Mini Competition

[Dusty]

How do people when they look at a image and they have to vote on it, what do they look for to say I like that image best. Is it the quality of the composition or is it the sharpness or a number of criteria that they look at. The other point is we have quite a large number of people who belong to the forum why is it we only get 35+ on most mini competitions voting and why is it only ten?

[Brownbear]

I try to vote on all and usually do (likely a time factor for others). When voting I look at everything, use of light, exposure, composition, colour, sharpness, detail, clarity etc... but also creativity and subject matter and how difficult the image may have been to photograph.

If the photo has a story and/or just captures my heart that sways my decision, and of course I'm partial to images of wildlife. I often vote for landscapes for all of the above reasons especially if they are beautiful. However, in the end I vote for the image(s) that combine the best of all of the above even if it is a photo of a rusty nail or a hammer, etc.

[chauncey]

Been there/done that What do you look for?

[Dusty]

I try to vote on all and usually do (likely a time factor for others). When voting I look at everything, use of light, exposure, composition, colour, sharpness, detail, clarity etc... but also creativity and subject matter and how difficult the image may have been to photograph.

If the photo has a story and/or just captures my heart that sways my decision, and of course I'm partial to images of wildlife. I often vote for landscapes for all of the above reasons especially if they are beautiful. However, in the end I vote for the image(s) that combine the best of all of the above even if it is a photo of a rusty nail or a hammer, etc.

Christina, good answer for me. i have looked at some competitions both here and in other forums and even some major competitions and more or less chosen the main ones who get the votes but there are some and for the life of me can't see why they have gotten so many votes. I know it is a subjective thing and one persons beauty is another persons "what the hell is that" but for me there are common things to look out for as in Christina answer. I am not criticising anybody on here but I look and sometimes it is mmm maybe next time. I have joined forums to learn and to have people look at my images and say how they feel about them, whether good or bad, we all never stop learning this hobby and it's good to interact with people and to help them in whatever way we can, I'm I right on that. I have learnt a lot and hopefully still go on learning.
Dave

[Brownbear]

Hi Dave,

Chauncey included a link on this topic in his answer see What do you look for?

I think you will find it to be an informative thread.

Yes, sometimes it is subjective - - - if a rusty nail and elephant were of equal calibre I would have to remind myself to vote for both.

I should say that sometimes inexperience also factors in. For example I also vote on the B&W photos to learn and perhaps this is not a good thing because I don't know much about B&W photography, so my votes here may be more subjective in nature.

I would also like to say that I think everyone should vote in the Mini Comps for the learning experience. People post their better photos here (ie; not just for fun or learning) and I learn a lot simply by viewing the images, trying to analyze them and then revisiting them to see which ones did best and then try and apply the same principles in my photos.

[chauncey]

Voting on these competitions is almost always based on subjectivity, my method boils down to...
would I hang that picture in my living room.

[Dusty]

I always judge a image by how the photographer has used the light and shadows as well as other criteria, without light there would be no image. It doesn't matter to me what the image subject is about if it is a good image to me it gets my vote, I don't have a genre that I favour. I do feel for people when they put a image into a competition and they get no votes.
Christina thanks for that link and I am following your post on your panning and hope you get there and I want to see the finished images when you think they are good enough.
Dave.

[Brownbear]

Hi Dusty,

Thanks for sharing... Great point about light and subject matter, the latter that I will continue to work on.

Forewarned, it may take me a while. I have two more tries before the season ends, so unless I get lucky it may be next Spring but by then I will have a lot more practice under my belt.

I always judge a image by how the photographer has used the light and shadows as well as other criteria, without light there would be no image. It doesn't matter to me what the image subject is about if it is a good image to me it gets my vote, I don't have a genre that I favour. I do feel for people when they put a image into a competition and they get no votes.
Christina thanks for that link and I am following your post on your panning and hope you get there and I want to see the finished images when you think they are good enough.
Dave.