Revisiting rules of the monthly photo challenge.

[troy]

Hi everyone. I think it's time we revisit the rules for the monthly challenge. We've had a few issues with the rules as written more than a few times lately so I'm starting this thread so we can discuss the rules as written and make some clarifications, amendments, add, and or delete some of the rules.

Here are the standard set of rules for the contest.

• winner of the previous months challenge picks new theme and starts thread.
• You must be the photographer.
• One entry per month.
• Try and make the image a recent one.
• Competition runs until the 19th of the Month.
• Voting runs from the 20th - 26th.
• The person with the most votes is the winner.

I'll be putting my thoughts in a post below. I'd love to here any and every one's thoughts too.

 

[troy]

Ok he's my thoughts on the rules.

The biggest issues seems to be the 4th rule and what recent means. I think we either need to define recent or just change the rule. I'm fine with it either way, but do think it needs clarified.

Another issue that has come up is having an open voting. Some say it would be better to do as a closed poll. With the relatively small number of votes it is pretty easy to fix or change the results if someone wanted to do so. Also a closed poll may bring in more votes. I think I tend to agree.

Something else I've seen come up is the closing time for entries and votes. with time zones this can get kind of tricky.

I'd love to hear what others think and or any other rules we should look at.

 

[Cash_Stronomer]

I always just assume recent as meaning 'go take one for the challenge'. So when someone posts the new monthly thing, I take the idea and see what I can do, assuming I have time for anything

 

[FarmerTan]

I always just assume recent as meaning 'go take one for the challenge'. So when someone posts the new monthly thing, I take the idea and see what I can do, assuming I have time for anything

This would be the best way, and as @davent said, (think it was him) it would force you to shoot for the challenge set forth. Maybe allow other shots to be posted, just for eye candy, not to compete. Use the honor system. I just enjoy looking at the stuff, not even shooting much. I'm so lazy!

 

[FarmerTan]

As for time zones: I don't do story problems, sorry. Above my pay grade!

 

[alpster]

I always just assume recent as meaning 'go take one for the challenge'. So when someone posts the new monthly thing, I take the idea and see what I can do, assuming I have time for anything

I think you nailed it with "have time for anything". I wonder how many awesome photos we miss due to the time constraint. If a pic meets the theme criteria, why does it matter when it was taken? I think many don't participate due to their inability to take a day off and go find "the theme of the month". As long as it was taken by the individual, why not enter it.

As to voting, you could limit voting to those who have valid entries. In any case, I don't think anyone is gaming the system.

As for time zones, just pick one ie...EST and let the individual do the math from wherever they are located.

 

[PJO]

I always just assume recent as meaning 'go take one for the challenge'.

I am new to this whole contest thing, but when I ran across the thread earlier this week, I took it as a challenge to go out and take a new pic. But that was just my take.

As for the time zones, isn’t each post automatically time-stamped? If so, then as long as the post meets the deadline date seems like it should count.

 

[davent]

As the thread title states it's a challenge. The photographer's assignment is to go out and take a picture based on the parameters set out in the challenge. That's the whole point of the thread, go take a picture, something fresh in response to the challenged. The 'point' is rendered moot accepting 'recent' pictures taken before there was an inkling of what the challenge might be or even who might be presenting it.

There are already all kinds of threads for great pictures to be parked and shared. First sticky in the Darkroom, 'Shot of the Day', there are first page & active threads for cell phone pictures, bird pictures, Creepy Crawlers pictures, other forums have photo threads. The monthly Challenge thread is about doing the challenge. Ditch the 'recent' before-challenge-presentation allowance.

I'm one for the secret ballot. How i've seen it set up on other forums is in a separate thread formatted as a poll. I'm not sure how else that might be done and the problem i think we may have here is that a poll is limited to only ten(?) choices so i don't know how more than ten entries might be handled. I could be wrong on that number...

To limit voting to only entrants is too clubby, don't see how that's going to encourage new people to get involved. Keep voting open to all.

Time zones, tricky one, we are everywhere with clocks set to our own.

Go forth and take loads of pictures with whatever camera you have... cool challenge Troy!
dave

 

[Esox]

I think we either need to define recent or just change the rule. I'm fine with it either way, but do think it needs clarified.

As the thread title states it's a challenge. The photographer's assignment is to go out and take a picture based on the parameters set out in the challenge. That's the whole point of the thread, go take a picture, something fresh in response to the challenged.

I'm with @davent.

Try and make the image a recent one.

Maybe - "The image must be a recent one taken for the challenge."

 

[troy]

Thanks for the responses. I also feel it would be better to take the photo in response to the challenge, but that's not the way it reads to me as is. I think we should change wording if that's the way most feel.

I also feel voting should be open to anyone.

I also found an old thread from the last time the rules were written.
Photo Challenge rules discussion

 

[Esox]

I also feel voting should be open to anyone.

I would think so too, assuming everyone has a cell phone. I do not.

 

[FarmerTan]

As the thread title states it's a challenge. The photographer's assignment is to go out and take a picture based on the parameters set out in the challenge. That's the whole point of the thread, go take a picture, something fresh in response to the challenged. The 'point' is rendered moot accepting 'recent' pictures taken before there was an inkling of what the challenge might be or even who might be presenting it.

There are already all kinds of threads for great pictures to be parked and shared. First sticky in the Darkroom, 'Shot of the Day', there are first page & active threads for cell phone pictures, bird pictures, Creepy Crawlers pictures, other forums have photo threads. The monthly Challenge thread is about doing the challenge. Ditch the 'recent' before-challenge-presentation allowance.

I'm one for the secret ballot. How i've seen it set up on other forums is in a separate thread formatted as a poll. I'm not sure how else that might be done and the problem i think we may have here is that a poll is limited to only ten(?) choices so i don't know how more than ten entries might be handled. I could be wrong on that number...

To limit voting to only entrants is too clubby, don't see how that's going to encourage new people to get involved. Keep voting open to all.

Time zones, tricky one, we are everywhere with clocks set to our own.

Go forth and take loads of pictures with whatever camera you have... cool challenge Troy!
dave

Good thoughts my friend.

 

[MarkM10431]

When I see recent I think within the past few months.
for example, if Troy were to say th August challenge is lights in the sky, I would have no issue with someone who shot fireworks on the 4th of july or a Rocket launch from june or even may, since those are rate events.
I'm with PJO. if the voting is that close we can look at time stamps but generally the winner is pretty obvious. I don't think the open voting sways that much, but that's my opinion. the sad part is that there are not many visitors aside from the folks who generally enter the contest.
For our moderators, is it possible to post across the forums that there is even a contest, and to come to this forum to enter and vote?

 

[Ted A]

I haven’t been involved at all, I just saw this thread and started to read.

There was a comment to the effect that the time might be too short for people to get out during the month following the announcement. Perhaps you might consider a 2 month time. The June winner announces one that will end in August rather than July. Gives more time to go out to photograph for the challenge

 

[davent]

I would think so too, assuming everyone has a cell phone. I do not.

I've never had/owned a cell phone but i do have an ipod touch that meets the requirements of the current challenge.

I haven’t been involved at all, I just saw this thread and started to read.

There was a comment to the effect that the time might be too short for people to get out during the month following the announcement. Perhaps you might consider a 2 month time. The June winner announces one that will end in August rather than July. Gives more time to go out to photograph for the challenge

I think people would lose interest and forget about the thread and it would sink from sight given that sort of time frame.

dave

 

[davent]

Far more eloquently stated then anything i could ever write, from the rule discussion of 2016, post #29 by @shavefan...

• Isn't the challenge to go out and create?
• If you pull your best shot on the monthly theme from your archive, you are not even challenging yourself to do better. You are just utilizing your current best effort that fits the theme. Even if you can't surpass your archive photo, at least you become a better photographer because you put out some effort.

If the general thinking is that archived photos are ok, the current rule states "recent". What will happen is that eventually someone will ask what recent means. Then the big discussion ensues...

dave

 

[oc_in_fw]

As to voting, you could limit voting to those who have valid entries. In any case, I don't think anyone is gaming the system.

I am against that. In the Mess Hall, for instance, there are plenty of guys who cook, but would never post a picture of their food because people like Dave and Aaron post some really great looking plates, so they feel theirs may not be up to snuff. That doesn’t stop them from saying “that looks great, Dave” (seems I say that quite frequently ). Like you, I don’t think anyone is gaming the system- we have a great bunch of guys here. We may get an occasional turd every once and a while, but that usually works itself out pretty quickly.

 

[oc_in_fw]

Hi everyone. I think it's time we revisit the rules for the monthly challenge. We've had a few issues with the rules as written more than a few times lately so I'm starting this thread so we can discuss the rules as written and make some clarifications, amendments, add, and or delete some of the rules.

Here are the standard set of rules for the contest.

• winner of the previous months challenge picks new theme and starts thread.
• You must be the photographer.
• One entry per month.
• Try and make the image a recent one.
• Competition runs until the 19th of the Month.
• Voting runs from the 20th - 26th.
• The person with the most votes is the winner.

I'll be putting my thoughts in a post below. I'd love to here any and every one's thoughts too.

As has been mentioned, if you vote by secret poll you will have to start a new thread, unless a moderator can add the poll later- but I don’t think they want to have to do that every month. As to time, you could either go UDT (Greenwich Mean Time), or base it on the time zone where B&B actually resides. When I have done PIFs I always base it on US Central, because that’s where I reside.

Edit: with the Internet, it is really easy to figure out the ending time where you reside.

 

[shm]

I read the challenge, then think of how I could do a photo and go out and shoot. However, I have no objections if someone post a photo taken within the last couple of months that suits the challenge. As mentioned before, some occasions doesn't happen frequently.

I think the voting should stay open, it is after all, also a way to attract other people to the photo-forum.

I don't think there is a problem regarding the cut-off time, the voting time after is long enough so the 12-18 hours difference between east and west shouldn't mean anything. The more entrants, the merrier

 

[bberg100]

I interpret it as a challenge to get out and do the assignment. As pointed out there are multiple threads to post past pics. I would suggest changing the wording from recent to something stating a pic taken in response to the months challenge.

This group has been great at managing itself, continue to do so. The Mod team will not step in and run/edit/etc the monthly challenge.