We have some totally top end photographers here. No question.
I have been intimidated by the quality of some of those top end photographes to enter the competition.
I think we could be missing an opportunity to have more involvement of members.
We should also encourage others who are learning to develop their skills and become the ‘top end’ of the future.
A suggestion or two:
1, The last months winner can not enter the next month competition.
2, Divide the competitions into previous winners and the rest.
I am not a top end photographer. I am self taught. I am a total technophobe. I really don’t mean to intimidate anyone. I take pictures almost daily. They are an extension of my reptile hobby but the main reason is it is a form of art therapy and non destructive self therapy. It is the one thing I do in life apart from take care of my animals that gives me any kind of purpose in life.
Sadly people end up getting the wrong vibes from me and this is why I am faced with a lot of haters on social media. Some people paint, some people draw, some people write poems…In reality I spend 80% of my time in bed resting, sleeping or fighting fatigue. I take photos on top of a 4 hob oven with a black T shirt and some rocks and or branches. I am not competitive at all. I like to take part, I really do
Personally I don’t like this idea because I feel that draws a line between the community that doesn’t need to be drawn. People like welshmorphology and creaturesofnightshade yes while being awesome at photography, doesn’t mean that they should be separated from others that aren’t. People leave forums because of stuff like this. This is not a serious competition, there is no money involved, just people trying to have fun and share their pictures.
This fourm is not for separating people, Facebook already does that, we are a community that encourages other of various options, backgrounds, mindsets, and skills to participate to make this community have the diversity that lacks in most fourms on all platforms.
Just my opinion, I love to partake in competitions with people are better then me, it forces me to get better.
@welshmorphology Sorry, I dont know if you have won any competitions, I was not thinking of any one in particular.
I also never would suggest any one was intimidating deliberately.
By the way, You are competent. Photography is as much about art as the technicalities.
@lumpy but what wrong with giving others a chance by making the last winner miss a month?
Not everyone is as confident as you.
Are the competitions only for the elite few regular winners?
I respect your oppinions alot. And will listen
Thankyou.
I honestly face a lot of hate and it’s a sad world we live in. I am a rather humble soul and in all honesty TRYING to learn about photography keeps me off the beer…(I used to drink daily for a long time and chain smoke) It took me 4 years to be able to get anywhere with the astrophotography. It was a dream I never thought I would be able to achieve. I was petrified of the dark for over 30 years. Practicing daily using my camera and being on mood stabilizers, anti depressants and antipsychotics has taken away a lot of the phobias with the dark. Where I live there are no street lights. I have to take the dogs outside as I still get spooked. People were very mean when you are an amateur and are trying to learn. I still learn everyday when I can. I must admit there are frustrating days when I get the tremors from the meds and I just cannot hold the camera strait. I think my saving grace is because I come from a very arty family. We can all draw and paint well. Maybe not me on the meds now…this is why I started to take photos about 12 years ago. I LOVE to watch animals and this means I can capture it and show other people what I see. My pictures sadly have the knack of upsetting people??? I never ever wanted that. I only try and make people smile. They think I have a big studio and all this photoshop stuff LOL. In reality I use a kids programme my wife got me to put my signature on. Anything like photoshop will make me cry. I just don’t get it at all!!
I am not confident at all. I actually suffer from huge amount of discouragement. I have witnessed many of life’s chances pass me by not trying. I am just sick enough of missing out…so I try.
Yes I won some bug ones. I think it’s because I keep a few more bugs than a lot on here.
OH lord please I am not in anyway an elitist. TBH I only call myself “photography” on FB as I was being a fool one night…and now I can’t change it lol. Wish I never done it now
I think this would be fair. Honestly the main reason I don’t enter competitions anymore is because I can’t compete with those with professional photography skills/equipment. Having the winners of the previous month take a month off just so they can’t continuously win gives others a chance.
I think people are taking it to heart a lot more than it needs be. If it helps I will remove my entries and not post in the comps. It was just for fun I thought.
I’m happy to post on the main categories
@lumpy You are still a guardian angel for me and other members. thanks for all your encouragement and support. Sorry if its hard for you to hear, but probably would not have stayed here if it wasn’t for members like you,
That is what my understanding was too. You add so much to this community. The competitions in the first place were to promote participation in the community.
It makes me so happy to know that people can find something that they love, and can use as a was to cope and grow. I get happy when I see your pictures because I know who’s they are, and why they were taken.
A pee artist hehe. No I just hate the term elitist. I didn’t want to be in the bracket of “the elite few” I’m far from it. I don’t think the top photographers live in pjs ahaha.
As I said before people get the wrong idea of me. I am an overweight pj wearing mostly bed ridden loony. I just so happen to like sharing pics of my animals. I tried doing jigsaws as a hobby, but the ferrets kept stealing the pieces and putting them in my slippers
I think having more categories would help break it up some more, and only being able to submit 1 photo per month (not per category, just one photo.)
Right now we only have ball python, reptile, and invertebrate. Why not have ball python, other python, boa, colubrid, gecko, lizard, etc…?
In all honesty when I first joined this forum I was dreading posting anything…like I say I am met with a lot of hostility and people ask me technical questions that I really struggle to answer…then get annoyed with me when I don’t tell them what they wanna hear. I posted a couple of times and got a good feedback. Actually a lovely feedback. I was very welcomed. This is why I then had the confidence to post. I am so self critical of my pics and I have a hard time thinking they are any good. You may think that funny, but it’s the honest truth. So this forum really has helped my confidence
I’m far from it. I don’t think the top photographers live in pjs ahaha.