Is it just me? - DPChallenge Forums

02/16/2006 10:26:32 PM · #1

Is it just me or do you usually feel pretty good about your photo before submitting it and start HATING it the minute you get a couple of average scores? And vice versa, I was not really too excited about photos that did well with the voters.

That makes me think I have no real sense of what makes a good photo and what does not. And only when it comes to my own work, because I do tend to agree for the most part with the placement of other people's photographs in challenges.

Is it because I stare at the photo too much while editing it, and in my mind it becomes something it is not, and the minute the voting starts you sort of look at it with a fresh perspective?

Anybody have this problem?

rox_rox

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

02/16/2006 10:30:20 PM · #2

Yep.

crayon

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

02/16/2006 10:34:28 PM · #3

Yup

02/16/2006 10:37:11 PM · #4

So, how do we snap out of it and become awesome... and ribbon in every challenge?!!

rox_rox

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

02/16/2006 10:39:12 PM · #5

Originally posted by InnaN:

So, how do we snap out of it and become awesome... and ribbon in every challenge?!!

I was hoping you could tell me that;)

Edit to add: I'm not so interested in winning a ribbon (though it would be nice). If this site disappeared tomorrow I'd still be a better photographer for it, and that's all the reward I need.

Message edited by author 2006-02-16 22:41:05.

crayon

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

02/16/2006 10:43:11 PM · #6

Originally posted by InnaN:

So, how do we snap out of it and become awesome... and ribbon in every challenge?!!

Hire someone to prevent all the better photographers from submitting ;)

TooCool

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

02/16/2006 10:44:14 PM · #7

Originally posted by crayon:

Originally posted by InnaN:
So, how do we snap out of it and become awesome... and ribbon in every challenge?!!

Hire someone to prevent all the better photographers from submitting ;)

Tonya Harding ain't doin' nuthin' lately...

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

02/16/2006 10:51:58 PM · #8

Originally posted by greatandsmall:

Originally posted by InnaN:
So, how do we snap out of it and become awesome... and ribbon in every challenge?!!

I was hoping you could tell me that;)

Edit to add: I'm not so interested in winning a ribbon (though it would be nice). If this site disappeared tomorrow I'd still be a better photographer for it, and that's all the reward I need.

That's true, I share this sentiment as well. But without the voting system (I mean the score rather than just comments) we wouldn't know if our images lacked the "wow" factor. In that sense, the ribbon itself is not important but a good score is, because it indicates your image reached the voters and got the message across.

So, for me it's more rewarding to get a good score for an image that I also love, than the other way around, I guess.

Message edited by author 2006-02-16 22:54:13.

persimon

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

02/16/2006 10:57:32 PM · #9

Yeah, this happens to me too. It is happening right now in one of the challenges. I was so proud of my photo. I just knew it was one of my better ones - WRONG! It is scoring really low in a challenge where practically EVERYONE is scoring high. I hope to redeem myself on Duotones II.

02/16/2006 10:57:41 PM · #10

Originally posted by TooCool:

Originally posted by crayon:

Originally posted by InnaN:
So, how do we snap out of it and become awesome... and ribbon in every challenge?!!

Hire someone to prevent all the better photographers from submitting ;)

Tonya Harding ain't doin' nuthin' lately...

LOL!!! That's my plan B. Although I think I'll try to do it the oldfashioned way first by trying to improve.

rox_rox

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

02/16/2006 10:57:49 PM · #11

Yeah, I stare at my images for so long that I convince myself they are decent enough to enter. So far I have only submitted two shots that I felt had the "Wow" factor; and they are my highest scoring images. Entering is like a bad habit I can't shake. I seem to be willing to face the humiliation just for the chance to be a participant. (Same thing I do in the forums:0)

02/16/2006 11:02:06 PM · #12

Originally posted by persimon:

Story of my life!!!

02/16/2006 11:06:15 PM · #13

Originally posted by greatandsmall:

Me too, I enter just to be able to hit the update button all day and watch my score change from 5.21 to 5.19. I am changing my strategy though, from now on I am entering only the images I am absolutely sure are my best (yeah right).

crayon

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

02/16/2006 11:07:35 PM · #14

Originally posted by InnaN:

I think I'll try to do it the oldfashioned way first by trying to improve.

All the time, I find myself doing trial-and-error with DPC challenges. maybe after 20 challenges entered, I can slowly know what makes a great photo.

Some people thinks that scoring high in DPC isn't important as DPC is just a community and does not represent everyone else out there. But to me, I felt that DPC is a good place to learn and improve.

graphicfunk

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

02/16/2006 11:16:29 PM · #15

Interesting thoughts. here is what I suggest. To stay sharp you must remain in the race. If you wait for the nice image then many factors come into play along with many virtues which may elude you. First, you must become a good judge of what is good or bad. This you learn slowly by observing and perusing challenge after challenge. I look at every image in every challenge way down to the losers at the bottom. There is a lesson by simply determining to the best of your ability what the image is lacking in technique or composition. While all this becomes digested you read books on technique and composition. Eventually it all comes together and your images improve not on a linear basis but nonetheless you will begin to score better.

No. dropping out and waiting will make you lose the edge of competition: remember: you image should always try to rise above the commonplace and your technique should always be adequate. This means reshooting and reworking to achieve your end.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

02/16/2006 11:25:40 PM · #16

Originally posted by graphicfunk:

Interesting thoughts. here is what I suggest...

Thanks! I'll do that. I have much to learn, but I love it so I will. I feel I have gotten much better just from being on this site.

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

02/16/2006 11:33:54 PM · #17

Actually, if I liked the image a lot when I submitted it, I still like it even if it scores not-so-good. I usually put the image I've got in a challenge on my desktop at work and my co-workers who haven't a clue (photography-wise, I mean!) are usually very impressed. That's kind of fun in and of itself. (An odd phrase - "in and of itself...)

All that said, there are definitely times when I say "What WERE you thinking?" just after I hit "submit".... :-)

ladyhawk22

Sony DSLR-A700

Sony SAL-50F14 Normal 50mm f/1.4 Autofocus Lens for the Sony

02/17/2006 12:06:28 AM · #18

I'm currently struggling with the SAME thing!! Most of the shots I enter, I'm pretty happy with. In retrospect there are a handful that I would not have entered (ah, to have the luxury of hindsight!) I've got a photo in a current challenge now that I was really excited about and it's getting a very "ho hum" vote.

Meh.

What makes it better for me is showing what I like to some of my close friends in town. Maybe they're just being nice, but it really makes my day when they have good things to say about shots that didn't do to well here. In terms of a recent photo, I had one friend tell me I should enter it in a challenge, and another friend told me they thought it was a pro shot I had found somewhere and wanted to share!

Hearing things like that make it MUCH easier to swallow the ho hum votes. I try hard (though sometimes fail) to remember that *I* have to like what I shoot....otherwise, why do I do it? If I had fun taking the picture and was proud enough to share it here or elsewhere, then that's what counts.

*I hope* :-)

persimon

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

02/17/2006 10:44:11 AM · #19

You know guys, I did a little research through some of our star photographer's portfolios. Almost all of them seemed to have humble beginnings.
Just a few examples:

Look at Manuel Librodo. His lowest score was a 4.989! I have seen his early work on another site, and not saying it is bad at all, but he has improved so much over the years. It has taken time though.

Another example: Joey Lawrence. It took him 56 challenges and over 1 1/2 years of participation before he started ribboning or even placing in the top 10.

Even Gary K whose rise to masterdome was very fast. His lowest score is a 5.524 back in 2003 - his highest 8.013. You even see improvement among the masters.

I think the keys to success with this site or in photography in general is to keep at it, stay the course, be passionate, take criticism and learn from it, be patient, and most of all BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR OWN WORK! I feel much better after realizing this. I think I look at things in a whole new way now.

Message edited by author 2006-02-17 11:16:25.

persimon

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

02/17/2006 02:58:55 PM · #20

bump

jpochard

Canon EOS-40D

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

02/17/2006 03:11:21 PM · #21

This is only the second challenge where I really wish I had entered differently. The first time, I actually entered the wrong file by mistake, so I knew it wouldn't do well.

This time, I fooled around with the photo too much and should have quit and entered a less processed version. I liked the entry until the comments made me look again, and then I realized that what was being said is true. :(

Falc

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

02/17/2006 03:14:58 PM · #22

Originally posted by persimon:

You are correct its a long slow process. I've just submitted my 100th challenge entry and its been a wonderful 2 years of learning for me. I started off with 5,s a few 4's and a few rare 6's but when I look back those shots are stepping stones. I'm still learning and I'm still excited when I submit my entry.

The site and community is such a boost just keep on plugging away, you will get there in the sooner or later.

digitalpins

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

02/17/2006 03:15:25 PM · #23

Originally posted by jpochard:

The first time, I actually entered the wrong file by mistake, so I knew it wouldn't do well.

I did that for the recent free study, dont know what I was thinking, me being a dumbass I entered the wrong one, did not realize either until I saw it on the website when the voting started.

I like the images I enter all except the free study one.

iamkmaniam

Nikon D200

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

02/17/2006 04:08:59 PM · #24

I make sure that I am happy with the shot. If it does bad I usually don't get mad unless the comments are rude. As long as I know I did what I set out to do I can stay happy. I think my average score is a 4.something To be honest, I could care less.

margiemu