| Author | Thread |
|
|
07/02/2004 03:16:37 PM · #51 |
Originally posted by EddyG:
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. |
That's a pretty sarcastic arguement, and isn't really relevant to the debate. There's little or no cost to adding a monthly free study.
But I kind of like your suggestion. Lets put that up for a vote while we're at it. ;)
Originally posted by EddyG:
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. |
And just because some people are against it doesn't necessarily mean its a bad thing. What other things are there to consider?
Originally posted by EddyG:
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. |
How does a monthly "enter whatever you want" competition have any negative effect whatsoever on the normal weekly challenges? 1) Nobody's suggested stopping or cutting back on the weekly challenges. 2) A monthly free study very likely (its all speculation right now, isn't it?) cut back on the number of "off topic" entries in the themed challenges, since people would probably be less likely to want to squeeze that awesome shot they got in to some challenge.
On the other hand, I don't agree with the arguement that doing it monthly would lessen the number of entries in the free study challenges. "Your best shot taken in the month of X" puts zero restraint on entering something, anything, so other than the frustration of seeing a low score, why not?
All the above aside, I do like your (I think it was yours) earlier idea of possibly more frequent, but more random in nature, free studies. And/or more speed challenges. Surprises are always a lot of fun. :) |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 03:23:18 PM · #52 |
Originally posted by kevrobertson:
This is a great site, and as the old saying goes... If it aint broke...
Well done DP |
No arguement with the beginning and end of the above, and probably neither would anyone else that's posted to this thread. :)
But if the site had taken the "If it ain't broke..." attitude, DPC would not be the site you see today. Lots of things have changed in the year or so that I've been around (pretty much all for the better, with the occasional bumps in the road), and lots of things changed in the year or more before I joined. Even if it sounds like it, I don't think anyone's trying to knock the site, just trying to let the community have a voice in how it grows. Which is another great aspect of this site. |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 03:25:03 PM · #53 |
Originally posted by BobsterLobster:
Does this all just boil down to server space? |
Not in my opinion. I think "Monthly Free Studies" (I don't even consider them "challenges" since there is no "challenge") totally devalue the two things that make DPC what it is -- the "surprise" of everybody finding out what they can photograph (by limiting the scope through challenge themes) and having a limited amount of time in which to take them. Without those key factors, it's just another run-of-the-mill photo contest site (of which there are plenty to submit pics that don't happen to fit one of the at least 8 challenges that take place each month here on DPC.)
But my biggest problem with having them "regularly scheduled" is the fact that they are predictable, which makes them easy to manipulate. For example, in August, someone gets an opportunity to attend a photo shoot of Heidi Klum thanks to a hook-up from a photographer friend. What is to stop them from setting the date on their camera to September so they can enter the pics in the September Free Study since they know it is coming? Or someone who goes on vacation in August? Or even July for that matter? I realize that is a potential argument for making them monthly, so refer to the first paragraph. =]
Message edited by author 2004-07-02 15:37:59. |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 03:43:50 PM · #54 |
Originally posted by EddyG:
Not in my opinion. I think "Monthly Free Studies" (I don't even consider them "challenges" since there is no "challenge") totally devalue the two things that make DPC what it is -- the "surprise" of everybody finding out what they can photograph (by limiting the scope through challenge themes) and having a limited amount of time in which to take them. Without those key factors, it's just another run-of-the-mill photo contest site (of which there are plenty to submit pics that don't happen to fit one of the at least 8 challenges that take place each month here on DPC.) |
I hardly think that DPC would be just another run-of-the-mill photo contest site... what grabbed me about this community wasn't the way the challenges were organised, but more immediate things like the layout of the site, the friendliness of the interface, and the fantastic collection of friendly and supportive people. The quality of the Photography grabbed me as well, and that brings up another argument for having monthly challenges, which is that the quality of the photography will go up, and people who sell prints will manage to sell more of them. If you don't like the idea of monthly challenges, you don't have to look at them, or don't have to enter them!
Originally posted by EddyG:
But my biggest problem with having them "regularly scheduled" is the fact that they are predictable, which makes them easy to manipulate. For example, in August, someone gets an opportunity to attend a photo shoot of Heidi Klum thanks to a hook-up from a photographer friend. What is to stop them from setting the date on their camera to September so they can enter the pics in the September Free Study since they know it is coming? Or someone who goes on vacation in August? Or even July for that matter? I realize that is a potential argument for making them monthly, so please see refer to the first paragraph. |
If this is a factor in deciding whether to introduce changes to the site, then let people cheat! I really can't imagine many people manipulating their Exif data in this way, particularly good photographers. I think we're all pretty good at self-reglating here, and most mistakes seem to be honest ones. Do people really think that the floodgates will be opened to an orgy of cheating and date manipulation with regular challenges? I can't see it. |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 04:02:11 PM · #55 |
Originally posted by EddyG:
I think "Monthly Free Studies" (I don't even consider them "challenges" since there is no "challenge") ... |
Whoa! Getting a photo worthy of entering in the free study may not be a challenge to you, but it sure as hell was for me. I had a grand total of 2 shots to choose from.
|
|
|
|
07/02/2004 04:10:15 PM · #56 |
I agree, bod...for folks who get really great shots all the time and have many to choose from, it would be great...but for the average joes like me, it's tough to come up with something that could even stand a chance of competing. I think if a free study was offered every month it might be kind of discouraging to novice photographers (myself included), who could feel overwhelmed with the feeling we should produce something stunning every time we turn around. I think the topical challenges help, in some small way, to level the playing field a bit, IMHO. Plus, that's a lot of voting and commenting--I know, you don't have to vote or comment on all the shots, but if I submit something in a challenge, I vote on all of them, and comment on as many as I can, because that's my description of fairness. I could always choose to not enter in the free study challenges, but what's the fun of that? ;o) LOL
Anyway, enough rambling. I think that kevrobertson was right when he said, "If it ain't broke..."
|
|
|
|
07/02/2004 05:03:39 PM · #57 |
Originally posted by kevrobertson:
... If it aint broke...
|
Too right.
|
|
|
|
07/02/2004 05:09:25 PM · #58 |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 05:20:57 PM · #59 |
Originally posted by EddyG:
Not in my opinion. I think "Monthly Free Studies" (I don't even consider them "challenges" since there is no "challenge") totally devalue the two things that make DPC what it is -- the "surprise" of everybody finding out what they can photograph (by limiting the scope through challenge themes) and having a limited amount of time in which to take them. |
Completely agree Eddy. As you've mentioned, there are plenty of sites for open pic submissions, I really don't see the necessity to have it on DPC. |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 05:41:03 PM · #60 |
Originally posted by PaulMdx:
Completely agree Eddy. As you've mentioned, there are plenty of sites for open pic submissions, I really don't see the necessity to have it on DPC. |
Me too. It's not that the open challenges are a bad thing, I just feel that this site is something more than the monthly free-for-alls that exist elsewhere. The challenge element is the main twist that makes it special. I don't even want to ponder the extra workload of a monthly free study on the SC, but I'll bet it's not insignificant. |
|
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: 08/18/2025 12:21:45 AM EDT.
