July Free Study - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

07/01/2004 09:29:55 AM · #26

Originally posted by EddyG:

Originally posted by BobsterLobster:
I agree with Imagineer... if there was one every month, perhaps there would be less of a rush to get any photo in for this novelty challenge.

Personally, I think having free studies all the time would lessen the "challenge" aspect of DPC. The thing I like most about DPC compared to most of the other online photo competition sites out there is that it challenges folks to photograph things/situations they might not normally photograph with technqiues they might never otherwise try. If there was a monthly free study that folks could always count on, many would just take pictures for that "challenge" (I use that term loosely, since there is no challenge any more) only, completely ignoring the themed challenges. And I don't see that as a "good thing" for the site.

Quite honestly, I don't like the fact that the free study challenges are as predictable as they are. Predictability allows for manipulation. If they are going to continue, I'd prefer to see them announced randomly as extra challenges of varying durations (some 3 days, some 5 days, some 10 days, etc.)

Luckily, there are plenty of other photo competition sites where you can submit your favorite shots -- even if they don't fit into a challenge here at DPC. But I personally don't want to see DPC turn into "just another topic-free online photo competition". DPC has a good niche in this "market", and I think it should try to maintain its uniqueness.

ok, good point!

coolhar

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

07/01/2004 11:25:30 AM · #27

Originally posted by laurielblack:

methinks the hate voters are out in full force this evening... ;o)

What's a hate voter? Someone who votes for hate? Or someone who hates to vote? Or someone who hates an entry and votes it low? Or someone you hate because they voted your submission low? Methinks that hate is a pretty harsh label to lay on someone.

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

07/01/2004 11:42:16 AM · #28

Originally posted by coolhar:

Originally posted by laurielblack:
methinks the hate voters are out in full force this evening... ;o)

What's a hate voter? Someone who votes for hate? Or someone who hates to vote? Or someone who hates an entry and votes it low? Or someone you hate because they voted your submission low? Methinks that hate is a pretty harsh label to lay on someone.

The hate voter...the voter who hates kids, flowers, cats, squirrels, whatever their "hate" is...and regardless of picture quality votes it a 1 or a 2...that's all I meant. :o)

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

07/01/2004 04:36:41 PM · #29

Hmmm, I see that we're not going to have one.
Can we at least have a poll, or this topic now going to be ignored?

My reasoning for having one, is that it is nice to have the critical feedback of DPC members on favourite pictures taken during the month that do not fit a challenge. You can't get this feedback from the forums.
Also, there are enough people shoehorning their favourite pictures into challenges as it is. I believe that if there's a free study, people will be less inclined to shoehorn.
So can we have more feedback from the site admin on this issue, and a poll rather than ignoring the issue?

Bob

coolhar

07/01/2004 05:56:22 PM · #30

Originally posted by laurielblack:

eThe hate voter...the voter who hates kids, flowers, cats, squirrels, whatever their "hate" is...and regardless of picture quality votes it a 1 or a 2...that's all I meant. :o)

So if I see a pic in a challange that is a cat or a flower, and I think it is a very poorly done shot, has very little photographic merit; and it doesn't fit the challenge, not a shoehorn or a stretch but one ths is miles from fitting, and I vote it a 2, that makes me a hateful person?

Originally posted by laurielblack:

methinks the hate voters are out in full force this evening... ;o)

How does one tell when these so-called hate voters are out?

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

07/01/2004 06:05:31 PM · #31

Originally posted by coolhar:

Jeez, what did I do to you? I only meant exactly what I said...the ones who, REGARDLESS of picture quality, vote down a picture just because of its subject. I'm not talking about you, I didn't say you were hateful, nor did I mention shoehorning or stretching a topic, or poorly done shots, I'm talking about voters who systematically hate shots due to the subject alone. There have been numerous threads in the forums where people have remarked that they do exactly what I'm talking about. That is all in the world I meant by it.

As far as when to tell when they are out, who knows? It was merely a comment about voters who don't like many of the kinds of shots entered in the free study (i.e. lots of flowers, animals, kids, etc.) and threads posted by people complaining about getting low scores already. What on earth was so wrong with that? Aren't I entitled to an opinion?

nborton

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

07/01/2004 08:46:40 PM · #32

i am a hate voter. i hate crappy pictures. :)

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

07/01/2004 08:47:14 PM · #33

Originally posted by nborton:

i am a hate voter. i hate crappy pictures. :)

LOL! ;o)

Ecce_Signum

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

07/01/2004 08:52:51 PM · #34

I did have a comment tonight saying if there were a small child in the picture it would be fantastic! I took it as a tongue in cheek comment, maybe they read this?

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED VR

07/02/2004 03:19:33 AM · #35

Originally posted by BobsterLobster:

Erm... let's NOT ignore this?

jadin

Nikon D800

07/02/2004 03:27:24 AM · #36

Is there any reason every month can't have a free study? Some of the best photos are ones that don't fit into a specific challenge.

I noticed I have way more 7's - 10's I've given than normal.

PaulMdx

Canon EOS-1D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

07/02/2004 03:38:43 AM · #37

Originally posted by jadin:

Is there any reason every month can't have a free study?

See EddyG's post earlier in this thread.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

07/02/2004 07:46:08 AM · #38

On the 'about' page here at DPC:
'In May 2002, we realized that it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of everything happening on the site, so we introduced the Site Council as a voice for the DPChallenge Community. Site Council members are volunteer helpers whose primary job is to keep us aware of the needs of the community.'

The issue of monthly challenges has been raised again and again, and I have seen no development of this issue. I believe we need to poll this community to see if most people want a monthly challenge, which I suspect they do.

Can we please have some site council involvement (I know you're all busy people, but this is part of the brief!)? I don't think the eariler post by EddyG counts, as he prefaces everything with the word 'personally' more than once.

It's not good when you feel that nobody is listening.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

07/02/2004 09:14:45 AM · #39

As usual, I agree with EddyG, and I'd like to see a more random mix of timeframes as well. I view the Free Studies as a rare privelege where anything goes. There are plenty of open photo contests on the web, but I haven't even looked at them because it's the challenge aspect of this site that I find so intriguing. Also, the quality of shots may be higher in the Free Studies, but the overwhelming number of entries makes voting and commenting a chore and distracts from the 'real' challenges.

I've taken plenty of good shots that I couldn't enter because they didn't fit the current challenge (I wish more people would show similar restraint), but I've learned FAR more from being forced to take photos that I wouldn't have otherwise tried. You can always show off or get comments in an Individual Photograph Discussion thread.

Imagineer

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

07/02/2004 11:25:13 AM · #40

I have to back up Bob though on the issue of polling. There are some threads that appear time and again on this site, such as the Free Study and more storage space, etc. it seems to me that with so many people favouring Free Studies that it's worth putting to the vote. Why not?

Scalvert - you mention the very reason for doing them more often, and that's the number of entries. If people know they can fit a great shot in whenever they like there won't be a massive array to sift through. I'd be interested to see how many voters go through all of the Free Study shots (particularly on a dial-up).

I think the Free Studies are a creative way of seeing what kind of photography people are motivated by, aside from portfolios and cluttering the forums with Individual Photo Discussions.

jpochard

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

07/02/2004 11:56:28 AM · #41

Here's a suggestion. Since we all claim to be mostly interested in the comments, rather than the actual score. How about a monthy free study where we can place ONE photo and we don't get a score or ribbon but people simply comment on the photo.

I know we have the "Individual Photo" discussion, but this would be more specific to that month and for members. It would also be limited to that one photo we think was best for our month. And if it's possible, the photo should be available to receive comments as soon as it's posted.

I agree that the free study is difficult to "score" because of the variety of the photos, but I like the idea of a monthly focus for "the best of..." I would suggest a two week entry window (last two weeks of the month...and during which time comments could be made as photos are entered) and an additional two weeks following that to allow for additional commenting.

Maybe too complicated? I dunno. Just an idea.

Message edited by author 2004-07-02 11:57:31.

dagaleaa

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

Panasonic Lumix 20mm f1.7 ASPH

07/02/2004 12:18:33 PM · #42

I think we should have a free study challenge during all of the summer months because that is the time period many people take their annual vacations.....I know that does not include everyone, but possibly the majority. I am taking my annual vacation in August, and a vacation gives me an opportunity to photograph a new location and try out new ideas.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

07/02/2004 12:50:18 PM · #43

Originally posted by dagaleaa:

Excellent idea!!! Can we have some official feedback please?

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

07/02/2004 01:06:40 PM · #44

Summer isn't the same for everyone. There are a number of members from Australia, etc.

I like Judy's idea for non-voting free studies as a better way to get feedback and see what others are working on without tying up the forums. Maybe just leave it as an open, group portfolio that simply rolls over to the 400 most recently posted shots, or something like that.

karmat

Apple iPhone 7

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

07/02/2004 01:56:49 PM · #45

Always remember -- Just because something is not acted upon or implemented, doesn't mean it is being ignored. If you want a "free study" everymonth, enter your picture in one of the many open contests elsewhere.

Two of the unique characteristics of DPC, as stated before, are the "deadline" and challenge aspects of it.

As far as getting feedback in the forums -- It seems to me that most pictures that get posted in the forums get at least a couple of replies to them, if not a couple of pages. This seems like it is more than the number of comments given on most pictures.

Maybe in the future there will be "regularly" scheduled free studies. BUT, I don't think that is on the planning board right now. I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time, even today.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

07/02/2004 02:15:58 PM · #46

Originally posted by karmat:

Well, it seems to me like there are a huge amount of people up for monthly challenges. It seems like being ignored when many people's wishes go unrecognised. I understand the arguments against, but would still like to see a poll, as I suspect most people would be 'for'.

While it is true that photos in the forums get a lot of feedback, this is never the same type of feedback that is received during a challenge, which I usually find far more helpful, and less 'back-patting', nice though that is sometimes.

EddyG

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

07/02/2004 02:50:16 PM · #47

I'm sure if we put up a poll asking if everyone who entered a challenge should get a free 8x10 of their challenge entry, the results would be pretty obvious. Just because some people are in favor of an idea doesn't necessarily mean it is a good thing to do. There are other things to consider.

As I stated before, I very much like the "theme" and "short timeframe" aspect of DPC's challenges. I think monthly "enter whatever you want" competitions would really devalue what this site is all about.

Message edited by author 2004-07-02 14:50:59.

ScottK

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

07/02/2004 03:01:12 PM · #48

Originally posted by scalvert:

Summer isn't the same for everyone. There are a number of members from Australia, etc.

Good point. So include the three NH summer months, as well as the three SH summer months. And since spring is a great time for getting out after the long winter and shooting all the new vegitation, include the three spring months. From both hemisphere's of course. So what's that give us? 12 months. Perfect. :)