Can you withdraw from a challenge?

03/01/2006 10:06:13 AM · #1

I was wondering if you could withdraw from a challenge? I personally vow I will NEVER enter a photograph of a child or a pet here ever again! I know it is not because of the quality of the shot because I think I have learnt enough now to at least enter a passable shot! I can just see my average plummeting after all these brutal ones being given out. I haven't had a single comment yet either to help me make sense of this.

KaDi

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

03/01/2006 10:11:13 AM · #2

I'm sure an SC member will be along shortly....but in the meantime....

You already have 1 recent DQ, to self-DQ might lead to temporary suspension of some site priviledges. It's mentioned somewhere in the challenge rules, I think.

More importantly, stop worrying about your average!
They're nice numbers created by pixel dust in cyberspace, that's all.
Find some other way to measure your progress and you'll be much happier.
(Just my friendly advice.)
=)

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

03/01/2006 10:11:57 AM · #3

You may request removal of your own photo, for any reason, if:
# You make the request during the voting period. Requests made after the close of voting typically will not be considered.
# There has been no rules violation and you have not been asked to submit proof on your entry. If you report a rules violation on your own entry or request removal after receiving a proof request, the request will be treated as a normal disqualification.
# None of your last 25 submissions have been disqualified or removed. Remember that subsequent DQs within the next 25 submissions may incur a penalty as set forth below.

# In order to discourage repeated disqualifications and abuse of the disqualification system, the following penalties will apply for repeat disqualifications:
# 1st DQ in last 25 submissions: No penalty
# 2nd DQ in last 25 submissions: 1 week suspension of submission privileges
# 3rd DQ in last 25 submissions: 2 week suspension of submission privileges
# 4th DQ in last 25 submissions: 4 week suspension of submission privileges and 3 months of required "pre-submission" of proof file.

The above penalties will be assessed only after review by the Admins and Site Council. In exceptional circumstances, the Site Council may elect not to apply a penalty. If a user is found by Site Council vote to have intentionally violated the Challenge Rules, the above penalties will be additional to any assessed for the violation itself. Site Council may also request proof on a random basis from any participant.

Message edited by author 2006-03-01 10:12:49.

pcody

Canon PowerShot G6

03/01/2006 10:13:09 AM · #4

use the help>contact button on the top bar.

03/01/2006 10:15:34 AM · #5

troberge, I am sorry that you are discouraged. I personally really like shots of children and pets, but some may feel they are not "artsy" enough. Don't give up on their account...let 'em go kick a dog and get over it. LOL

03/01/2006 10:17:14 AM · #6

Originally posted by KaDi:

Thanks Kadi, I know your right about the average...this score has just thrown me for a loop I guess. You just expect that as you get better, your score should go up...but in this case, my worst, out of focus shots that I had in the beginning scored WAY better than this one is scoring.

As for the DQ, I had forgotten you can be temporarily suspended with two close dq's. I guess I have to stick this one out then. I think I will go turn off the scores...and go grab another coffee!

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

03/01/2006 10:19:51 AM · #7

Originally posted by joycobb:

That's not the problem for me, you could have a fantastic shot of a dog or child and sell the print for lots of money. I think the problem in on DPC we see the same dogs and same children from a different angle in many challenges time and time again, and it just gets really boring voting on them all. I also don't like cuteness being used to increase votes and will normally vote a picture down a point for cuteness. Of cause if the picture deserves a high vote I'll give it one.

p.s. I love dogs (especially labradors) and children, just not when they are used to bump up a vote.

Message edited by author 2006-03-01 10:23:11.

hokie

Nikon D2X

03/01/2006 10:25:54 AM · #8

Remember, this site has thousands of members from all over the world.

Every like and dislike, no matter how trivial or unfounded will be represented here...which is a lot like life. Also, part of the "challenge" to your own ego is placing photos on public display so that the previously mentioned personal preferences of people can manifest themselves on your photo :-/

Plus, if I have read some of the earlier comments correctly, people were not complaining about children or pet photos, just poorly taken ones. If you examine the recent "80's Challenge" Jaxed photo of her daughter received a Yellow ribbon and if you look at Jaxed profile she takes a lot of child photos that do very well.

Anyway, don't get discouraged, get even by taking more photos! :-D

03/01/2006 10:26:25 AM · #9

troberge, I looked at your average score, and it's not bad...better than mine! :) One Challenge won't kill your average. I did poorly in my last Challenge and it barely budged my average.
My score just dropped again, too. You just can't figure these voters, no matter how hard you try...I'm learning not to take it all so seriously (although I'm competitive and get ticked off, too).
Good luck, and I hope your score takes a positive bounce.

03/01/2006 10:26:42 AM · #10

Originally posted by bluenova:

Originally posted by joycobb:
troberge, I am sorry that you are discouraged. I personally really like shots of children and pets, but some may feel they are not "artsy" enough. Don't give up on their account...let 'em go kick a dog and get over it. LOL

That's not the problem for me, you could have a fantastic shot of a dog or child and sell the print for lots of money. I think the problem in on DPC we see the same dogs and same children from a different angle in many challenges time and time again, and it just gets really boring voting on them all. I also don't like cuteness being used to increase votes and will normally vote a picture down a point for cuteness. Of cause if the picture deserves a high vote I'll give it one.

Vote it down a point for cuteness? Good Grief...you do not need to compensate for those voting it up on the grounds of cuteness..because their not! As for seeing the same dogs and the same children, guess what..we can't trade em in...but I for one wouldn't know who's shots belonged to whom even if they have been entered a few times. I personally find it boring voting on shots of water dropping into a glass BUT I respect that it took effort to achieve. For those who think it is easy to get a good capture on a child/pet photograph, try chasing around a toddler who cannot sit still for 2 seconds! I find it a lot easier getting landscapes.

03/01/2006 10:28:18 AM · #11

Originally posted by hokie:

I agree that Jaxed has some incredible children photos!

03/01/2006 10:29:11 AM · #12

Originally posted by hokie:

I agree, all these pictures are very well done, but if I was voting the 3rd picture there would be knocked down a vote for cuteness, but that is just my opinion out of 100's of members all over the world as hokie said.

03/01/2006 10:31:07 AM · #13

Originally posted by bluenova:

p.s. I love dogs (especially labradors) and children, just not when they are used to bump up a vote.

bluenova, how can you tell if it was absolutely candid or used to "bump up a vote"? People with pets and kids will shoot what they know best...as people who live in cities may gravitate to architecture, etc...
It's really just a matter of personal preference. To vote something down in the case of "cuteness" sounds mean-spirited to me. ("Hey you kids, get out of my yard!") But do what you want.

Message edited by author 2006-03-01 10:33:59.

03/01/2006 10:35:08 AM · #14

Originally posted by joycobb:

Thanks JoyCobb! I know my average doesn't look too bad and I should be happy with it. Every single day I am on this site and sites like photoshopuser.com and photoshoptv.com. I have spent the last six months devoted completely to learning more about this craft. I spend an average of 5 hours everyday studying (which is hard to do sometimes with two children under 2!). I guess I find myself wondering if it was worth all the effort when i see scores like this.

I have turned off the scores now and am starting to feel better anyway. I think I will go throw myself into some more tutorials to get over this one and put it behind me.

I got an e-mail the other day to say an image I took got the photo of the day for Imaging Resource website for March 10th, so I should just focus on positive things like this rather than dwell on things like this.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/01/2006 10:39:13 AM · #15

Originally posted by joycobb:

Originally posted by bluenova:

p.s. I love dogs (especially labradors) and children, just not when they are used to bump up a vote.

bluenova, how can you tell if it was absolutely candid or used to "bump up a vote"? People with pets and kids will shoot what they know best...as people who live in cities may gravitate to architecture, etc...
It's really just a matter of personal preference. To vote something down in the case of "cuteness" sounds mean-spirited to me. ("Hey you kids, get out of my yard!") But do what you want.

True, it really depends from pic to pic, but say it was technically worth a 9 I would give it an 8 if I felt the cuteness was affecting my judgement.

Artifacts

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

03/01/2006 10:46:51 AM · #16

Originally posted by troberge:

Looks like, according to the rules, that because of your other recent DQ you cannot request another one now.

It is better to leave it in anyway and turn it into a positive learning experience. If it is getting a very low score there has to be a reason or reasons for it. You need to know them if you are to capture images that have mass appeal. If you felt good enough about the image to submit it in the first place then you want to know what others saw in it they did not like that you overlooked.

If you catch youself saying, "I knew it wasn't the best, but..." then you should not be surprised when others make that determination also and vote accordingly.

Unfortunately people here vote low for just about any old excuse. My personal favorite of theirs is an image fails to meet their small minded view of the challenge topic. What does that teach about photography? Nothing.

blemt

Nikon D70

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Nikon

03/01/2006 10:47:07 AM · #17

You can withdraw, however because you have been DQ's in the last 25 entries, the suspension policies would kick into effect.

It stinks when you are getting hammered in any challenge. I know it's frusterating. Think about the whole situation. If you really think it's bad enough to take a suspension, you can always request that we DQ the shot.

Jamester

Nikon D7000

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

03/01/2006 10:48:22 AM · #18

Originally posted by bluenova:

True, it really depends from pic to pic, but say it was technically worth a 9 I would give it an 8 if I felt the cuteness was affecting my judgement.

I just don't get that bluenova. It's like saying taking a picture of a stunning sunset should be marked down because it looks nicer. For me, it is more about the overall effect of an image than whether or not it is technically proficient. How can you divorce the subject matter from the score?

I'd hate to think my photos of my children get marks taken off because they are extremely cute (I at least think they are, but hey, I'm biased), rather than because the composition was wrong, or the focus is off.

Anyway, marking is an individual thing, and I respect your opinion (even if I just don't fully understand it).

Jamie

03/01/2006 10:51:41 AM · #19

troberge, I spend WAY more time than I care to admit at many of these POTD sites...often just for a virtual award. Still waiting to get rich at it. LOL You are doing absolutely the right thing and your shots are great. I am learning everyday, too...a lot of it here is the trick of guessing what appeals to voters at DP, and that's a tough one!!! I know that I have very little technical knowledge, a point & shoot camera, no studio...so I rely mostly on my sense of composition and the beauty of my surroundings.
bluenova...I have some serious pet peeves of my own, so I shouldn't really knock you for your opinion either. I went off on a rant on the last Challenge, and decided I needed a little break from it. LOL Back now, with more inner peace.

03/01/2006 11:02:41 AM · #20

Originally posted by Jamester:

Originally posted by bluenova:

True, it really depends from pic to pic, but say it was technically worth a 9 I would give it an 8 if I felt the cuteness was affecting my judgement.

I just don't get that bluenova. It's like saying taking a picture of a stunning sunset should be marked down because it looks nicer. For me, it is more about the overall effect of an image than whether or not it is technically proficient. How can you divorce the subject matter from the score?

I'd hate to think my photos of my children get marks taken off because they are extremely cute (I at least think they are, but hey, I'm biased), rather than because the composition was wrong, or the focus is off.

Anyway, marking is an individual thing, and I respect your opinion (even if I just don't fully understand it).

Jamie

LOL, that's true. Personaly I wouldn't submit pictures of my dogs or children here, not because they're not cute ;) but because there is just sooooo many of them already, and I just get the feeling that a lot of pictures are submitted because somebody thought 'oh he looks so cute'. Believe me if a picture is worth a high score it'll get one. A couple of examples of high scoring cuteness: