Voting Tips? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

06/08/2005 12:52:52 AM · #1

Okie dokie... it's pretty evident to me now... after reading the hundreds of other comments that found good decisions in the decisions contest in photos I found not to be so... that I am a total noob when it comes to voting here.

I believe my view may have been far too narrow... of course my interpretation of the challenge was "a photo showing the ACTION of decision". Oops. Anywho... seeing as how I should broaden my scope for future challenges... what is the general consensus on how to rate photos... my method was inadequate and aparently it caused pain... like the spanish inquisition... so any tips?

srdanz

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

06/08/2005 12:59:44 AM · #2

There are two things you can do:
- recognize that your vote is a statistical anomaly (even if you score someone with a 1 that had an average of 6.5 and 250+ votes, you did not affect its 3rd significant digit with your 1 vote). Kepp voting as you wish.

- try to get outside the box yourself - there are 7 days to analyze all entries, and if you think that 75% of them does not meet the challenge, review your understanding of the challenge. Or just vote on the technical and appeal of the photography, with giving less weigh to the challenge...

Now, before I violate DPC TOS I'll stop suggesting on how you should vote.

mandyturner

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/08/2005 01:00:46 AM · #3

First, I ask myself, Does it fit with the theme? I shouldn't have to figure it out either. It should jump at me. Then I rate on the quality, that is so important I think. I NEVER vote a picture bad on my own personal opinion. If I love the entry, I sometimes comment that I do, but it had nothing to do with my vote. Example: I am very sick of cloud and flower pictures, there are hundreds on this website, but that doesn't alter my vote at all. Example #2- I am not a fan of photos with a lot of PS work either, but if it a good quality photo and it fits the theme I vote high.

Nikon D200

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

06/08/2005 01:27:24 AM · #4

Hi Carlos, welcome to the site. I notice you have a low average vote cast. While you should vote it as you see it, you might consider how you'd feel receiving the same for your own entries and take it from there.

I'll share how I vote so you can compare to your own process. First, every shot starts out at a 5. This would be for an average shot that meets the challenge with one or two minor technical flaws. From there, I adjust plus one or two points for creativity and superior technical skills (ie. depth of field decisions, unique composition, etc.) and minus a point or two for major technical flaws (ie. focus, over-sharpening, etc.) and supremely unattractive elements (ie. dirty fingernails or boogers - you get the drift). A shot that creates envy ("why didn't I think of that?") gets an 8 and a shot that makes me think "Wow!" gets a 10. Nines are shots that could have been 10's except that they have a technical flaw. So basically I'm adding and subtracting according those guidelines and vote whatever the sum is.

I rarely give 1's and 2's, but am not above it for the ones that are real stinkers. For example, a snapshot of a out-of-focus filthy teddy-bear on a dirty kitchen table with a wall socket showing. In general, I try to imagine the photographer actually tried but if it is obvious that they didn't I'll vote accordingly.

Also took a quick look at your comments, which I felt were largely positive and honest. One thing that I noticed was that you generally tended to respond based on how the photo made you feel. While this is certainly legitimate and not true in all cases, you might give additional consideration to technical aspects like composition, depth of field, where the light is coming from and how it worked or didn't work, use of lines in a composition, effectiveness of motion blur, etc. By focusing more on technical elements, you might find a greater appreciation for a shot and thus increase your average vote cast.

Your enthusiasm for voting and commenting is great! Keep it up, and I'll look forward to seeing your first challenge entry.

Regards,

--Laurie

Edit: typo

Message edited by author 2005-06-08 01:29:36.

taterbug

Nikon D300

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

06/08/2005 01:54:56 AM · #5

Hi Carlos.

I also took a quick peek at just a few of your comments, and I agree with Laurie, your comments seem honest, and to have some content, and I don't think they seem offensive or off base, and most importantly, you ARE commenting :-) a highly valued commodity around here!

You'll find lot's of different people with lots of different methods or standards for voting, they've explored and found what works good for them. Maybe some of their methods will give you some insight also. What I think is most important when voting, is that you try to remain consistent and fair in your standards across the board, sometimes difficult when voting on large challenges, hehehe.

Have fun and enjoy !!! :-)

06/08/2005 12:29:12 PM · #6

Well, I too was surprised with the number of photos I found didn't meet the challange... so I know I was doing something wrong... I saw the 1-10 scale and figured that most everyone uses the whole scale (even if the photo is not terrible, just that it doesn't meet the challenge... (and even that is a matter of opinion)). I'll do better next time I promise. I figure voting is a way to participate, and very soon I'll be entering a challenge, it's just that I'll probably be waiting until july because I have a trip comming up in a week to Mexico and I am so busy making preperations (I want to take lots of pictures) so I seem to have a hard time finding time to enter the challenge, work, live my normal day, and plan my trip. :) But soon... very soon.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

06/08/2005 12:32:11 PM · #7

You were the one that left a comment on mine that you didn't see a decision. How?

eqsite

Nikon D7100

06/08/2005 12:37:21 PM · #8

Originally posted by dockode:

... so I know I was doing something wrong...

Well, no, you didn't do anything wrong, so don't be so hard on yourself. Mine was also a photo that you didn't see a decision in, but you weren't alone. It would be nice if people showed a little more latitude in interpreting the challenges, but that just underscores the subjective nature of the voting process. Ultimately, though, if you don't feel a photo meets that challenge, you should vote accordingly.

Funny, Rex, both of ours were baseball pics. Maybe dockode doesn't get the decisions that are an inherent part of baseball.

Message edited by author 2005-06-08 12:38:36.

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

06/08/2005 01:48:11 PM · #9

I figured mine you could easliy see a decision being made.

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

06/08/2005 01:57:25 PM · #10

Originally posted by rex:

I figured mine you could easliy see a decision being made.

Maybe if your image is given the benefit of the doubt however the impression of a decision is not very strong or obvious.(IMO)

BTW, I didn't vote on this challenge. (or enter)

Message edited by author 2005-06-08 13:57:49.

Riponlady

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

06/08/2005 01:58:24 PM · #11

Originally posted by rex:

I figured mine you could easliy see a decision being made.

Remember that baseball is a pretty minority sport in UK and other parts of the world and so personally I would have great difficulty understanding that a decision was being made unless it was VERY obvious!
This is another point to take into consideration - national understanding as opposed to cosmopolitan.

Pauline

Just had another look at your picture Rex. It's really good, very sharp but I still would not immediately think "decision" for the reasons above.

My other feeling when voting is that I am such an amateur and so in awe of many of the great photographers on this site that I feel worried about making comments as I cannot speak technically (don't have the jargon) and I don't want to look a complete idiot!

P

Message edited by author 2005-06-08 14:02:51.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

06/08/2005 02:03:21 PM · #12

sorry rex, I think another problem was that the subject matter of some photos was unfamiliar. Titles are important... after a little research a title like "Safe!" might have been better on some baseball pics, and rex's photo was a good title, but the photo didn't jump out at me as a decision.

Message edited by author 2005-06-08 14:05:05.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

06/08/2005 02:03:32 PM · #13

Give my entry a 10, the rest get 1's

06/08/2005 02:09:42 PM · #14

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

Originally posted by rex:
I figured mine you could easliy see a decision being made.

Maybe if your image is given the benefit of the doubt however the impression of a decision is not very strong or obvious.(IMO)

BTW, I didn't vote on this challenge. (or enter)

Benefit of the doubt?

06/08/2005 02:12:54 PM · #15

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

Give my entry a 10, the rest get 1's

Lol... okay.

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

06/08/2005 02:18:16 PM · #16

Originally posted by dockode:

I am not trying to be mean but I just can't understand how a person would not know that this is a pitcher making a decision. It is the stance they are in when they are waiting on signs from the catcher to decide which pitch to throw. I can understand the fact that this is primarly an American sport but with the title it should be a given at least from the Americans on this website. To me and I am biased a little but it is one of my favorite images that I have taken. And you can fight that the title doesn't mean anything and you shouldn't have to read the title to get it. I personally think you should read every title. But that is my opinion and we all know that saying. With that being said and me being really dissapointed about the fact the 8 people gave the photo a 1 really ticks me off and it shouldn't I know. Just all the more reason not to enter open challenges anymore. I have stopped with the open and am taking a break from the member challenges for a while. I will now only enter if I have a photo that knocks my socks off. Yes this is a website just for fun I know but it just ticks me off to see people out there just giving stuff a 1.

Hopping off my soapbox now.

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

06/08/2005 02:24:34 PM · #17

Originally posted by rex:

Originally posted by dockode:
sorry rex, I think another problem was that the subject matter of some photos was unfamiliar. Titles are important... after a little research a title like "Safe!" might have been better on some baseball pics, and rex's photo was a good title, but the photo didn't jump out at me as a decision.

I am not trying to be mean but I just can't understand how a person would not know that this is a pitcher making a decision. It is the stance they are in when they are waiting on signs from the catcher to decide which pitch to throw. I can understand the fact that this is primarly an American sport but with the title it should be a given at least from the Americans on this website. To me and I am biased a little but it is one of my favorite images that I have taken. And you can fight that the title doesn't mean anything and you shouldn't have to read the title to get it. I personally think you should read every title. But that is my opinion and we all know that saying. With that being said and me being really dissapointed about the fact the 8 people gave the photo a 1 really ticks me off and it shouldn't I know. Just all the more reason not to enter open challenges anymore. I have stopped with the open and am taking a break from the member challenges for a while. I will now only enter if I have a photo that knocks my socks off. Yes this is a website just for fun I know but it just ticks me off to see people out there just giving stuff a 1.

Hopping off my soapbox now.

Being not a fan of baseball and not really a mind reader who's to say what the person in the picture or the person taking the picture was thinking. Maybe if the catcher was included in the picture it might of made a difference. Don't assume that everyone knows all the nuances of the game.

06/08/2005 02:25:48 PM · #18

Title?

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

06/08/2005 02:27:38 PM · #19

awe rex, don't do that. The photo was fantastic on it's own. I think that is something people misinterpreted from this challenge with some votes. Some of the photos are unbelievably good. But to me some of them just didn't hit the nail on the head as far as 'decisions'. Like I said, I'm not too familiar with any stances a pitcher would take in making a decision because I don't watch baseball... even though I live in the states... ooops. The title told me all I needed to know, but it was my scoring method that hurt people I think. I was starting all the photos at 1 and adding points for technique, did it meet the challenge, and quality.

I too am not trying to be mean with this statement, but I think it's a little condecending to say that you won't enter challenges that are open anymore... it feels like your saying that free members aren't qualified to vote period, besides I am planning on upgrading my membership in august, will I be better qualified then? I know if I enter a challenge that I will be at the mercy of who ever is on this site, I won't let it get me down. I love photography... and even if everyone says I am horrible at it, I still enjoy doing it.

Message edited by author 2005-06-08 14:29:31.

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

06/08/2005 02:28:53 PM · #20

Originally posted by rex:

Title?

That's another issue that has been discussed.

To me your title is being used to shoehorn the image into the challenge.

eqsite

Nikon D7100

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

06/08/2005 02:31:27 PM · #21

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

Originally posted by rex:
Title?

That's another issue that has been discussed.

To me your title is being used to shoehorn the image into the challenge.

Fine, but take another look at the blue ribbon winner. An excellent photo, but if the title had been "Traffic Lights at Sunset" would "Decision!!!" have popped out at you? Not me, sorry. I think titles are every bit as much a part of the entry as the photo itself, escpecially with a conceptual challenge such as this.

06/08/2005 02:31:34 PM · #22

Originally posted by dockode:

I too am not trying to be mean with this statement, but I think it's a little condecending to say that you won't enter challenges that are open anymore... it feels like your saying that free members aren't qualified to vote period, besides I am planning on upgrading my membership in august, will I be better qualified then? I know if I enter a challenge that I will be at the mercy of who ever is on this site, I won't let it get me down. I love photography... and even if everyone says I am horrible at it, I still enjoy doing it.

You are fine I just think their are too many entries. I am not saying that you aren't qualified. I am the ameteur here and would never say that about anyone.

06/08/2005 02:33:36 PM · #23

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

Originally posted by rex:
Title?

To me your title is being used to shoehorn the image into the challenge.

??? What.....I don't see how that is possible?

For the sake of avoiding an argument here I will just leave this behind me and move on. I am done with it now before I get too pissed and say something I will regret later. So with that farewell.

Message edited by author 2005-06-08 14:34:16.

06/08/2005 02:35:58 PM · #24

Originally posted by rex:

I am the ameteur here

Well that is debatable... :).

Yeah, I understand that logic, there are many photos in the open challenges. But in both open and member challenges there are only 3 'winning' spots. I'd say just being voted on means you did something worth while, someone took the time to vote and comment.

Something I'm learning... you have to be very careful with your wording... people read too much into what we have to say.

Message edited by author 2005-06-08 14:38:01.