived photos?

If we restrict the challenge will it drive you away or encourage you to participate in the challenge of the challenge?

This is your chance to let your voice be heard and possibly change the Weekly Photo Challenges forever. Speak up and be heard.

Pictxterowner 3 D sbs

I feel that If a compliant is filed due to a photo that has been used in a topic here on this sight , only then should the user be removed from that contest, send a PM warning if they do it again they might be disqualified from further entries. ;) . I would not force them to leave the information on the photos.

wwwes Loc: hawaii

define "archived".

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Outside the timeline of the challenge, as in not in that week.

Pictxterowner 3 D sbs

Sir, I and maybe some of the others hold back/keep private our very best photo's. It's not for any particular reason, it's just not sensible to put this work on this sight for no other reason then to display it for free.
If you really want the best from the best I encourage you to only suggest that they be new, and enforce the policy on using them twice.

STVest Loc: LA - that's Lower Alabama

Ever since I have been here, the rules have stated that “archived photos are not encouraged”. Not encouraged. It doesn’t say they are disallowed. I do not know how to access EXIF data, but some photos are dated, and some are obviously shot outside of the challenge period (even when considering hemispheres, latitudes, and altitudes). When push comes to shove in narrowing down my selections, “outside of the challenge period” will become a disqualifying factor.

BUT, for me, it’s no big deal. I can’t help but think that those who state they don’t participate because the rules are not adhered to strictly enough just love to find fault with anything and everything. Jeesh! It’s for fun. No awards, no prizes, not even a smiley sticker! You refuse to have fun because you don’t think all of the participants are having fun?

For me, the whole thing is an exercise. It provides an idea and a quest. I do it because I enjoy it. Submitting an archived photo is not an option for me - what I have on file is even worse than what I’m currently shooting. I’m still struggling to make decent shots. I hope that every next shot is better than the last! This is why I enjoy the encouragement and motivation the challenge provides.

Yet, I admit, during the “Youth” challenge, I was tempted to reach into my pitiful archives. Multiple issues that week prevented me from getting out, finding “yoots”, and shooting them. But, I did have some blurred action shots of children on a tire swing that was from an assignment in a photography class I took. Blurred action! Perfect for me since my biggest problem seems to be focusing! As it turned out, the early closing of the contest made the decision for me. But, I can understand how situations like those I had would make Hogs want to reach into their archives in order to participate in some form.

I’ve never considered myself above the rules. Whatever the rules are, I will follow them. If the rules say, “No archives”, I will neither submit nor knowingly vote for them. If the rules say “Archives are fine”, I will no longer use that as an excluding factor when I vote.

By the way – the beautiful, terrific still-life that Gessman submitted, which won by a landslide, had previously been posted on the forum. I missed it when he first posted it. If he had not submitted it in the challenge, I would have never seen it – and it is one great photo! After he was ID’d as the shooter, I searched for other photos of his and that is when I found it. (Or maybe he set the whole thing up again and re-shot it.) Just think what you might miss if you don’t allow archives.

Whew! I think I’m through. (You asked for it, St3v3M.)

Pictxterowner 3 D sbs

it seems the only real decisions you have to make is how to handle a situation where you have a winner that later turns out he or she had used the photo before, and your friend has just given you the first case to set a precedence, I say the runner up should be informed and it should be told the winner was revised to the other users. the rest is the same as my first rely.

STVest Loc: LA - that's Lower Alabama

Not my intent at all! The current rules do NOT disallow archived photos. I wanted to make a point of what we could be missing if archives are not allowed. The rules do say that photos should not be entered in more than one contest. He did not enter it in a previous contest.

Pictxterowner 3 D sbs

archived photos are photos that you have not previously uploaded onto the net for public view are they not? ok we will have to wait on that . Now what's this crap about your photos, they are fantastic, before I got threw 3 topics I found a delightful perfect 3D sbs photo that you had taken. I have collected the tiny thumbnails and proceed the pic for your enjoyment, :mrgreen:

STVest Loc: LA - that's Lower Alabama

An archive is simply storage -- it may or may not be previously published or uploaded or whatever.

I wish I could take credit for any "delightful perfect" shot. I've never taken a 3D photo. You must have been looking at someone else's work. If you find it really was me, tell me where it is -- I'd love to see it! Maybe I have multiple personality disorder.

mellaken3 Loc: Burnsville, NC

Steve, I loved that! Cause I feel exactly the same way,! My old photos are no better than my new ones and that is one reason I don't submit. I enjoy looking at everyone elses photos and reading what everybody posts and hoping I'll learn something .

Pictxterowner 3 D sbs

3 D sbs photography is comprised of two photos taken one right after the other with a regular camera my post today Texas Crotch Rocket was taken with my cell phone (second phone pic upload) :thumbup: Permission to reloaded 3 D version to your topic sir :?: :mrgreen:

Bret Loc: Dayton Ohio

Archived Photos or hot off the press shots...as long as they meet contest guidelines...subject matter I mean.

STVest Loc: LA - that's Lower Alabama

I'm not Steve. I'm STV in the superlative form, hence, STVest. Maybe my ending remark, directed to St3v3M, the OP, was confusing.

Enter your photos! I think on two different occasions someone else (I always give myself a partial point, just 'cause) voted for me. I was delighted. Any vote(s) you get will be a way to measure your improvement. I am somewhat embarrassed to post because most of my offerings are so pitiful. But, hey! I'm just initials and an avatar. Nobody knows who I am!

mellaken3 Loc: Burnsville, NC

OOPs, sorry 'bout the name goof..it's early.