POTW general discussion thread.

[Dave598]

congrats. But I have a question for the panel and myself included. Why is it that the same people are winning? I looked back since the 1st of January and 8 members have won at least twice, two members have won three times, and one member has won four times. I know all these guys are great at what they shoot but there are people that post and that have great shots that never seem to even be part of the short lists. I really feel that we need to revamp the rule on the POTW contest. That said this week I will be choosing somebody who has not won in the last six months. Sorry if I ruffle any feathers but I feel that we should look beyond our favorites. And I am guilty of this too.

[Tugboat]

thanks Graham,pleased to get POTW but there is not trickery in these shots ,they really are upside down, a lot of fun to do but at times pretty messy when I get a bit clumsy...

Gidders, this is straight out of camera,except for a level and crop.


Dave598, we used to have a set couple of moderators who did the judging for potw,then it got very slack and no one was giving a potw so we decided to get a panel together for anyone to be on and just take turns for choosing what we liked the best for that week,you will never keep everyone happy.
I didn't realize it had turned out that way...but everyone has different taste, I never choose a picture for the person who took it, always for the photo itself.

[Dave598]

Originally Posted by Tugboat

thanks Graham,pleased to get POTW but there is not trickery in these shots ,they really are upside down, a lot of fun to do but at times pretty messy when I get a bit clumsy...

Gidders, this is straight out of camera,except for a level and crop.


Dave598, we used to have a set couple of moderators who did the judging for potw,then it got very slack and no one was giving a potw so we decided to get a panel together for anyone to be on and just take turns for choosing what we liked the best for that week,you will never keep everyone happy.
I didn't realize it had turned out that way...but everyone has different taste, I never choose a picture for the person who took it, always for the photo itself.

I realize that maybe the case but here are those that have won the most in the past Six Months (January 1st, 2016 through July 3rd, 2016)

Tugboat 3 times
Inom 1
Birdsnapper 2 times
dbtaylor 2 times
Mo 3 tirmes
Nigel G 2 times
dfarhrl 1
Edg 2 times
Sassan 3 times
Gbuxu 1
AdeG 2 Times
Norm 1
Robski 4 times
Wolfie 1

I feel that if you win you should not be eligible for at least 2 months to make it fare to all of us. That is what I am going to do with my turn and my turns in the future. But this Sunday anybody who has won between January 1st and July 9th will not be eligible as far as I am concerned because new blood should win. Sorry if this upsets anybody but that is how I feel. If you want me to step down then I will.

[sassan]

Graham: Excellent choice.

Trena: This image has more than one dimension of abstract and sure a very right choice for the POTW. One day I should find out how you do it but may take a long time
Congratulations. May we proceed and officially call you "Trena The Abstract Master".

Dave: Long time back, I felt exactly what you feel right now but believe or not, that is not the case. Number of people who actively participate in this site are not too many and wish this would increase significantly to have more variety. As a new member in panel this year (Just like yourself), I must add too, I never look at the name, as stated by Trena or who is my friend or pal. I believe in fairness to all and also believe in my own judgment and what is good picture for one or many reasons and finally what that makes an image more superior compare to the rest. After all this is only a tiny positive feedback and a small taste to the site with no financial or otherwise rewards for the winner. Because the person who choose the winner, changes every week, the Bias in selection is really reduced significantly, if not totally.
The main purpose of this web site is "Gallery". Nothing else. To me, its one of the easiest way to find my older images in an organized and safe way, when I want to, even though I have accounts with numerous other sites. One great feature of this site is the fact that every one is modest and tries to help rather than pull someone by the leg.
And more importantly, please and please inject your ideas into you action as stated regarding your decision on how to choose for this week's winner. After all at the end, one who goes over the POTW gallery, should like all that he / she looks over there, as representative of the Best of that week, rather than questioning all, as to why or what is selected. I would say at least in 30% or more occasions, my choice is the same as what is selected for the week or at least one of the 5 as candidate, therefore I personally believe in fairness of the selection here, specially in this contest.
There are many other activities to the site, including "Games" that if interested, you can participate, such as "What is it?" or even create your own and let others to participate.
I firmly believe all that maters is the members participation and not the winning in this or any other activity of the site. After all we all need to unwind form the harder hours of regular life and this is one great avenue.
A lot of time, the nice participation about a picture is all that drives me to this site and nothing more important than that, when my time is spent is a good and happy way.

[Birdsnapper]

Dave598, if your decision is based not on merit, but on somebody deserving their turn, then you should step down.

[postcardcv]

I have set up this thread to move the general discussion about POTW away from this weeks winner.

I have to say that I can see both sides of the argument here. There is no doubt that the same people do crop up often on here and perhaps unsurprisingly they are the people whose photos also get lots of views and comments in the gallery. Part of this is down to the quality of the photos but also being a popular member definitely plays a part as people naturally look first at the photos taken by people that they know. While the POTW rarely a choice I would agree with I know this is normally down to personal choice and I would agree that they chosen photos is still a good choice. However we have had some where the decision has been hard to understand and at least one that was clearly chosen due to the poster rather than the photo (this was even stated in the thread). I have also seems some truly stunning photos in the gallery that seem to have totally missed the eye of that weeks selector.

The simple fact is that there is no easy way to choose the POTW. When it was the mods we would quickly get told if we picked the 'wrong' photo, or get messaged if we were late posting a choice. We did try to make sure there was some variety in terms of the winning photographer and also the winning style but with no hard and fast rules. If someone posted a photos that was head and shoulders above the rest it would win even if that poster had won the week before. It is inevitable that the person selecting will be drawn to styles of photo that they like so will make similar selections when it is there turn to choose. While one judge might choose a landscape most times another will have preference for portraits, abstract or wildlife. I think that the judging panel is the best format for this as it does bring some variety to the selection but how ever POTW is chosen you will never make everyone happy.

I do not think it would be wise to impose rules on winning one week making that person ineligible for a set period of time as the best photos deserve to win. However I would encourage those judging to take a close look at some of the less commented on photos each week as sometimes there are some hidden gems (I am sure most if not all already do this). I would also like to say thank you to the panel as I know it can be a tricky process.

[Dave598]

Originally Posted by Birdsnapper

Dave598, if your decision is based not on merit, but on somebody deserving their turn, then you should step down.

Birdsnapper, my decision will not be based on somebody deserving a turn but on what postcardcv said the hidden gems. I have seen several this week alone that are as good as if not better than some of the ones that I have seen win the photo of the week. I was trying to make a point because I feel that most of the winners have been those that post a lot of photos and naturally they get seen a lot. Where as you have some people who post one or two a week or one or two a month and they seem to get over looked. I see three or four this week alone so far that are just as good as Tugboats was this week and they are ones that do not post as much as some of us do.

I went back the past 14 days this morning and saw numerous photos that the poster had only posted one or two that were just as good as some of the ones that have one. And let me say this Birdsnapper as a bird and wildlife photographer I can only hope to someday be as good as you are when it comes to catching the beautiful shots of the plants, animals, and birds. So is my choice going to be based on Merit, very much so. But I just feel that those that do not post in sheer numbers should be looked at a bit closer. And that is what I am going to do this week. Because like postcardcv has said there are hidden gems out there.

[Gidders]

Dave - I think you wrong, wrong, wrong!

POTW is just that - the BEST PICTURE OF THE WEEK - something to aspire to

Its a a showcase of the talent of the site, something to encourage passers by to become members. Just because someone won last week, that should not bar them of winning this week.

When I go through the weeks images to make my selection, I'm looking for quality images & I do not look at who has created them. The fact that some of the same names keep cropping up is because they are great photographers!

I agree with Birdsnapper that your choice should be made on merit, the best picture posted in the last week, not on somebody deserving their turn. It's not best picture of the week excluding people that have previously posted great pictures.

OK so different selectors will have different views. I like portraits, Tugboat is an abstract specialist, Ade G likes landscapes, Nigel is a field sports & wildlife expert... but if you look at my selections - they are not all portraits, Ade doesn't choose just landscapes, Nigel & Trena & the others on the panel also choose whatever is the best picture of the past week irrespective of their personal preferences. There is no reason why the same author shouldn't win three ( or four or five) times in a row if their image is judged by different selectors as the best of the week

[Dave598]

No 1 I never said it would not be based on merit I see photos all the time that are just as good as some of the ones that have won but I feel that they are over looked but that's my opinion

[Dave598]

Originally Posted by Gidders

Dave - I think you wrong, wrong, wrong!

POTW is just that - the BEST PICTURE OF THE WEEK - something to aspire to

Its a a showcase of the talent of the site, something to encourage passers by to become members. Just because someone won last week, that should not bar them of winning this week.

When I go through the weeks images to make my selection, I'm looking for quality images & I do not look at who has created them. The fact that some of the same names keep cropping up is because they are great photographers!

I agree with Birdsnapper that your choice should be made on merit, the best picture posted in the last week, not on somebody deserving their turn. It's not best picture of the week excluding people that have previously posted great pictures.

OK so different selectors will have different views. I like portraits, Tugboat is an abstract specialist, Ade G likes landscapes, Nigel is a field sports & wildlife expert... but if you look at my selections - they are not all portraits, Ade doesn't choose just landscapes, Nigel & Trena & the others on the panel also choose whatever is the best picture of the past week irrespective of their personal preferences. There is no reason why the same author shouldn't win three ( or four or five) times in a row if their image is judged by different selectors as the best of the week

Okay Gilders number 1 I am not attacking you or anybody else but PLEASE EVERYBODY STOP AND THINK AND READ WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY.

In every photography forum that I have and currently belong to one of the things that is always prevalent is that the old hands get recondition, they are the ones that get all the comments on their photos and they are the ones that win all of the contests. What I am saying is that instead of focusing on the old hands here lets look at some of those that don't post as much, lets look to guide them and lets look to give them recognition that they deserve. Granted Gilders the old hands like Tugboat, and birdsnapper, and dbtaylor, and MO, and Robski, and Sassan take excellent photos. I can only hope to be as good as they are. I said this to birdsnapper earlier in this thread.

I just feel that we as POTW Panel Members should stop and take a good hard look at those that are working to make and produce some fantastic Photos. I have been as a panel member looking very closely all week at all of the photos and several newer or less producing members have photos in my opinion are just as good the ones I have mentioned but yet they always seem to get passed up. We as panel members have to stop and realize that at one time we were in their shoes.

Robski is one of the best wildlife and insect photography is fantastic I can only hope to be as good as you someday.

Tugboat your still life puts photographers to shame, and I work with one who shot commercial still life for 30 plus years before he retired.

Sassan I love your abstract photography, you are the best at. I would never try to do a abstract photo that you have done because it would be a waste of time. You are the best.

AbeG I agree with Gilders that you are one of the best Landscape photographers.

We as photographers have to stop and think, we are all artists. Plain and simple and as artists we should stop and help those that are either just starting out, or who do not have self confidence and we should encourage them.

That said when I look at photos I see ones that I love that may have a technical flaw here and there. Let me use one photo as an example:



The colors are fantastic, the clarity is beautiful, to me the only thing that would be a downer is that the background (the sky could be a little sharper and more detailed) but this is a great photo. (and that is based on my thoughts and what catches my eye).

Another example is the following by robski



as a lover of nature this is a shoe in to win the POTW for me, yes I said it, but I feel that we as panel members have a obligation to help and guide and lead those that take a great photo but not as great as what robski has given us. You never know if you stop and take a good hard look at one that may not be your favorite you might just change your mind.

Gidders you said the following:

POTW is just that - the BEST PICTURE OF THE WEEK - something to aspire to

YES YOU ARE VERY RIGHT, but you know what IN MY OWN OPINION what harm does it do to take a minute and take a good hard look at those that do not post as much. I frankly have found on other sites that photos that are excellent and fantastic but yet passed over.