Bad judging costing me competition wins

[Mathy]

I'm so going to ignore the fact that at first I was sitting here, mouth agape thinking .. well, very unpleasant thoughts ... so onto your question/ponder Mark ... I don't claim to be speaking for all beginners or any other beginners .. but for myself ... I think it is a matter of confidence in what we're doing and "seeing" the results of practice ... I struggle with that a lot, I mean ... as for one of the lovely April fools points up there, I do shoot with the magical M and I see the differences from when I was not even on P .. but on the dreaded Auto .. oh judge all you like ... but I'm not delusional .. I don't have FB, so I can't compare, but I'd like to think they are marginally better than your average snaps .. but competition worthy? No .. I know I'm a beginner. So ultimately I guess it comes down to a confidence thing .. when you can move past that beginner thinking and start daring to dwell where those with more experience do with absolute confidence .. because they've been taking photos since forever.

Elly, you're right about the confidence thing. However, the best way to gain knowledge and confidence is to have a go. For example, is the pic that's your Avatar taken by you? If so, I find it very interesting. If not, then it says to me that you like a quirky image with great colours. Whatever it is, that's a part of you, that you would bring to images that you take

The weekly comps are great for learning. The topic comes out on a Sunday and you can set yourself a challenge to learn something about the techniques required and have a go at shooting it, then entering it. Entering a comp gives you some feedback, and there's nothing to stop you from putting the image into the 'New to Photography' forum for CC after the comp, if you want to learn how it could have been improved. THe comps are a great way of putting some specific structure into your learning, and if weekly is too time compressed, then Monthly is also a good option.

This image won me the Beginners section of a weekly comp (after many tries at different themes). I researched how to photograph 'burning ice' using the web, bought myself the necessary ingredients (ice and isopropyl alcohol - should have added a fire extinguisher!) and experimented until I got something I liked, then I did some post processing. I don't have super fancy gear or lighting, other than a basic flash (which wasn't used). Probably a tripod is the most important thing you could buy. Every week I'd have a go and I learnt an enormous amount in that time.

fire1.jpg

The comps are a great way to focus on technique and embed learning, have a go, no-one is going to say anything nasty, or mark you as 'rubbish'. You'll most likely enjoy the experience, cheers Deb

[Elly]

Hi Mathy ... yes, the straws is mine, one of my first images I took creatively in manual mode, I wanted to do something different than landscapes to see if I could.


Thank you for all your advice .. I still don't know if I'd ever enter a competition, that really isn't part of my personality, but it seems to be a part of photography. I've like most of the planet, always just clicked away on a camera, but as for taking photos with the frame of mind of just happy snap ... having the SLR (even if it is a mirrorless) and using it in manual mode and learning new techniques, is very new to me .. infact, only 10 weeks new to me. I got the camera for Christmas and just completed a course so I knew how to use some of the functions, well how to come off auto and use it manually. Which I'll say is the best thing I've ever done. I am falling in love with the whole process of photography .. I've always had an interest, but never did anything about it and now wish I had years ago .. anyhow, better late than never.


So perhaps I need to try and step out of my comfort zone at some point and try a competition purely for the learning experience, I have no desire to be winning .. okay that sounds weird, of course everyone wants to win, but that isn't a driving factor for me .. I'd happily just post in the CC section only and get feedback that way, but if I have to do other things to learn and improve, I must adapt I guess.

And WOW to that burning ice .. that is fantastic!!

[geoffsta]

Sorry... But I'm a wee bit offended by the opening post. Even if a April fools joke...
What if a beginner reads this in a months time, and only gets half way through it....... I know I'd be saying "F**k this lot"
Ausphotography is the only place I put images in for competitions for the simple reason that it is judged by my peers, and from those with similar interests... And only because I owe this site a lot from the friendships developed, and the assistance to get were I am today.

Sorry MM, but I find this totally inappropriate and demeaning to all concerned...

[Filter]

Hi Elly, just to add to this topic. I am struggling to come to terms with the word "competition", as a beginner it may or may not equate to failure in some peoples eyes. Not here, here as I have seen, it equates to a "try". The process of the "competition" is for the artist, to better yourself. This coming from a member that has not entered a comp yet...lol. Part of my "beginner" issue is not being creative, you seem to have that as part of your style, I reckon that's 75% of a good photo there. I'd love to live near a water fall or running water, even the city to try out some long exposure shots. I have to get out there and find it all I guess. Good luck with it all, happy "M" snapping.

[MissionMan]

I think beginners probably find the competitions a little intimidating. It's a little like coming last in a race, nobody wants to be at the back and seen to be at the back.

I think they forget about the fact that nobody really looks through the list and says "oh, john came last", they generally browse through the top couple of entries. On a personal level, I generally look, see how my pictured ranked and who won and try to make a mental note of what I can learn from the winner.

Perhaps one way to make it easier for beginners to enter comps is to leave the entries as annonymous so that when the outcome is announced, they only know who the winner or the top 4 entries were. That way, people may feel that they can enter photos annonymously without the concern of being publicly ridiculed or seen as being at the bottom of the list. The reality is no one here will redicule publicly but that doesn't take away the concern from beginners.

The other thing I really liked were the formal reviews. I.e. when they had a professional go through the photos and talk about what the did and didn't like about them. I think it was good way to hear feedback on how someone looked at the images and I think it may be worth consider for monthly or quarterly comps in future.

[Elly]

That is possibly true for the majority of people, the concern of being ridiculed, but even anonymously I'd not be so inclined, I guess I'm just wired differently. For me, ideally I'd love to be learning one on one with someone. I've done a course and loved it, but now I'm left to my own devices really. 8 lessons isn't a lot .. though I did learn a lot. So my choices now are university learning or paying for more courses that pretty much cover what I've already learned. Finding something middle ground is proving to be really difficult. So though while entering competitions would definitely have the benefit of feedback one way or the other, I'd prefer in all honesty, to be actually learning. Not online courses, but hands on with someone, but that is just not a reality.

This site is wonderful, besides your very good April Fool joke that had me reeling to begin with ... there isn't ridicule here, there is a lot of positive feedback for all levels of experience, so I applaud the site hugely for having such a standard. So for me, it is something I need to work out for myself on how I wish to move forward in whatever manner to achieve what I desire to learn.

[MissionMan]

Hi Elly

I've found that some of the online videos are pretty good for extending your knowledge in particular areas, although they do rely on you seeking knowledge in a particular area. I.e. off camera flash, sports, macro, composition, etc. Even a wedding photography video can be valuable because the learnings apply to portraits in general.

The other thing I found which has been valuable is looking at particular types of photos I would like to emulate, trying to understand how they achieved the photo and then going out and trying it. At first it may seem like copying and your first image may be, but ultimately what you learn from it is the application of a skill you can use elsewhere and in a very short period of time, you find yourself willing to experiment with it in other areas. If you take the straw example above, in learning how to take a photo of straws, you don't just learn to take photos of straws, you understand how lighting applies to objects that are transparent, how the shadows apply, where to positioning lighting, what happens when you position them in the wrong place, how depth of field applies etc.

I can also recommend any of the photography walks or group events. What I found interesting is having 10 photographers in the same location can result in 10 completely different photos and it gives you insight into how someone else's mind works with the same environment. You take a photo of a couple with something if the background and someone else will take a photo of the same couple at a different angle and change the entire dimension.

[Analog6]

Well, I've never won a comp here either, mate, or been placed and I've been on here a lot longer than you. We just have to suck it up. If you don't like the judging then don't enter - you know how it's going to be judged before you enter. It's the old 'buyer beware'.

[MissionMan]

Well, I've never won a comp here either, mate, or been placed and I've been on here a lot longer than you. We just have to suck it up. If you don't like the judging then don't enter - you know how it's going to be judged before you enter. It's the old 'buyer beware'.

I think you missed the part about it being an April fools post. We're now talking about ways to get beginners more involved in comps

[yummymummy]

Dude... buy a Canon, you'll start winning *tongue planted firmly in cheek *

[MissionMan]

Dude... buy a Canon, you'll start winning *tongue planted firmly in cheek *

Canon? I'm too good for Canon. I've reached the limitations of their equipment last year when I managed to take a photo one handed of an entire tribe in the amazon from 3m away using only a 5D mk2, a 400mm lens and a piece of clear glass while simultaneously defending myself against an army of soldier ants.

Last year, Canon came to me and asked me what I needed from them to switch back to Canon. I said a 50MP camera with a 10fps shutter speed and an 11-24 lens. They only delivered on two of them so I stayed with Nikon and I still have the apology letter.

[ricktas]

Dude... buy a Canon, you'll start winning *tongue planted firmly in cheek *

best post for this April Fools day thread!

[Dug]

Canon? I'm too good for Canon. I've reached the limitations of their equipment last year when I managed to take a photo one handed of an entire tribe in the amazon from 3m away using only a 5D mk2, a 400mm lens and a piece of clear glass while simultaneously defending myself against an army of soldier ants.

Last year, Canon came to me and asked me what I needed from them to switch back to Canon. I said a 50MP camera with a 10fps shutter speed and an 11-24 lens. They only delivered on two of them so I stayed with Nikon and I still have the apology letter.

Gosh, that's amazing.

re Canon
50mp without 10 fps, what a joke.
They should reimburse you for time waisting as well.

[JoPho]

Rick could put some of the regulars who regularly enter advanced and always lose back to beginner!

[MattNQ]

Canon? I'm too good for Canon. I've reached the limitations of their equipment last year when I managed to take a photo one handed of an entire tribe in the amazon from 3m away using only a 5D mk2, a 400mm lens and a piece of clear glass while simultaneously defending myself against an army of soldier ants.

Last year, Canon came to me and asked me what I needed from them to switch back to Canon. I said a 50MP camera with a 10fps shutter speed and an 11-24 lens. They only delivered on two of them so I stayed with Nikon and I still have the apology letter.

The surprise new D5 was made especially for MM.
He's really "The Rig"

Digital REV review

[MissionMan]

The surprise new D5 was made especially for MM.
He's really "The Rig"

Digital REV review

iI'mm not supposed to admit it but I was the camera stig in that video

[MattNQ]

iI'mm not supposed to admit it but I was the camera stig in that video

We won't tell anyone....