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

12/09/2009 10:23:18 AM · #1

Hi. Just got a new camera for Christmas (early) so I thought I would look up some contests to enter. I am learning a lot here already about things to photograph. I don't like talking in the forums that much but thought I should say hi anyway. So hi to everybody.

Steph

picklenose

Canon EOS-50D

12/09/2009 10:28:03 AM · #2

Hello Steph, I'm fairly new here too. There seems to be a wealth on knowledge here that everyone is willing to share. So, Welcome.

Mike

vikas

Apple iPhone 13

Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G

12/09/2009 10:28:57 AM · #3

Welcome Steph!

You are doing great for your first challenge! Good luck!

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 IS USM

12/09/2009 10:31:18 AM · #4

Welcome to the madhouse. Step around the empty beer bottles and pull up a box to sit on. Lots to be learned here, just make sure to wear your thickest skin when you jump into the challenges!

Here's something that may help you to understand how the things work: The Unauthorized Beginner's Guide to DPC

Added: 6.5 on your first challenge, using a compact camera? Wow.

Message edited by author 2009-12-09 10:34:13.

sukuriant

Canon EOS-40D

12/09/2009 10:33:12 AM · #5

Welcome :) I don't see any work in your gallery, so I can't quite say whether you're doing great or not, but welcome to DPC :) I've not been the most vocal on the forums (or the challenges) either, but I'm getting back into the swing of things, too.

If you don't do well on your first entries, don't worry, this is all a learning process, and if you keep to it, learn how to see, learn new techniques that you can apply, etc, you'll do well :)

I look forward to competing with you and commenting on your submissions :)

Magnumphotography

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM

12/09/2009 10:39:29 AM · #6

I hope you enjoy DPC, as much as I do. It has really helped my thinking and vision. If you ever have a question, don't hesitate to pm me. I don't know it all, lol but if I can help...
So have fun and enjoy!

snaffles

Nikon D7100

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

12/09/2009 10:55:16 AM · #7

Welcome Steph! This site is a tremendous resource in all senses of the word. And already pulling in a 6.5? Wow girl, that's the way to go! :-)

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

12/09/2009 11:23:01 AM · #8

ty everyone for the welcome. I see that I am going to have a good time here and thank you for the information Yo_Spiff. I will read it. ty for the score thing to. I wasnt sure if a 10 is the best that a 6 is good but I guess it is. I love my new camera and it was a fun challenge for me to do and now I know what contrejour is coz I hate bugs! :>) I will see you all around in the challenges. I am trying to think of something for boredom or enthusiasm and I am not having anything come to mind but I will try. O by the way you all do very beautiful photography. This is one of the reasons I came here was because of hte pictures being done so well. I am sure I will learn a lot from you all.

Happy Holidays to everyone and ty again,
Steph

Message edited by author 2009-12-09 11:32:27.

snaffles

Nikon D7100

12/09/2009 11:37:21 AM · #9

LOL Steph, a score of 10 is unheard-of. You generally need to get a score in the high 6s or low 7s in order to ribbon! Think the highest scores I've ever seen were in the mid-8s. Anyway, 6.5 is very good, so you must be doing something right :-)

12/09/2009 12:08:19 PM · #10

Because of the averaging of opinions, you will never see everyone agreeing on any given entry. Even the strongest images will have some folks who look at them and go "Meh". This compresses the score range so that you give votes using a 1-10 scale, but the ending averages run from 3 to 8, with the majority falling in the 4 to 7 range. anything over a 6 is considered by most of us to be doing well. I am usually pleased with something landing in the high 5's.

12/09/2009 02:47:49 PM · #11

O wow. I thought that 6 meant just above average. So I am happy with this then. I guess a lucky shot must have happened. I play with photography all of the time and my editing software to. It's a fun hobby for me and now its' even more fun! ty everyone!

Message edited by author 2009-12-09 14:51:18.

12/09/2009 02:55:55 PM · #12

Originally posted by sweetbread:

O wow. I thought that 6 meant just above average.

When I cast a single vote, that's what it means, but when looking at the average of everyone's opinions, then a 6 is a very strong showing. At a certain point it becomes as much about broad appeal as about creating a good photo. You will be able to see the voting breakdown for your entry after the challenge is over.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II

12/13/2009 05:05:00 PM · #13

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

I read the rules Yo_Spiff. At first I thought it was serious and then when I read on I found it was to be funny but still true? :>) My entry is still doing good. Funny that I didnt like it that much and I like my new entry for the next challenge coming up better. I guess that means the new one will do bad? (I will go back and read the rules to see if I can find that out *joking*).

George

Nikon D60

12/13/2009 05:27:26 PM · #14

Holy crap, 6.83 average on your first two challenges? I tell people never to expect to constantly increase their average every challenge, but for you that takes on a whole new meaning.

12/13/2009 05:47:54 PM · #15

Originally posted by george917:

Holy crap, 6.83 average on your first two challenges? I tell people never to expect to constantly increase their average every challenge, but for you that takes on a whole new meaning.

Yeah that is for my first entry which says it is a 6.8294 right now in Contre Jour. I didnt think that was good when a 10 is the best but I found out it is. Its crazy it is doing so good because I think there are so many other good pictures and mine was only one shot out of about 20 that I took on a mode that I never used on my camera before. Just luck I guess. Maybe I should buy some scratch tickets? :>) My next one for boredom I like better but that probably means it will do bad? I guess you have to think the opposite. Im still trying to read a lot here and look at pictures and all before I feel more comfortable so I wont be making a lot of messages. I just wanted to say that I had read the rules because I told Yo_Spiff I would and it was really funny!

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

12/13/2009 06:00:37 PM · #16

I do have one quick question? In the details section when you enter I see that other people put editing steps and stories. Are you supposed to put both or just steps or just your story or does it matter?

senor_kasper

Nikon D800

12/13/2009 06:18:22 PM · #17

Originally posted by sweetbread:

You don't have to, most people do it after the challenge is over, particularly if questions were asked in the comments during voting. By the way, I see that you've been actively voting for some time (more than a thousand votes !!), that is great; your voting average no doubt reflects your high level of expectation which reconciles with the high score in your first photo ever, just one suggestion, many folks (myself included) appreciate a comment when a low vote is casted on one of their pictures, that way we gain something from the experience. Welcome to DPC, I have the hunch you'll do great here.

12/13/2009 06:26:27 PM · #18

Yes, it's for whatever you want to say about your entry, whether that is a short novel or nothing at all.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

12/13/2009 06:46:19 PM · #19

When I saw I could vote on pictures I started doing it and it was a lot of fun. I joined in the middle of November but I didnt feel I should enter a challenge yet. I voted first with these rules in mind on the voting rules page "rate entries on a scale of 1 to 10. A score of 1 is a �bad� photo, and a score of 10 is a �good� photo" but I did vote based on me liking the picture or not to. I dont think I gave out a lot of really bad scores though. After reading some of the forums that talked about comments I am not that comfortable in giving them yet but I will try harder to come out of my shell.

Right now in the detail section I am putting in the editing steps but maybe for my boredom entry I will add a little something about the story behind it and the editing steps? I dont want to just leave it blank but didnt know what to put.

littlegett

Canon EOS-20D

12/13/2009 06:49:36 PM · #20

Welcome New-here/s

This place will suck ya in and not let go. L()L Just a fair warning.