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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> DPC has me wondering.
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 02/28/2014 01:58:25 PM · #1
I am not a whiner, I do not sit and roll my bottom lip out like a child when my image does not do well. I have noticed that there are good images receiving very low scores, and yes a few of mine have been in that category. The reason I know that the images that were rated low here are fair to good images.. and some are outstanding! These very images of which I speak have been bought, published, and won prizes on other sites and publishing companies. Now.. where I am going with this is when you brave all kinds of weather, edit, and sit for hours and try to chose an image that DPC will like I have yet to master that ability. Yes it does bother me that my images that I feel are good seem to bomb on this site. It used to be almost an obsession with me to prove I could do it, not so much anymore, seems there are some that will not allow that to happen by their scoring process. I hope I have not offended anyone, and I know this has been discussed before, and I know this will do absolutely no good at all to help the situation. I feel better now :)
 02/28/2014 02:18:16 PM · #2
we're all there at different times. that's why i gave up on trying to compete with the people regularly pulling high 6's, 7's and even 8's (*cough*Gyaban*cough*Samantha*cough*)
Photography is a hobby for me, similar to painting model wargame figures, playing video games or being married....oh...wait, better fix that last one...ehh....anyways, coming to the realiztion that the people who pull these scores regularly are either naturally gifted with photographic manipulation skills, foresight or just suffer from a plain old lack of children and overabundance of free time as a result. No matter which one it is, it's going to take me years to reach that place with concentrated effort, and i love this hobby far too much to do that to myself, because if i do it won't be a hobby, it will be a consuming aspect of my life, and some digital ribbons aren't worth that to me. So if i stumble into something, amazing! Otherwise, i'll learn what I can to help improve my base as I go from some very wonderful people here and pass along my ramblings on occasion. :)
 02/28/2014 02:19:00 PM · #3
DPC scores do not necessarily reflect a photo's worth. Getting lots of high scores and ribbons is a product of attaining 'dpc-mind'. The positive reinforcement received for attaining dpc-mind is very addictive and makes it difficult to submit things other than glossy synergies of challenge-topic-appropriateness and technical competence. DPC-mind can be inhibiting to your growth, as can the challenge editing rules that get stuck in your head at times when you don't need to follow them. Do not chase dpc-mind or dpc-scores. Inhabit neenee-mind and make the images you think are worthwhile. Om.
 02/28/2014 02:20:52 PM · #4
you can also join in the Race for the Brown!(tm)
 02/28/2014 02:50:47 PM · #5
Originally posted by skewsme:
DPC scores do not necessarily reflect a photo's worth. Getting lots of high scores and ribbons is a product of attaining 'dpc-mind'. The positive reinforcement received for attaining dpc-mind is very addictive and makes it difficult to submit things other than glossy synergies of challenge-topic-appropriateness and technical competence. DPC-mind can be inhibiting to your growth, as can the challenge editing rules that get stuck in your head at times when you don't need to follow them. Do not chase dpc-mind or dpc-scores. Inhabit neenee-mind and make the images you think are worthwhile. Om.

I suppose this is good advice, but may I suggest the opposite: Full-on DPC-mode, all the time. It's been incredibly rewarding for me. Talking about the differences between the basic and advanced editing rule sets at dinner parties, for example, has freed up my social calender considerably and I now have more time to take pictures and snuff the life out of them with time-intensive over-editing. And let me tell you, you save a lot of money when your only dinner guests are woodies and rubber duckies.
 02/28/2014 03:17:54 PM · #6
i personally embrace the devil may care attitude
but sometimes if my entry by accident is candy friendly
i get upset with the scores,silly i know
better stick to fun side of the street

02/28/2014 03:21:23 PM · #7
I'm always less stressed when I remember to apply the "DPC Voter Correction Factor" of 1.6 to my current score ... :-)
 02/28/2014 03:23:47 PM · #8
Originally posted by GeneralE:
I'm always less stressed when I remember to apply the "DPC Voter Correction Factor" of 1.6 to my current score ... :-)


You have DPC confused with APS-C ;)
 02/28/2014 03:26:50 PM · #9
Originally posted by GeneralE:
I'm always less stressed when I remember to apply the "DPC Voter Correction Factor" of 1.6 to my current score ... :-)


Hah, when I do that I here I call it "Bias Adjustment"...
 02/28/2014 04:04:27 PM · #10
i run it through the wife filter. if she "hmm"s then i know the score is justified. if she thinks its a good image then i apply the bell curve to my score :)
 02/28/2014 04:54:10 PM · #11
For some people, the scores they give are a good indication of what they know about photographs
For others, the scores they give are a good indication of what they don't know about photographs.
The problem is that both groups use exactly the same numbers, 1 to 10, so you can't tell the difference.
 02/28/2014 06:11:12 PM · #12
It is a very precious few who are consistent in ending at the top. I think their particular, personal aesthetic more closely aligns with that of the greatest number of voters. For most ribbon winners, however, it's hit or miss.

As my images get closer to being "true" to my personal aesthetic, my DPC scores have been dropping, but I'm earning money with them in RL :)
 02/28/2014 06:30:04 PM · #13
Of course DPC is not real life, what works here not necessarily means having a great image or, as Johanna said, having a photo that can make get money in real business.

Moreover we have challenge titles and our images must follow in some way those guidelines.

At the same time I don't like very much reading that ribbon winning images are just a DPC territory and that outside this place no one would appreciate them or worse that they are not good stuff. Of course I can't understand voters' behaviour sometimes, but don't forget that the same people here submit and vote.
 02/28/2014 06:47:46 PM · #14
Originally posted by skewsme:
DPC scores do not necessarily reflect a photo's worth. Getting lots of high scores and ribbons is a product of attaining 'dpc-mind'. The positive reinforcement received for attaining dpc-mind is very addictive and makes it difficult to submit things other than glossy synergies of challenge-topic-appropriateness and technical competence. DPC-mind can be inhibiting to your growth, as can the challenge editing rules that get stuck in your head at times when you don't need to follow them. Do not chase dpc-mind or dpc-scores. Inhabit neenee-mind and make the images you think are worthwhile. Om.


we should re-read this from time to time.

and MAYBE we should have more exceptional rules for challenges more often.
 02/28/2014 08:23:46 PM · #15
Originally posted by neenee1999:
seems there are some that will not allow that to happen by their scoring process.


While I definitely have issues on how people score things (simply because it's not my way :), this statement just doesn't hold much water, simply because everyone is held to the same standards, whatever they may be. Some people like the more mainstream, some people like the funkier shots, but it all evens out in the wash. If your eye candy shot is getting panned by the abstract folks, they're mostly likely panning other eye candy shots. If your abstract isn't understood and appreciated by the mainstream crowd, the other abstracts are probably getting hit, as well.

The strength and weakness of DPC are the challenges themselves. You're not being judged simply on the photo, but how it relates to the challenge, as well. So an excellent photo might simply be voted down simply because it doesn't seem to meet the challenge.

This shot of yours was absolutely stunning --



But it simply didn't speak rhythm to me. Yes, the fence had rhythm, but that seemed more of an afterthought, since the strength of the photo was the bird, not the rhythm. For challenges with topics, I like the photo to have an obvious relation to the topic for a higher vote. I do like out of the box shots, as well. But those need to have a unique, fun, different take on the challenge, not just a tenuous link.

So I think often wonderful photos simply have disadvantage of getting hit relative to the challenge topic.

I compete because I'm competitive, but I also do every challenge whether or not it interests me, simply because it forces me to experiment with things that I'd never do otherwise. And each time, I learn and grow.

But what it boils down to is: majority rules. The majority isn't always right about what's worthwhile/spectacular/sucky -- it just shows the majority's opinion. And it should simply be taken as such.

Message edited by author 2014-03-01 11:12:15.
 02/28/2014 08:49:49 PM · #16
Originally posted by Alexkc:
At the same time I don't like very much reading that ribbon winning images are just a DPC territory and that outside this place no one would appreciate them or worse that they are not good stuff.

Please re-read because I don't think anyone has said that in this thread. And for clarification re: my post, a photo that displays 'glossy synergies of challenge-topic-appropriateness and technical competence' may also be a good, interesting photo in other realms. These attributes are not mutually exclusive.
 03/01/2014 03:32:32 AM · #17
Originally posted by skewsme:
DPC scores do not necessarily reflect a photo's worth. Getting lots of high scores and ribbons is a product of attaining 'dpc-mind'. The positive reinforcement received for attaining dpc-mind is very addictive and makes it difficult to submit things other than glossy synergies of challenge-topic-appropriateness and technical competence. DPC-mind can be inhibiting to your growth, as can the challenge editing rules that get stuck in your head at times when you don't need to follow them. Do not chase dpc-mind or dpc-scores. Inhabit neenee-mind and make the images you think are worthwhile. Om.


Superb post well worth the entrance fee, thank you.
 03/01/2014 06:01:16 AM · #18
Originally posted by skewsme:
Originally posted by Alexkc:
At the same time I don't like very much reading that ribbon winning images are just a DPC territory and that outside this place no one would appreciate them or worse that they are not good stuff.

Please re-read because I don't think anyone has said that in this thread. And for clarification re: my post, a photo that displays 'glossy synergies of challenge-topic-appropriateness and technical competence' may also be a good, interesting photo in other realms. These attributes are not mutually exclusive.


Don't make me wrong, your post is very clever and I agree with most of you stated. I found some sort of hint to 'real photography is another thing' but the way you said it made sense. So there's no problem about it. And I agree that neenee should find her way apart from DPC rules and Contest titles.

Message edited by author 2014-03-01 06:02:02.
 03/01/2014 06:45:41 AM · #19
Originally posted by skewsme:
DPC scores do not necessarily reflect a photo's worth. Getting lots of high scores and ribbons is a product of attaining 'dpc-mind'. The positive reinforcement received for attaining dpc-mind is very addictive and makes it difficult to submit things other than glossy synergies of challenge-topic-appropriateness and technical competence. DPC-mind can be inhibiting to your growth, as can the challenge editing rules that get stuck in your head at times when you don't need to follow them. Do not chase dpc-mind or dpc-scores. Inhabit neenee-mind and make the images you think are worthwhile. Om.


supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
I'm trying to expose my stuff now and I'm realizing that my high scoring stuff here isn't always the best for the artsy French crowd. I can feel the blur rising in me.
 03/01/2014 06:48:57 AM · #20
My scores and are all over the place and so is "my style" or better said the lack of it... I'm happy when I ribbon but equaly indifferent on the low ones. Most of the time I Iike my entries, sometimes I Iove them while sometimes I just enter cause I feel like I have to.

That being said I am around here cause somehow motivates me to take photos, and maybe be creative.

And soon I'll renew the membership for the people I get to meet here, even if only virtually. Some of them wonderful!

Edit for typos on iPhone :)

Message edited by author 2014-03-01 06:53:42.
 03/01/2014 09:49:01 AM · #21
Originally posted by jagar:
Originally posted by skewsme:
DPC scores do not necessarily reflect a photo's worth. Getting lots of high scores and ribbons is a product of attaining 'dpc-mind'. The positive reinforcement received for attaining dpc-mind is very addictive and makes it difficult to submit things other than glossy synergies of challenge-topic-appropriateness and technical competence. DPC-mind can be inhibiting to your growth, as can the challenge editing rules that get stuck in your head at times when you don't need to follow them. Do not chase dpc-mind or dpc-scores. Inhabit neenee-mind and make the images you think are worthwhile. Om.


supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
I'm trying to expose my stuff now and I'm realizing that my high scoring stuff here isn't always the best for the artsy French crowd. I can feel the blur rising in me.
let me know if I can help you become more popular. Hahahaha
 03/01/2014 10:27:26 AM · #22
too many balmalochas over salt the scores
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