DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 

DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> Low Scores and the Feeling Of Rejection
Pages:  
Showing posts 26 - 50 of 79, (reverse)
AuthorThread
 02/21/2004 10:36:15 PM · #26
I wouldn't get worked up over individual numbers. I'm not saying that to cheer anyone up (although, feel free to be cheered up), I'm speaking from a statistical point of view. Even the blue-ribbon photos get ones and twos every now and then. Every rating system has a degree of statiscal anomaly; that's just the way it is. Also, ratings systems are arbitrary in nature. For example, we could give a letter grade from A to F, or even a colour scale from red to violet. It wouldn't change anything. What "matters" from a competition perspective is percentile. If you look at the pictures that were rated better than your own and you don't see why, then that is a cause for concern. It's also more constructive as it gives a tangible frame of reference.

Message edited by author 2004-02-21 22:37:46.
 02/21/2004 11:20:33 PM · #27
I am new to this game , both a voting site and for that matter digital photography.
I entered my first challenge a week or so ago, got a very low score. That didn't bother me.
what is bothering me Is that so few people even looked at it. It seems that it takes a commitment to be truly on board here. to submit and vote on the challenges and to truly participate by commenting and
engaging in the forums, my hat is off to those of you who do on a regular basis.
I am confident that as time goes on and I engage more fully in the purpose here, I will get better.
I am grateful that this site is here
LennyM
LennyM photos

Message edited by author 2004-02-21 23:35:42.
 02/21/2004 11:23:16 PM · #28
I am an (ir)regular here... the thing I like most about this site is the amount of knowledge you can glean from it.

I really feel that DPC has helped me improve my photography.

Low scores < shrug > who cares
02/21/2004 11:32:22 PM · #29
I have never regretted becoming involved in a voting/critiquing site. I think it has just made me better at what I do. Does it hurt sometimes to get a low score or remarks that are negative - either constructive or destructive. Yes.
I have more regretted some of my entries. That regret comes from knowing deep down that I knew prior to submitting that they were flawed or down right bad. :)
I just say oops, or I hide under a rock for a couple of days (LOL).
 02/21/2004 11:41:44 PM · #30
Originally posted by Catherine:
Does anyone else ever regret, however fleetingly, becoming involved in a "voting" site?
[snip]


Just remember, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Seriously, every artist is going to have critics that don't like their work--for whatever reason. The strong ones develop callus and continue on to bigger and better things. The wimps go do something else. Unfortunately, a lot of very good artists choose to go do something else rather than put up with the opinions of crude idiots. Just be strong and go do something bigger and better.

02/22/2004 12:09:33 AM · #31
I will say that this sort of low scoring on pictures is stifling creativity. As a result, we are starting to see variations of the same subjects again and again. People are starting to take pictures that they know will score higher than rather than experimenting with subjects, lighting, and angles. I know that if people do try to do things that are rather different, they get slammed for using gimmicks or overusing "Photoshop".
 02/22/2004 12:10:24 AM · #32
no regrets here. I look at the voting and grading aspects of this site as a byproduct or side effect. I think the biggest impact this site has had on me is to get me out shooting. and that is really the most important thing right? the scoring is just a small part of it for me, not the goal. I haven't touched a camera since i got my photo degree years ago, joining this site has rekindled my interests in photography. i might bitch about some of the politics and whining here, but in the end, it's all good.
 02/22/2004 12:13:32 AM · #33
by the way i'm sure there are some people that vote "1" or "10" accross the board for all entries, you just have to have the forethought and satisfaction that these folks will roast in the firey pits of hell with satan him/herself turning the spit for all eterninty.
 02/22/2004 12:25:15 AM · #34
Originally posted by Catherine:
Does anyone else ever regret, however fleetingly, becoming involved in a "voting" site?



I don't regret it. It is a different 'context' though. This site is all about creating images with mass appeal. Learning how to achieve this is sometimes difficult. Some people like to call it 'stock' photography, which can be applied to any photo. We all like to consider our work to be 'artistic' and not 'stock' in most cases. The funny thing about this is that 'artistic' work seems to have an inversely proportional amount of appeal compared to 'stock' imagery. The 'stock' work seems to have a higher level of mass appeal, but it doesn't seem to have STRONG appeal. The 'artistic' works seem to have less mass appeal, but those to whom it does appeal, it does so in a much stronger way :)

I suppose I should not apply my thoughts on this to the entire group. This basically sums up how I feel about the photos I see here. I like stock images but one that I truly feel is artistic has a lasting impression on me. Maybe we could create an analogy...

Britney Spears is to stock photography as Eric Clapton is to artistic photography. Britney is here today but will be forgotten... pop culture with no lasting impressions. Eric Clapton has withstood the test of time.. his work from the late 1960s still sells regularly in record stores :)

Take it all in stride. Look for those comments you get, may they be few, telling you how much someone likes your work.

:)

02/22/2004 12:54:59 AM · #35
Well - my question to this is: how should you vote? The risk is that you eventually will start doing the photos you know will score high - rather instead of developing your own technique and do the photos you really like (and sod the rest if they don't understand).

In "Letting go" I personally though that #3 was a better representative of the theme than # 1 and 2. As photos they were very well exectuted though, which made up for it... #1 were outstandig as a sport photograph, but me not being interested in motorcross kept thinking - "hold on to that bike, whatever you do...." No feeling of letting go for me watching it. Still I rated it very high.

So back to how you should vote: should you give high score to the photo that is well executed and spot on on the challenge? Or should you give som leeway to the ones that are very well executed, but their message with regards to the theme is not a 100% clear? In textures I gave a 10 to a photo with some texture in it, but nevertheless I associated it with something totally different and just because it was so beautiful. It was a great shot, but just not the best representive for a textures collection.
02/22/2004 01:37:33 AM · #36
Concider the competitive nature of DPchallenge also, kind of like the TV show "Survivor", where the strong are concidered a threat and voted out. There may be some who are threatened by your entry, mostly in the open chanllenges. I'm just starting out, so I concider my 10's a fluke as well as my 1's.
 02/22/2004 04:04:34 AM · #37
One commenter wrote "zero" next to his vote for mine in the Zodiac challenge! Not constructive perhaps, but I took heart in the fact that someone else totally grasped my intention which made it worthwhile.

Try to look for the positives but take the negatives with a pinch of salt - after all, you're the one who's right about your shot aren't you? If you're not convinced by your own objectives or quality of shot then maybe you shouldn't be surprised at a 1 vote. Some people don't have much time to vote, so if a shot doesn't grab them, or it takes too much unravelling then it will score poorly. And as someone said previously, it's only a vote and this is just a game. ;)
 02/22/2004 04:22:56 AM · #38
I don't know...I just finished my Obligatory... uuh....21% in voting...for the Texture II...and I saw some good pics... didn't vote under a 3 ....(of course)....open challenges are fun to vote on..they make me think of how difficult is is to hit the MARK.... with the DPC Crowd...but all in all... this has to be fun... as always I look foward to another opportunity... to get TESTED..another Challenge... bring it on...90...going strong...lol... it's a game...enjoy the opportunity to show your Creations....WORLDWIDE.....thanks for this space in time...
 02/22/2004 11:25:39 AM · #39
I haven't been around long enough to regret anything quite yet. I am fortunate enough to be receiving decent scores in my first challenge, which is a plus. I imagine though, that if I were receiving poor scores-- Unless I enjoyed the work that I was producing -- I would try something fresh. Whether that be your choice of subject - switching up how your finished shot will look (after-editing that is) - or how loosely or tightly you want to fit the challenge.

And in response to the rating system: I think if you're willing to dish out a 10 - you should be willing to give out a 1 once in a while.

If everyone refused to vote "1" or "2" all that changes is: The site's rating system effectively becomes 1-7.

Message edited by author 2004-02-22 11:31:31.
 02/24/2004 02:13:45 PM · #40
Just read this whole thread, and am I the only person that gives 1's?

Seems that a (1) is becoming taboo.
 02/24/2004 02:38:52 PM · #41
oh no, i'm a 1 giver

I give more 1's than 10's, but not too many of either :)
 02/24/2004 02:53:27 PM · #42
I give 1's to the images that are truly awful. I give 10's to images that I feel really deserve it. Most are somewhere in between.

It sucks to get 1'd, but, you have to realize that everyone is entitled to their opinion. If they think an image deserves a 1, who am I, or anyone else, to disagree?

I also tend not to comment on images I score low, simply because, in the past, I have gotten messages from people who disagree with my assessment of their entry and who either want to tell me that I am wrong and should give a much higher score, or, give me a laundry list of excuses as to why their entry was not better and should get a better score.
02/24/2004 03:08:45 PM · #43
I use the whole scale, 1-10. Some entries are truly awful, and I give them a 1-3, depending on how awful. Some entries are spectacular (and meet the challenge) and I give them a 8-10. MOST entries are somewhere in-between, and I give them a 4-7. Time permitting and if I'm so moved, I comment. I suspect my ratings would fall into a bell curve.

I'll admit I'm surprised at those pictures that place in the top ten and yet gather a few 1's and 2's, and I'm equally surprised with those pictures that rank in the bottom 10% and yet they have a couple of 8's, 9's or 10's. What this proves to me is that I still don't have a corner on the "truth" and that it is possible for people to have other points of view, however misguided they may be!
02/24/2004 03:15:21 PM · #44
Originally posted by boomer:
I use the whole scale, 1-10. Some entries are truly awful, and I give them a 1-3, depending on how awful. Some entries are spectacular (and meet the challenge) and I give them a 8-10. MOST entries are somewhere in-between, and I give them a 4-7. Time permitting and if I'm so moved, I comment. I suspect my ratings would fall into a bell curve.


I also use the whole scale. Sometimes I give a "10" even if the shot is imperfect, bad borders, tiny bit of noise (Not everybody has SLR with superlens). If it's a good composition and looks like some thought was put into it, I will vote higher.

Usually the only way you will get a "1" or "2" from me if it's something that I really can't make out(super bad focus), understand (the you got to be kidding type shot).

Edit. Joining makes it much easier to skip a challenge. So I don't enter a shot unless I would at less give myself a "5". Only entering 6 challenges for the year and averaging around 5.8. Currently a bit over a 6 for the mundane :)

Message edited by author 2004-02-24 15:33:38.
 02/24/2004 03:40:08 PM · #45
Originally posted by hopper:
oh no, i'm a 1 giver

I give more 1's than 10's, but not too many of either :)


Me three. And Catherine, your Painting with Light submission was very well done.
 02/24/2004 03:41:24 PM · #46
I just give everything a 10.
 02/24/2004 03:53:55 PM · #47
I just kinda take my 10's and subtract my 1's from a particular shot. If there's still some 10's left, I'm happy. :)

At the risk of threadjacking and putting this comment where it doesn't belong, something to consider might be a "forced comment" for '1' votes. That way, the voter at least needs to say how this picture warranted such a horrible vote.
 02/24/2004 04:00:10 PM · #48
I said it before and I say it again, every since I joined this site I have a constant feeling that there are some people that give every entry that are not theyrs, 1,2,3's. It is incredible and hard to belive that most pictures on this site even the best ones still manage to get a few 1's. Just give it a try and see how many 1's on the ribbon winners. They told me there is a system that works against that and every since kept thinking about it. Well I have a few good years of programming in my bag, and if someone would ask me to make such a system I admit I can't imagine that. Then again I thought if it's random anyone gets it so it's really even. It is so hard to find pictures without 1,2,3's even if you only search among the best ones on this site.

Oh and I have a few words for people that probably use these type of voting, whatever you do, whatever you hope to acomplish IT WILL NOT MAKE YOU A BETTER PHOTOGRAPHER!
 02/24/2004 04:01:58 PM · #49
Originally posted by space amoeba:

At the risk of threadjacking and putting this comment where it doesn't belong, something to consider might be a "forced comment" for '1' votes. That way, the voter at least needs to say how this picture warranted such a horrible vote.


AMEN to that! not just for ones but 1,2,3's.
 02/24/2004 04:03:02 PM · #50

This site is as much about learning to recognize good photography as it is taking good photography.

Pages:  
Current Server Time: 04/25/2024 04:41:29 PM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Prints! - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/25/2024 04:41:29 PM EDT.