I'm extremely excited about my 4th place in Rivers & Streams, but many people seem to feel I "just missed."
I know everyone who has said it is being kind and sympathetic. I KNOW these comments come from a good place. So what I'm about to say is with gratitude for their thoughts, not as a smack at them. But:
- This is a personal best (first time over 7) and my first honorable mention, it gots lots of comments and faves, the commenter score is through the roof, and it's the highest-scoring urban shot in a challenge dominated by fantastic landscapes on a site with fantastic landscape photographers (I mean, just look at who else is in the top 10).
- While ribbons are nice, many people (including me) don't gauge success solely by ribbons.
- Personal firsts of all kinds are terrific, and don't diminish merely for missing a ribbon.
- Finally ... offering sympathy when someone is very excited takes a bit of the shine off.
So. Can I ask that everyone simply congratulate high scoring shots, or shots that take off in a different direction, or shots that make you think, or shots that demonstrate growth for the photographer? There are so many ways people can make progress, and scores and ribbons are simply two of the more obvious.
Now, if you know someone is disappointed, then by all means, offer sympathy. :) Reading their own comments can give you a good idea of how they're feeling.
Thanks!
Message edited by author 2008-01-21 11:22:54. |
