| Author | Thread |
|
|
08/22/2003 11:51:03 AM · #1 |
I'm new here and I've been scoring photos as such:
OK, average picture = 5.
Appealing subject matter, somewhat interesting=6
Nice photo, good color, highlights, exposure, appealing etc=7
Really good photo, creative, appealing = 8
Excellent photo, professional look, could be in magazine or book = 9
I haven't rated anyone's submission a 10 yet, nor have I rated below a 5. I can't imagine ever giving someone a 1 or a 2. Is my scoring way off base? Am I scoring too high? What do you think? I think since everyone's photos are subjective, and beauty in the eye of the yadda yadda, I don't feel 'qualified' to rip someone apart... |
|
|
|
08/22/2003 11:55:26 AM · #2 |
hey brian! welcome. :) You're facing questions that everyone asks when they first start out here. "how do I rank? I don't feel qualified to judge another person's photo", so its perfectly normal to question your voting scheme. That said, don't sweat it.
Look at the pictures and vote on how they make you feel, thinking about the quality of the shot and the message it gives you. Its a 10 point scale, so I think its not unreasonable to use that scale and end up with something like a normal distribution. Some on the low end, some on the high end and most in the middle ranges. Sometimes a challenge will have LOADS of pictures you love, so give them the scores you think they deserve and don't worry!
|
|
|
|
08/22/2003 11:57:00 AM · #3 |
Ten
The scales people use here vary widely.
Mine is in my profile, you're welcome to look.
But some are more generous than I (I do give 2s and even give 1s occasionally) and others vote more harshly than I.
You can see a person's voting average in their profile too, at the left.
After voting a few challenges you'll settle into your own voting pattern.
Don't let anyone bully you into feeling badly about how you vote because voting is personal and subjective and the entire point of the site is that we all have different opinions and that an image is judged by all who choose to vote.
Best of luck!
Kavey
|
|
|
|
08/22/2003 12:01:43 PM · #4 |
|
|
|
08/22/2003 12:05:49 PM · #5 |
| i agree w/ your scale ten13...i do conisder the challenge and how good/bad it was represented as well. just a thought. |
|
|
|
08/22/2003 12:06:41 PM · #6 |
Everyone votes the way that they feel comfortable. I like to give 10s in every challenge, to the pictures that IMO are the best pictures/entries for the challenge. I don't think of the best pictures in a challenge as being necessarily good enough to be in a magazine or book, although often they are (again IMO). I sometimes give 4s, and have gone below 4, but people entering pictures to the challenge are putting at least some effort into their photos, and for the most part they (the pictures) are better than a 4. I think I end up giving a lot of 5s and 6s - and that's probably not that different from a lot of participants here.
I try to comment on some pictures in each challenge, and for a while I was trying to make sure that I had a comment for at least one picture in each number score.
But voting here is totally subjective.
Ursula |
|
|
|
08/22/2003 12:17:27 PM · #7 |
Thanks! I believe in comments for every photo. I guess I'm also trying to prepare myself for what scores I will receive in my first contest submission. I'm hoping for 6s and 7s, but it looks like I"m going to get 3s-5s based on what I've seen. That can be an ego crusher even though some people think a 3 or 4 is an OK photo.
I think I'll also look at how well it fits the challenge (relative to it) and also compared to the others in the challenge.
Thanks for making me feel welcome, too! |
|
|
|
08/22/2003 12:23:13 PM · #8 |
I comment as many as I can - all those about which I feel I have something to say - but I no longer comment every entry in a challenge as I did for the first several challenges I voted on.
I do use the entire scale of 1 to 10 because it really allows me to distinguish between all the images in a challenge.
If one decides not to use 1-3 (which is perfectly acceptable, it's a personal choice, after all) it does limit the range to only 7 levels and I like to use more.
A 10 to me doesn't always mean that the image is utterly perfect, though I often find images here which I love so much that I do think of them that way, it just means it's the highest level I see in the challenge. Likewise a 1 doesn't mean it's the worst image I've ever seen in any situation, but that, in my opinion, the standard is significantly below the standard of the rest of the entries.
But that's how I look at it.
I also am not ashamed to admit the score I give to something, even if it's a 1 and would not be horrified if voting were no longer anonymous. Well, not on my own behalf anyway. For some it might make them feel unable to vote as they truly felt, in which case I'd say anonymity was required.
Anyway, as you can see, I'm just rambling now... so I'll stop!!!!
|
|
|
|
08/22/2003 12:25:42 PM · #9 |
Kavey, I love your honesty and courage. I think the main reason I rarely give scores below 4 is because I'm just too chicken :)
In a perfect world, I guess, after so many votes, we all should have an average of 5.000
...
Message edited by author 2003-08-22 12:28:42. |
|
|
|
08/22/2003 12:29:38 PM · #10 |
| How come my average scores thingy doesn't show? Is that because I haven't submitted a photo for a challenge yet? |
|
|
|
08/22/2003 12:36:42 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by Ten13:
How come my average scores thingy doesn't show? Is that because I haven't submitted a photo for a challenge yet? |
I think it is because the averages are computed once ever so often - once a week or so. Somewhere I read when and how often, but I forget now. |
|
|
|
08/22/2003 12:48:16 PM · #12 |
ten13 - i think that i'm in the same boat as new being new...you will see your avg score for the current challenge on the home page but nothing will show on your profile yet...or maybe yours is different i don't know. just a thought.
|
|
|
|
08/22/2003 12:53:02 PM · #13 |
This is how I try (very hard) to vote:
1 > a technically (composition, focus, lighting, balance, effects etc.) incompetent photo or an entirely unintelligible one (sometimes due to the size of an image) , an 'offensive' one to civilised nature or (even) a technically apt photo which 'clearly' demonstrates a 'failure of feeling'
2 > a technically lacking photo with little or no 'perceivable' artistic merit and/or interest, even when generously considered; a somewhat 'offensive' photo or a gross and inappropiate sentimentalisation of feeling in the context of the challenge; the pursuit of clichee without leaving room for an ironic interpretation
3 > a photo of mixed or questionable merit, both artistically and technically; a technically 'acceptable' one without any artistic or journalistic interest; a sentimental or highly 'commercialized' image designed to 'sell' a product or (worse!) person of considerable technical merit; a potentially 'interesting' or 'promising' photo (subject matter/perspective) with 'severe' technical flaws
4 > a 'pretty' photo reminiscent of many; an otherwise captivating image with one or more clearly distracting elements, either within the capture itself or via border and/or title; a technically accomplished photo relying predominantly on an idea and/or title for impact; an artistically 'promising' capture with clearly noticable technical defects; a technically 'stunning' capture bare of 'feeling' or 'sense'
5 > a 'good' photo by most standards; one that communicates capably without teaching or exhilarating us; an artistically interesting photo pointing an unusual view, perspective or matter, even if it suffers from technical 'flaws'; a technically 'stunning' capture with limited human or artistic 'range'
6 > a remarkable image and well executed by most standards while allowing for some technical shortcomings, not easily prevented or corrected; an ordinarary or simple shot, perfectly timed or 'found' that tells an old story in a new way; a very personal take, likely unpopular, but aesthetically 'exciting' to some; an image in the 'classic' fashion, well executed (i.e. landscape/portrait)
7 > an outstanding photograph fit for both study and pleasure, while allowing for minor technical shortcomings
8 > same as 7, but one that stimulates awareness and taxes the senses, technically flawless
9 > same as 8, but one that commotes 'perceived' reality to the point of restlessness and action
10 > a photo that challenges the order of gods and the world
|
|
|
|
08/22/2003 01:21:27 PM · #14 |
There isn't a right or wrong way, and there are obviously lots of opinions.
I personally only subtract one point if I don't think it is completely obvious how the picture fits the challenge. I like to give the benefit of the doubt and assume that the photographer somehow thinks it fits (Maybe two if it is a completely obvious challenge).
I also go back after voting and bump some pictures up. I find that I often don't give anything above a 7 otherwise. Even if there isn't a perfect picture, I'll pick my favorites and give them a 10.
|
|
|
|
08/22/2003 01:33:25 PM · #15 |
I'm new, too, and have been using ratings similar to Kavey and ten13. I think it's fair, for me. The way a photo strikes people is also an emotional process, based on life experiences and such. I rate them based on the particular contest, not based on the all-time greats. There are tons of standards for rating out there so if someone rates yours unreasonably low, don't worry about it. There will probably be another rating out there that balances it out... hopefully!
Message edited by author 2003-08-22 13:34:22. |
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 08/30/2025 07:25:44 PM EDT.
