Any interest in a monthly "competition" ?

[pdk42]

As per title really. I'm thinking of something lightweight - a monthly theme and then voting by other members for a winner. No prizes, just kudos!

Thoughts?

 

[Quentinquirelino]

So no strict rules? Just photo taken in the month? Or does it only have to fit to the theme?

 

[pdk42]

So no strict rules? Just photo taken in the month? Or does it only have to fit to the theme?

Well, it's just my present thoughts, but I was thinking only two "rules":

- Taken with an L-mount camera
- Responds to the monthly theme (interpreted by the photographer)

We could add a third:

- Taken in the month in question

But not sure of the last.

 

[Jayneboo]

Well, it's just my present thoughts, but I was thinking only two "rules":

- Taken with an L-mount camera
- Responds to the monthly theme (interpreted by the photographer)

We could add a third:

- Taken in the month in question

But not sure of the last.

Sounds good, would definitely prefer it to be a requirement for images taken within the time period, more encouragement to shoot rather than trawl through hard drives .

In my early photography days I was a member of a Flickr group that gave push challenges, with encouragement for new techniques involved, like maybe Panning, Night Photography, Photograph a Stranger, Emotive Images, Splash Photography, Chiaroscuro, Architectural, Sports, sure you get the picture by now. Just some ideas for themes maybe, anyway whatever, sounds like fun. Maybe winner of the month to set following months theme?

 

[dirk]

- Taken in the month in question

that will be too difficult for most members.

 

[dirk]

prefer it to be a requirement for images taken within the time period, more encouragement to shoot rather than trawl through hard drives

That is a good argument against my argument

 

[CMS]

With regard to the shooting time, I see two ways to compromise (motivation to take photos vs. no time to do so):

1. A compromise could be that the photo has to be taken in a certain period of time (e.g. 12 months). So for the competition in May 2024, only pictures from June 2023 to May 2024 may be submitted.
2. A second way for a compromise could be that the pictures taken in the competition month start with a sort of points advantage.

However, I do not know whether a points advantage is technically feasible or whether the shooting time could be controlled at all (or whether it would be necessary).
Perhaps such rules shouldn't be set up in the first place, although I would also find it a shame if the incentive to take pictures was taken away and those with a large collection of pictures won.

 

[pdk42]

Thanks for everyone's feedback. I think it would be nice if we could limit entries to having been taken during the contest's open period. That makes it into an incentive to get out and take shots/videos. Let's call it a "challenge" rather than a competition. And I think if we take Jayne's idea to make the theme a bit wider to include techniques/approaches/moods etc rather than subjects then it would give more scope and perhaps also some ideas to try something different.

So, how about we set something up in the next week and let it run to the end of May? That way, it can be a "taster" comp and we can see what the response is.

So, I propose the following:

Mechanics
- A challenge will run for each calendar month, opening on the first day of the month and closing on the last day
- Images/videos must be posted into a thread set up expressly for that month's challenge. One thread for all images
- The winner will be chosen by votes cast by members of the forum
- Voting will open on the day after entries close and will be open for a week
- Voting will be conducted by "liking" a post using the usual forum "like" feature

Themes
- There is a theme for each challenge. Interpretation of suitability of images/videos to themes is entirely at the photographer's discretion
- Themes will be announced one month in advance (so you will always know "this month" and "next month")
- The winner of a challenge will set the theme for "next month"

Image/video rules
- Images/videos should be taken during the month that the challenge is running
- Images/videos must have been taken with an L-mount camera
- One image per member per month

Prizes
- Let's see what we can do ...

Initial Themes

Month	Theme
This month (May 2024 - will run exceptionally from mid April since it's the first)	Chiaroscuro
Next month (June 2024)	Fresh
July 2024	To be chosen by the May winner

Thoughts?

 

[dirk]

I would prefer an anonymous voting to make it more objective. But I do not know whether there is a technical possibility to do so with a payed addon for this forum software.

I have to research and test this. Will not be able to do so before around Sunday/Monday.

 

[Pete_W]

It sounds like fun.

I may not be able to participate each month as work and family commitments often get in the way of photography. So if someone cannot post a photo in any particular month, is it still ok to vote?

p.s. I had to Google the word "chiaroscuro". How embarrassing.

 

[Quentinquirelino]

...
I may not be able to participate each month as work and family commitments often get in the way of photography. So if someone cannot post a photo in any particular month, is it still ok to vote?

p.s. I had to Google the word "chiaroscuro". How embarrassing.

I think that's true for most of us. But also we are a very small (but rising) and harmonious community, there will probably be some month with low participation. For that reason it would help if someone could still vote, without posting a picture for that month.

 

[Nevyn72]

It sounds like fun.

I may not be able to participate each month as work and family commitments often get in the way of photography. So if someone cannot post a photo in any particular month, is it still ok to vote?

p.s. I had to Google the word "chiaroscuro". How embarrassing.

I also had to google it... Although English is not my mothers tongue, I stil felt embarrassed. Happy to see I was not the only one

 

[Nevyn72]

Thanks for everyone's feedback. I think it would be nice if we could limit entries to having been taken during the contest's open period. That makes it into an incentive to get out and take shots/videos. Let's call it a "challenge" rather than a competition. And I think if we take Jayne's idea to make the theme a bit wider to include techniques/approaches/moods etc rather than subjects then it would give more scope and perhaps also some ideas to try something different.

So, how about we set something up in the next week and let it run to the end of May? That way, it can be a "taster" comp and we can see what the response is.

So, I propose the following:

Mechanics
- A challenge will run for each calendar month, opening on the first day of the month and closing on the last day
- Images/videos must be posted into a thread set up expressly for that month's challenge. One thread for all images
- The winner will be chosen by votes cast by members of the forum
- Voting will open on the day after entries close and will be open for a week
- Voting will be conducted by "liking" a post using the usual forum "like" feature

Themes
- There is a theme for each challenge. Interpretation of suitability of images/videos to themes is entirely at the photographer's discretion
- Themes will be announced one month in advance (so you will always know "this month" and "next month")
- The winner of a challenge will set the theme for "next month"

Image/video rules
- Images/videos should be taken during the month that the challenge is running
- Images/videos must have been taken with an L-mount camera
- One image per member per month

Prizes
- Let's see what we can do ...

Initial Themes

Month	Theme
This month (May 2024 - will run exceptionally from mid April since it's the first)	Chiaroscuro
Next month (June 2024)	Fresh
July 2024	To be chosen by the May winner

Thoughts?

Very happy to see also video's are included. But perhaps we set a maximum length (2 minutes?) to make it easier for all to see the video's?

 

[Jayneboo]

It sounds like fun.

I may not be able to participate each month as work and family commitments often get in the way of photography. So if someone cannot post a photo in any particular month, is it still ok to vote?

p.s. I had to Google the word "chiaroscuro". How embarrassing.

So did I the first time I was set the challenge

 

[Jayneboo]

Thanks for everyone's feedback. I think it would be nice if we could limit entries to having been taken during the contest's open period. That makes it into an incentive to get out and take shots/videos. Let's call it a "challenge" rather than a competition. And I think if we take Jayne's idea to make the theme a bit wider to include techniques/approaches/moods etc rather than subjects then it would give more scope and perhaps also some ideas to try something different.

So, how about we set something up in the next week and let it run to the end of May? That way, it can be a "taster" comp and we can see what the response is.

So, I propose the following:

Mechanics
- A challenge will run for each calendar month, opening on the first day of the month and closing on the last day
- Images/videos must be posted into a thread set up expressly for that month's challenge. One thread for all images
- The winner will be chosen by votes cast by members of the forum
- Voting will open on the day after entries close and will be open for a week
- Voting will be conducted by "liking" a post using the usual forum "like" feature

Themes
- There is a theme for each challenge. Interpretation of suitability of images/videos to themes is entirely at the photographer's discretion
- Themes will be announced one month in advance (so you will always know "this month" and "next month")
- The winner of a challenge will set the theme for "next month"

Image/video rules
- Images/videos should be taken during the month that the challenge is running
- Images/videos must have been taken with an L-mount camera
- One image per member per month

Prizes
- Let's see what we can do ...

Initial Themes

Month	Theme
This month (May 2024 - will run exceptionally from mid April since it's the first)	Chiaroscuro
Next month (June 2024)	Fresh
July 2024	To be chosen by the May winner

Thoughts?

Great.. looking forward to seeing everyone's images and interpretations.

For anyone looking for ideas a flickr search for Chiaroscuro brings up some really great examples.

 

[JCW_Snaps]

This sounds up my street. I’m already doing a couple of other similar “challenges” (a 52 and a long running Instagram group challenge) so might as well add another one. PS shamefully admitting to being another that had to google chiaroscuro

 

[pdk42]

Chiaroscuro - I guessed it from the French "clair-obscur". Light/dark. But I think it's something that only formally-trained artists would recognise .

 

[Vale46]

Great idea!

 

[xaviergut]

Chiaroscuro - I guessed it from the French "clair-obscur".

The word chiaroscuro comes from Italian, specifically from the Italian Renaissance, although it was later also developed in the Spanish and Dutch Baroque.

The most obvious example of Italian chiaroscuro is Caravaggio, of spanish "claroscuro" would be the first years of Velázquez and of Dutch "clair-obscur" would be Rembrandt.

 

[RuleOfThirds]

I had to google it too.... how about limiting the photoshop level ?