Struggling to score above a 6 lately

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

05/06/2013 05:17:29 AM · #27

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Throw enough spaghetti at the wall, and some of it is bound to stick...

Love it :-)

kasaba

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

05/06/2013 07:35:17 AM · #28

Originally posted by Damon:

In all seriousness though I understand the frustration of not scoring well when you feel your image should, especially when you fall in love with it. But you know what who cares if it scores low as long as the image you took met your vision, its a success! I find it hard at times to convey my vision or my style to a challenge, but that's the beauty of this site, because it has challenged me to take shots of subjects, locations, perspectives and angles that I would have never thought of doing before but I did it for the entries.

I guess what Im trying to say is let the challenges break out your creative juices and force you to take the best picture YOU can take with the equipment you have available and do it in your own vision. We are all artists in our own right and the only person at the end of the challenge that has to like it is you. So just go forward and improve on your photography, having fun and learning, and screw what your scores look like!

That's why I love this site so much - the amazing challenges "they" come up with. Stuff I would not have thought of. Very often I look at the title of a challenge and think "you got to be kidding, what sort of picture can you possibly take for this"? And that is when for me the fun really begins, because that's when I start brainstorming what I can come up with. Sometimes with other members, sometimes by myself. Its so much fun.
Yes, I am competitive enough to want to do well and especialy with a picture I love, but honestly, the "creating it" is almost more fun than the scores. Have I been hammering the "update" button at times? Sure :-), but often I also only just give it a glance. The second best part of DPC for me is to look at the other member's images and be amazed how different people can interprete different themes and hopefully I will learn from that. And lastly, I have taken ideas/images from members that I tried to re-create, not for other challenges, but for my "real life" photoclub, or just to learn.

What I truly would love to get are more critical comments. Give me a 5, 4, a 3, a 2 even a 1, but please tell me what you don't like, even if it is as bad as "I have no idea how you could possibly improve this image, it's that bad" ... that is better than "no comment" in my book. Yes it is nice to read that you love my picture :-) - of course, but any score below "10" means it could be improved and I would love to learn how to "do it better", or "what doesn't work/look right".

ThingFish

Olympus OM-D E-M5

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 ASPH

05/08/2013 04:37:20 AM · #29

It's not just my own images I am talking about. Just been looking at the results of some of the latest challenges and I see some, to my mind, exceptional images that ended with a low score 5.0 to 5.7 range. Images that I would have thought should have scored anywhere from 6.5 to 7.0. What's also interesting is that when you look at the score breakdown you notice that many voters gave lots of 6's 7's and quite a number of 8's with a few 9's and maybe a 10 or two. At the same time their score is dragged down because the majority of voters gave 5's with a large number of 4's and quite a lot of 3's and 2's and maybe a one or two 1's
That just goes to show how diverse everyone's viewpoint here is and how tastes differ. What one voter considers excellent another voter considers very average or below average.
Or maybe it's just that are too many strategic voters.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

05/08/2013 09:55:04 AM · #30

Originally posted by theFREDfactor:

That just goes to show how diverse everyone's viewpoint here is and how tastes differ. What one voter considers excellent another voter considers very average or below average.
Or maybe it's just that are too many strategic voters.

I think as time goes on, we are not as easily impressed and personal preferences become a larger part of our scoring criteria.

mefnj

05/12/2013 07:12:09 PM · #31

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by theFREDfactor:
That just goes to show how diverse everyone's viewpoint here is and how tastes differ. What one voter considers excellent another voter considers very average or below average.
Or maybe it's just that are too many strategic voters.

I think as time goes on, we are not as easily impressed and personal preferences become a larger part of our scoring criteria.

ok... so here's the plan... everyone go out and get 5 of their friends to join DPC. all the newbies will come in an vote high for all our great images. when scores drop again, repeat!

;-)

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

05/12/2013 07:16:15 PM · #32

I have two 5s and a 4 going at the moment.

I'm really hoping I can pull off a 6 someday!!

Judi

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

05/12/2013 07:47:33 PM · #33

Originally posted by vawendy:

I have two 5s and a 4 going at the moment.

I'm really hoping I can pull off a 6 someday!!

Oh right...so I guess a 7.0515 with a red ribbon doesn't count right??? :P

snaffles

05/12/2013 07:59:59 PM · #34

Originally posted by Judi:

Originally posted by vawendy:
I have two 5s and a 4 going at the moment.

I'm really hoping I can pull off a 6 someday!!

Oh right...so I guess a 7.0515 with a red ribbon doesn't count right??? :P

+1 *eyeroll, biting tongue*

05/12/2013 08:01:21 PM · #35

Heh, yeah, probably shouldn't complain until after your ribbon winner is off the front page.

:-)

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

05/12/2013 09:16:37 PM · #36

Everyone knows free studies don't count. :)

Judi

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

05/12/2013 09:19:17 PM · #37

Originally posted by vawendy:

Everyone knows free studies don't count. :)

I musn't be everyone then!!!

05/12/2013 09:38:48 PM · #38

I'm teasing, of course. But for me, I always feel that free study is luck for me, because I don't shoot for it. I find my favorite shot of the month. So I feel incredibly lucky if I'm able to do well against the incredible photographers on this site.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

05/12/2013 09:51:41 PM · #39

Originally posted by vawendy:

Ha! I am incredibly unlucky. I enter my best shot for the month and can't beat 50%, let alone get anywhere near a 6. Wanna let me borrow a little luck? Or perhaps some skill? :-)

cynthiann

Nikon D810

05/12/2013 09:58:42 PM · #40

Originally posted by Melethia:

Originally posted by vawendy:
I'm teasing, of course. But for me, I always feel that free study is luck for me, because I don't shoot for it. I find my favorite shot of the month. So I feel incredibly lucky if I'm able to do well against the incredible photographers on this site.

Ha! I am incredibly unlucky. I enter my best shot for the month and can't beat 50%, let alone get anywhere near a 6. Wanna let me borrow a little luck? Or perhaps some skill? :-)

You guys are a couple of Negative Nancies today... the glass is half full, I promise!

;)

Message edited by author 2013-05-12 21:59:40.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

05/12/2013 10:08:11 PM · #41

I broke the glass. :-(

cynthiann

Nikon D810

05/12/2013 10:12:14 PM · #42

Originally posted by Melethia:

I broke the glass. :-(

LOL

05/12/2013 10:33:37 PM · #43

Originally posted by cynthiann:

Originally posted by Melethia:
I broke the glass. :-(

LOL

Luckily she only broke half, so it's still half full. :)

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

05/12/2013 10:37:56 PM · #44

No, really. All sorts of problems with lenses and camera body. I think it's a sign.

cynthiann

Nikon D810

05/12/2013 10:43:13 PM · #45

Originally posted by vawendy:

Originally posted by cynthiann:

Originally posted by Melethia:
I broke the glass. :-(

LOL

Luckily she only broke half, so it's still half full. :)

I think she might have brokes the bottom half.

Deb, nothing worse than bad camera karma. I'll send some good camera karma your way. :)

spiritualspatula

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX100

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

05/13/2013 06:40:11 AM · #46

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Bingo. This fascination with the world being against our magical pictures is rather absurd. The popular vote of DPC is not determined to ruin your day.

snaffles

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

05/13/2013 02:00:08 PM · #47

Originally posted by spiritualspatula:

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by theFREDfactor:
That just goes to show how diverse everyone's viewpoint here is and how tastes differ. What one voter considers excellent another voter considers very average or below average.
Or maybe it's just that are too many strategic voters.

I think as time goes on, we are not as easily impressed and personal preferences become a larger part of our scoring criteria.

Bingo. This fascination with the world being against our magical pictures is rather absurd. The popular vote of DPC is not determined to ruin your day.

*donning tinfoil hat* Is too! Why else would I *only* come 5th in the latest FS?!

RyanW

Nikon D7000

05/13/2013 02:08:48 PM · #48

Originally posted by snaffles:

Originally posted by spiritualspatula:
Bingo. This fascination with the world being against our magical pictures is rather absurd. The popular vote of DPC is not determined to ruin your day.

*donning tinfoil hat* Is too! Why else would I *only* come 5th in the latest FS?!

Because there were only 3 other entries my dear ;-p
(not trying to be catty, just joking. i know sometimes i feel that way, especially on low-entry challenges like the current cinco de mayo challenge)

Message edited by author 2013-05-13 14:27:25.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

05/13/2013 02:10:50 PM · #49

Originally posted by spiritualspatula:

Bingo. This fascination with the world being against our magical pictures is rather absurd. The popular vote of DPC is not determined to ruin your day.

On the other hand it is discouraging to know your photography is good, but to receive the collective opinion of "Not very good" or "Eh, it's ok, I guess.". This is where the problem is for me.

snaffles