POTY 2011 Sponsored By: Vision Graphix - Round 9 - Hustle & Bustle! (Discussion)

[fabs]

Welcome to the 2011 Talk|Photography Photographer Of The Year Competition.

Sponsored By: Vision Graphix
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/../images/externallogos/banners/vision_graphix_460x68.gif (http://www.visiongraphix.co.uk/)

Vision Graphix will provide a print of the winning image for the winner each month


This year, the themes are designed to make you think, to encourage the imagination.

The deadline for entries is the 11:59pm on the last day of the month, shortly after that a POLL will be made for you to vote for you favourite entries that month. This process will then repeat each month with a leader board being published after each round. The winner of each month will receive a prize (this will be announced each month). The member with the most votes at the end of the year will win the coveted TP POTY Trophy.



So on with the competition;

The theme for SEPTEMBER is:
'HUSTLE & BUSTLE!'

Kids are back in school, people are back at work. Get busy.


____________________________________________
Please take a moment to read the Rules and Guidelines (http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=280717). before entering, also paying close attention to the following :

* Please note that any photos submitted must not be, or have been, shown on these forums before.
* From this year, no 'placeholders' will be permitted so enter carefully. Once you have placed an entry, you will not be able to replace it.
* To disqualify an image, we simply edit the post, removing the image in question, replacing it with a Staff message.If your entry has been disqualified due to image sizes, you may re-edit your post with a resized version of the same photo. This must be done by the closing date. All disqualified images that haven't been sorted by the closing date will be left out of the vote and marked VOID in the poll.
* If anyone wishes to bring one of the images to the attention of the staff for this or whatever reason, then please use the RTM button under the post in question (It looks like this http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/images/custom_blue/buttons/report.gif).

This thread is for DISCUSSION only do NOT post any entries in here. The Entries thread will be started on the first day of the month.

[TheBigYin]

Stick a fork in me - I think I'm done...

This topic appeals about as much as last years street photography one did... the one where I ended up getting assaulted twice, and nearly got arrested once. Doubt I'll be going for a conventional approach to this one, if at all :(

[Vulkan75]

Stick a fork in me - I think I'm done...

This topic appeals about as much as last years street photography one did... the one where I ended up getting assaulted twice, and nearly got arrested once. Doubt I'll be going for a conventional approach to this one, if at all :(

:lol: I get the same feeling:gag:

[michael23]

Now this one, I really don't know! At least we have got time to think something up... :gag:

[TheBigYin]

Well - I'm certainly not going into town to take photo's at the moment, that's for sure...

At the moment, living out in the sticks appeals greatly, wandering around town as pitched battles occur here and there appeals not a jot!

[Vulkan75]

yes BE SAFE people:eek:

[Graham00]

I think Lincoln is pretty safe but i don't fancy setting up my tripod in front of a market, i had an idea using a 10 stop to record people movement but there's so many public who are moronic *****.

[Mentalblock]

I've not tried street photography, but ye, I think I may wait a while before I go out!

[Alan Clogwyn]

This'll be easy! I've given up on round 8 though.

(Famous last words)

[Tucker]

Not for me this one, think I'll give it a miss! Hope next month is better.

[rusticalex]

Having taken part in the competition for the first time in feel the heat, I'm itching to try to get a shot for this one, but no doubt it is a tricky one (at least I think so!). However, there should be plenty of hustle and bustle :crowded: at Widecombe Fair next week, so I'll see what I can get there.

[Silvermuir]

Im new to it too, i've learned from "the heat" that i need to step up my game. its a good learning curve as to what makes a good photo .My hat goes off to the creator of this competition, I find myself racking my brains

[michael23]

That's my entry in. Didn't think I was going to get anything, but thinking outside the box has produced something for once :lol:

[HopefulM]

well, there's most of my ideas gone.... :(

note to self : get a wiggle on woman and STOP dithering!!!! :lol:

aaaargh... back to scratching my head again :thinking:

[TheBigYin]

Right - that's this months horror dealt with - now for October's...

[DropDead]

Entered my first comp with this one, I hope I didn't have to be part of the competition since the beginning... :/

[TheBigYin]

No worries Jake, you can join in any time through the year :thumbs:

[AshMashMash]

Finally got this months in! As said... now for October... :)

[jollyjack]

This month i didnt like too much. It had that possible problem of have to photograph the general public.
So i decided to try and think alittle out the box again, but it dont always work for me because maybe i go to far out the box. I hope this time you enjoy my view on hustle & bustle of light waves as they pass around and through hundreds of soapy bubbles.

[TheBigYin]

This month i didnt like too much. It had that possible problem of have to photograph the general public.
So i decided to try and think alittle out the box again, but it dont always work for me because maybe i go to far out the box. I hope this time you enjoy my view on hustle & bustle of light waves as they pass around and through hundreds of soapy bubbles.

I hear you on that one brother...

[Spooky]

This month i didnt like too much. It had that possible problem of have to photograph the general public.
So i decided to try and think alittle out the box again, but it dont always work for me because maybe i go to far out the box. I hope this time you enjoy my view on hustle & bustle of light waves as they pass around and through hundreds of soapy bubbles.

I am the exact opposite; when it comes to photographing landscapes, or still life, or anything that does not involve people, I come a little unstuck.

[jollyjack]

I am the exact opposite; when it comes to photographing landscapes, or still life, or anything that does not involve people, I come a little unstuck.

We need to meet up, I'll take you out on a landscape day and you can teach me a thing or two about photographing people.

[Spooky]

We need to meet up, I'll take you out on a landscape day and you can teach me a thing or two about photographing people.

Sounds like a plan; would certainly be up for spending time trying my hand at landscapes in your neck of the woods!

[leftcurl]

right then... coming into the last week of the month and i really need to get myself sorted. I think i've had about 10 different ideas for this theme but they've either been done or they've not really floated my boat. Got 2 ideas left which i'm going to try and get this weekend if the wife lets me out :D

[Nemesis]

Pleased I finally got something to enter, but dear me, it wasn't the easiest month for me!

[leftcurl]

so, approx. 35 entries for August... and only 27 or so for September... let's hope for a flurry of entries before the end of play tomorrow!

[leftcurl]

blimey... just had a look back at last years POTY. There were over 90 entries in August and over 100 in September!

I think the main reason for the drop in numbers will be that the image has to be taken within a certain time frame - which is the way it should be IMO. I think people just need to get motivated to get an entry in - there's plenty of 365 and 52'ers shooting for specific themes all the time.

[Silvermuir]

blimey... just had a look back at last years POTY. There were over 90 entries in August and over 100 in September!

I think the main reason for the drop in numbers will be that the image has to be taken within a certain time frame - which is the way it should be IMO. I think people just need to get motivated to get an entry in - there's plenty of 365 and 52'ers shooting for specific themes all the time.

Iv noticed its the same people each time that enter this competition (generally) and seem to know eachother either in person or from years on this site, maybe people feel they wont have a chance of winning if they are new to the site.

I'm not saying thats the case because imo the best pic has won in the years gone by , but maybe newbie's aren't as thorough as i am and just assume. I know it crossed my mind which is why i looked at the winners from the other years.

[leftcurl]

hmmm... i'm not so sure about that theory. I suppose it could be read that way a little, but for me my target was just to get an entry in every month as i missed quite a few last year. So far, i'm on target.

It does seem to be quite a small collective of entrants who are keeping up each month - but i'd say there's no real common ground between them / us.
There's certainly no clique of any kind (as far as i know) and it's certainly true that the best shots win through :thumbs: Just a shame there isn't more entries.

[TheBigYin]

blimey... just had a look back at last years POTY. There were over 90 entries in August and over 100 in September!

I think the main reason for the drop in numbers will be that the image has to be taken within a certain time frame - which is the way it should be IMO. I think people just need to get motivated to get an entry in - there's plenty of 365 and 52'ers shooting for specific themes all the time.

I think that the time-frame thing is definitely a factor - though I think that this particular topic has been a hard one to "think outside the box" on - I know that as soon as I saw the topic - my initial thoughts were to take a shot with a stationery person, with everyone else blurred around them. Then 30 seconds after the thread opened for entries, someone dropped that very shot into the thread, executed in a better location than I could muster, with a more photogenic model as the object of the image... There was NO WAY that I was going to do a "Me Too" shot of that nature at that point... My second and third string ideas were also dropped in place in rapid succession. I'm sure that a few other entrants had a similar experience, and were put off entering this month by it.

Iv noticed its the same people each time that enter this competition (generally) and seem to know eachother either in person or from years on this site, maybe people feel they wont have a chance of winning if they are new to the site.

I'm not saying thats the case because imo the best pic has won in the years gone by , but maybe newbie's aren't as thorough as i am and just assume. I know it crossed my mind which is why i looked at the winners from the other years.

To be honest, the reason why there's a "hard core" of entrants in the competition at the moment, is that they are the ones like me, who are too bloody minded to give up - "I've entered the last 32 months competitions, I'm damned if i'm giving up now".

Also - in fairness - last month, from 35 entries, four were from new starters to the competition. This month out of 27, there are 7 new starters - I think that it's a little unfair to say that it's the same old clique. Of course, the people who are in the running for the Overall leaderboard are going to feature pretty much every month - it's incredibly difficult to show up for 3 months and still win the Photographer of the Year award. So - anyone who gets a high score in the first couple of months tends to be in there right to the end. It's surprising what a bit of consistency can do - you don't think it's talent thats got me into the top 10 overall do you :lol:

[TheBigYin]

I do agree Leigh, that it's a shame that there aren't more people entering the competition this year, especially as I'm probably going to give it a miss myself next year - I've found it really difficult to keep coming up with an entry each month, it's pretty much dominated the whole of my personal shooting time this year.

Last year we had a thread in forum discussion for suggestions as to how to improve the POTY - one or two ideas were taken onboard - the timeframe for photo eligeability and the no placeholders rules - which I personally think were a good idea. If these HAVE cut down on the numbers entering, then GOOD - I'm happy to see pot-hunters squeezed out of the competition. What we do need though is a way to encourage more entries.

It's sad to see the competition down to a shadow of its former self, and I personally don't think that it's run it's course, but it definitely needs something to get the general populace interested!

[Chris Owen]

This is the first year that I've entered and like you Mark I have found it slowly taking over my life.
This was the first month where I had no idea at all. With work, family and also other photography commitments I almost came unstuck. My entry is by far the weakest this year but thats the way it goes.
Idea for next month should be completed by Sunday and might give me a 6 week break from this torture!!!!!!!!

Oh why did I start???????

[Spooky]

I know that as soon as I saw the topic - my initial thoughts were to take a shot with a stationery person, with everyone else blurred around them. Then 30 seconds after the thread opened for entries, someone dropped that very shot into the thread, executed in a better location than I could muster, with a more photogenic model as the object of the image... There was NO WAY that I was going to do a "Me Too" shot of that nature at that point... I'm sure that a few other entrants had a similar experience, and were put off entering this month by it.

I hope this is not the case!

Spooks

[TheBigYin]

I've already got Octobers in the bag, I'm planning on "doing a spooky" this month :lol:

(although, I suppose with my sometimes "quirky" take on things, I doubt if anyone would have considered doing something similar :shrug:)

[TheBigYin]

Hey Simon, it's not your fault you did a faultless shot that fit the topic to a tee... don't apologise for it, and certainly don't worry about it - I just honestly knew I couldn't match that style of shot - so I had to go for something else...

[Chris Owen]

lol me too!!!!!
My Initial thought on this months was also based on Spookys thing but a market keeper at his stall being very still with the movement thing going on.
After seeing your shot Simon I knew anything that I tried would never ever come close to your shot mate!

[Silvermuir]

Dont get me wrong im not trying to be unfair or accuse anyone im just puting forward a possible explanation....veterans getting bored newbies not wanting to enter. As i said the only reason i brought it up is because i thought of it myself as a newbie.

On a photography forum as big as this there should be hundreds of entries i would have thought, i mean i love the idea, it gets you're imagination going.

[Chris Owen]

I really don't see it that way. I'm a total newbie here! I don't know a soul. But the idea of the POTY thing appealed to me. (I supposed I needed the challenge).
Just hope the vets arent yet borde of me :s

[TheBigYin]

Oh - I'm FAR from bored with entering - it's just that - and this might sound a wee bit pretentious but what the hell - I've found it really difficult to come up with "a potential competition winning entry"* every month for the last year or so. I'm sure for some of the more tallented people in here, it may be easier, but I'm not blessed that way. I have to make up for my deficiencies in that area through obsessive preparation...

To take March's entry (http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=3521248&postcount=40) as an example - it took me more than 6 weeks of accumulating props and set building to get my still life shot as I wanted it. It was something like the 8th variation on the theme, each one getting closer to the idea I had in my head. I built the table in shot - I learned myself how to produce a "stucco rustico" wall on a sheet of plasterboard as a backdrop. I lost count of the number of Lemons that I peeled in search of the perfect coiled appearance. And - because I don't have anywhere that I can build a set and leave it built, I had to rip it all down after every shoot, and rebuild before the next!

Yep - that one picture took over my life, big time!





* I'd entered the last 2 years, just to try and improve a bit, but this time decided if I was going to enter the competition, it was time to compete, rather than just join in!

[Silvermuir]

Oh - I'm FAR from bored with entering - it's just that - and this might sound a wee bit pretentious but what the hell - I've found it really difficult to come up with "a potential competition winning entry"* every month for the last year or so. I'm sure for some of the more tallented people in here, it may be easier, but I'm not blessed that way. I have to make up for my deficiencies in that area through obsessive preparation...

To take March's entry (http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=3521248&postcount=40) as an example - it took me more than 6 weeks of accumulating props and set building to get my still life shot as I wanted it. It was something like the 8th variation on the theme, each one getting closer to the idea I had in my head. I built the table in shot - I learned myself how to produce a "stucco rustico" wall on a sheet of plasterboard as a backdrop. I lost count of the number of Lemons that I peeled in search of the perfect coiled appearance. And - because I don't have anywhere that I can build a set and leave it built, I had to rip it all down after every shoot, and rebuild before the next!

Yep - that one picture took over my life, big time!





* I'd entered the last 2 years, just to try and improve a bit, but this time decided if I was going to enter the competition, it was time to compete, rather than just join in!

Respect, thats a great shot, i remember looking at it and thinking he knocked that together in 5 min ;) .....only winding you up chief, i know what i takes to make a good shot, actually its a bit easier for me cause being DOP i have a lot of the stuff left over from old jobs props etc. I have to make a shot look good for moving images which means lights ,dollies cranes props makup you name it so only having to worry about a single frame is soooo good.

But that shot of yours is well done, i instantly though da vinci.

[TheBigYin]

Hardest bit was training Bert the Bluebottle and getting him to land on command ;)

[Spooky]

I really don't see it that way. I'm a total newbie here! I don't know a soul. But the idea of the POTY thing appealed to me. (I supposed I needed the challenge).
Just hope the vets arent yet borde of me :s

I'm with Chris on this one; I have only been here about 18 months and entered only six rounds in last year's comp. This year I was / am determined to enter all 12 months and see it as a great excuse to get out and shoot stuff that I might not otherwise have thought of doing.

My shot this month came about because I was doing a fashion shoot outside St Paul's and had always wanted to do a long exposure on Millenium Bridge; fortunately Hannah, my model, thought it would be a good shot and was happy to put her statue skills to the test. The irony is that this was not my first idea - Multiple Exposures and Light Trails were my intial thoughts.

I also find it fascinating looking at other tog's interpretations of the themes and how they execute them.

It is a shame that numbers are dwindling; I personally think the new rules have increased the sense of challenge. Maybe announcing all 12 rounds / themes in advance might be a way forward (not sure which of the photo press do this for their POTY comp) with an opening round of 'My best photo of 2011' might be a way of keeping the time aspect - say all images must be shot in 2012 - but also increasing the flexibility of when to shoot?

Just a thought

Cheers all

Spooks

[Nemesis]

Some interesting thoughts have emerged since I was last online. I've got to say, I agree a little with everybody!

Andy, I too have noticed it's the same people entering every month, and I get the feeling that a lot of them know each other too. Let's me clear; I'm not suggesting that this is so, nor am I suggesting it's a bad thing if it is, but it's certainly enough to intimidate new users. I've often wondered (and I appreciate there are forum technicalities with doing so) if entering photos anonymously would help?

Mark/Leigh, I agree it is a shame we don't have the numbers of last year. I only entered a few rounds last year, but like many others, I decided I'd try and get an entry in every month this time around. I need something to make me take the shots I wouldn't normally take, and the POTY does just that.

I also agree that the rule of the image being taken within a time frame is fantastic. One of my biggest inhibitors last year was that I'd bust a gut to take an image to fit the theme, only for someone to put in a ground-breaking image that they'd taken a couple of years prior, and in doing so, damaged the way I interpreted the spirit of the competition.

With regards to increasing numbers:
Last year, the December poll was advertised on the main page - I'm not suggesting that we do that for the remainder of this year (it seemed a little unfair to me that only 1/12 months voting was advertised on the main page, as the POTY award goes to the person with the most votes, and more votes were case in December due to the main page advertising), but it's clear to me that the way to increase entries is further 'in forum' advertising.

I hope that make some sort of sense? :gag:
In the meantime, I'll just keep snapping away and keep trying to improve my images. Happy shooting everybody.

[Silvermuir]

My shot this month came about because I was doing a fashion shoot outside St Paul's

Its a great pic, magazine worthy. Unfortunately my shot came about because i was jamming with my mates drunk and looked at the sound desk and thought im glad iv got someone here that knows how to work this thing with all its knobs and buttons so i proceeded to get my cam and make an ar#e of the focus :lol:

[TheBigYin]

Andy, I too have noticed it's the same people entering every month, and I get the feeling that a lot of them know each other too. Let's me clear; I'm not suggesting that this is so, nor am I suggesting it's a bad thing if it is, but it's certainly enough to intimidate new users. I've often wondered (and I appreciate there are forum technicalities with doing so) if entering photos anonymously would help?

I think that the fact that the "regulars" in here appear to know each other is simply a factor that we've been here month in month out for the last 2-3 years. I probably interact with more people in this section than most, primarily because of running the leaderboard, though I am fairlys sure that there are one or two people who know each other in RL as well as virtually through TP - probably due to the TP local area meetings etc. I'm sure that nobody would stoop to "friends and family" voting though :lol: I probably LOST more votes for being the competitions EXIF nazi early in the year than I'd ever gather from any other means :shrug:


Mark/Leigh, I agree it is a shame we don't have the numbers of last year. I only entered a few rounds last year, but like many others, I decided I'd try and get an entry in every month this time around. I need something to make me take the shots I wouldn't normally take, and the POTY does just that.


And that's exactly what the POTY was intended for - a way to get people out shooting pictures - not rifling through their big back catalogue to find an appropriate image that'd already won 3 competitions beforehand!



I also agree that the rule of the image being taken within a time frame is fantastic. One of my biggest inhibitors last year was that I'd bust a gut to take an image to fit the theme, only for someone to put in a ground-breaking image that they'd taken a couple of years prior, and in doing so, damaged the way I interpreted the spirit of the competition.


Exactly - it annoyed most of us, only people who benefitted being the pot-hunters!


With regards to increasing numbers:
Last year, the December poll was advertised on the main page - I'm not suggesting that we do that for the remainder of this year (it seemed a little unfair to me that only 1/12 months voting was advertised on the main page, as the POTY award goes to the person with the most votes, and more votes were case in December due to the main page advertising), but it's clear to me that the way to increase entries is further 'in forum' advertising.

I definitely agree that a little more advertising of the POTY is the way forward, and it needs to be every month or not at all - otherwise the YTD is definitely skewed by the larger voting numbers on advertised months. Maybe we could also do some "stealth marketing" - a link in the signature block if you enter the POTY - I appreciate some people have their personal pages or suchlike in there - I already have a link to the POTY leaderboard in mine - but it's a start in the "comeback campaign" :shrug:


I hope that make some sort of sense? :gag:
In the meantime, I'll just keep snapping away and keep trying to improve my images. Happy shooting everybody.

made good sense to me - though I'm not always a shining example of such matters myself! - At least the main thing is you're keeping on taking the pictures :thumbs:

[CrazyJay]

It is a shame that numbers are dwindling; I personally think the new rules have increased the sense of challenge. Maybe announcing all 12 rounds / themes in advance might be a way forward (not sure which of the photo press do this for their POTY comp) with an opening round of 'My best photo of 2011' might be a way of keeping the time aspect - say all images must be shot in 2012 - but also increasing the flexibility of when to shoot?

I like this idea a lot. By doing this, you still ensure that photos are taken specifically for the theme, but at the same time gives the opportunity and flexibility to work on images if circumstances permit. (I've certainly had times when I've seen a title come up and thought "Typical, that would have been perfect for what I was doing last week.)

[leftcurl]

well guys... there's nothing better than throwing a few ideas on the table and seeing what happens. A few more entries in today and there's a chance of hitting the 40 mark if people have something ready to submit before the end of play.

Might be a good time of year to start a thread in forum discussion / talk photography to see how the general consensus feel about the POTY and what motivates them to enter etc.. You never know, there may even be people on here who don't even know it exists :shrug:

[jollyjack]

I think the idea of having all 12 themes stated at the start of the year a good one but still the image is not to be taken until after the monthly discussion thread is placed after voting has finished like it is now.

I might be another one that will not be entering next year because after 24 years i am leaving the Armed Forces and will be busy trying to get a job and a place to live for my family so will not have time to enter all 12 and i believe if you are in it, its to be for the 12 months so maybe the year after!

Maybe we need something to get the newbies involved, how about next year a few new titles, we have the TP POTY, how about the Most improved Newest member of the year, and maybe find a sponser that would provide a book on photography for the years winner.
The years best photo award, and it dont have to be any of the monthly winners images.

[Vulkan75]

Anonymous entries sounds like a good idea:thumbs:.

[Loopy]

Well, I thought I'd put my two-penneth in fwiw. :)

We used to do anonymous entries, I quite liked it.

I like the themes being announced monthly because I'm only concentrating on one or two at a time.

I agree that it is better now that you can only post images taken in a certain time frame and the place holder has been removed.

This is my third year entering and I personally do it for the challenge because it makes me take photos that I might not otherwise take. I missed a few months last year and I am determined not to do it this year, even if my image isn't great.
It also gives me a reason to pop onto the forum regularly.

I agree that newbies may be put off by thinking that we all know each but I don't think that we do.

Better publicity would be good too.

Umm, that's all.

:)

[Chris Owen]

Well, I thought I'd put my two-penneth in fwiw. :)

We used to do anonymous entries, I quite liked it.

I like the themes being announced monthly because I'm only concentrating on one or two at a time.

I agree that it is better now that you can only post images taken in a certain time frame and the place holder has been removed.

This is my third year entering and I personally do it for the challenge because it makes me take photos that I might not otherwise take. I missed a few months last year and I am determined not to do it this year, even if my image isn't great.
It also gives me a reason to pop onto the forum regularly.

I agree that newbies may be put off by thinking that we all know each but I don't think that we do.

Better publicity would be good too.

Umm, that's all.

:)

[Chris Owen]

My personal feelings are there is no need for anonymous voting. It's my first year and I dont feel the voting has been unfair......on the contary I'm still doing ok and don't feel I've entered anything spectacular in the firt 9 months......middle of the road seems to get you places. I've seen some spectacular images in my first year here but one still stand out by a country mile for me and it was entered by a user who had never drawn my attention before. (Winner getting wet HOPEFULM)
On the other hand maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea as it may give other TP users more confidence to enter the POTY competition. I almost didn't enter this year as I believed I couldn't compete with other users. This competition has given me the "Wind beneath my wings" to believe a little in myself. Don't get me wrong, I know my way around a camera and in a studio but to come up with ideas every month and then excecute them has been one huge test!!!!! I will for sure and am looking forward to 2012!

[whitedeer]

Well, I'm a newbie, bought my camera in January, found the forum in January, and have been with it ever since; it has been the best learning experience, and I love the challenge. It has been a little intimidating submitting pictures for me because I'm new to it, and have so much respect for the quality of whats here, but I have never got the impression that everyone knows each other, or that its at all cliquey etc. I totally agree with Chris that be getting stuck in, it really helps with confidence, and it definitely makes you get shots you wouldnt have done otherwise!

I wonder if mentioning it in the welcome email when people sign up would be helpful, perhaps a site wide banner, I think promoting the 52s would be good as well, as this is also fab for use new people that are learning, and the support there is brill

I agree it can take up an enormous amount of time! I had about 10 pics for this that I couldnt decide between, there have been a lot of events in Cornwall these past few weeks! Like others, felt my crowd ones just didnt cut it next to some amazing ones here, so went with a totally different feel. But crumbs, it has been a lot of time both out and about and choosing, but loved every minute :0)

Cut it fine too, but hey ho, 3 hours to go, cant be bad :0) AND I've got the October one ready to rock so a little break from it now!!

[TheBigYin]

The one thing I've considered, though I know it'd make a mahoosive amount of work for someone on the staff (hey - guess who that'd probably end up being...) would be to have blind submissions and posting.

All entries to be submitted by email to an appointed person who vets them for compliance, strips exif details and names, and posts them in a random order to a combined entry and voting thread after the close of play.

So, you'd avoid the "Someone's entered a shot like I wanted to" deterrent and make it a little more difficult for "friends and family voting" - though how you'd avoid someone just picking up the phone and saying "mine's no. 14 - what's yours?" I don't know...

[rusticalex]

The one thing I've considered, though I know it'd make a mahoosive amount of work for someone on the staff (hey - guess who that'd probably end up being...) would be to have blind submissions and posting.

All entries to be submitted by email to an appointed person who vets them for compliance, strips exif details and names, and posts them in a random order to a combined entry and voting thread after the close of play.

So, you'd avoid the "Someone's entered a shot like I wanted to" deterrent and make it a little more difficult for "friends and family voting" - though how you'd avoid someone just picking up the phone and saying "mine's no. 14 - what's yours?" I don't know...

I'm new to the forum and competition, having only entered for the first time last month. I've just got my entry in for this tough theme a few minutes ago, but I was determined to enter, and have found it a motivating exercise to come up with a photo that I'm just about content with. I've already nailed next month's, and really like having a theme on which to focus as it helps extend my very limited skills. Perhaps competition like this suits some people and not others, but it is good that other newbies are joining in, and maybe it just needs a bit more advertising to make other newbies aware of it (after all, it is a big forum with many different areas, so it is quite likely that some people miss it).

My only other thoughts about it run in tandem with what Mark says above, about entries being submitted blindly. It would prevent there being any conspiracy theories (not that there should be as the best photos do seem to win), and it would stop people having to switch from their initial idea to something else. I know for sure that I'm going to get my entry for next month in asap as I'm sure it will be done by someone else!!

Anyway, I for one like the competition and don't think there is much, if anything, that really needs changing - maybe just a bit more advertising.

[TheBigYin]

I'll ask in the staff room before next years POTY - see just how much hassle it is to sort out a rolling POTY update on the front page - if it's something that a ordinary MOD can do, then I'll volunteer to do it from 2012 (don't want to start half way through the year as it'll possibly skew the overall YTD results), but if it's something that only the Admin's can organise, then i'm afraid it's down to me poking Marcel/Matty with a big stick every now and again ;)

[HopefulM]

Blimey, lots of discussions going on - and I've only just managed to decide on an entry!!!!
I agree, when you're out shooting, the thought of this competition is definitely lurking at the back of your mind (and often at the front;)) but I personally think that having a focus is such a good way to make you think outside the box and stretch your imagination to get something different :)
It's definitely made me think more about my subjects and how to capture them, and that's a good thing cos it's making me do different stuff which can only improve my photography:thumbs:
thanks TP!!! :D

[Buck]

Well I found this month really frustrating on many levels. I thought I'd get the shot I wanted whilst on holiday...no. Thought I'd get some time on an evening/weekend to get a shot (albeit a different one)...no. Thought I'd end up not putting an entry in this month...no.

Reviewed my holiday shots and one fitted the brief but in terms of contradiction and rather than fail at entering (which I promised I would not) I have submitted an entry. Job done.

I agree with the points above re themes. I'd like it if I had some more advanced notice. Perhaps arrange the themselves loosely along the four seasons with three themes per season?

Anyway, thoroughly enjoy the challenge mainly as a result of seeing others interpretation and quality of shots - some are truly awesome and I have yet to see a winner or high ranking entry that didn't warrant it.

[zarozinia]

Its been a struggle for me this month and I ended up being unable to photograph either of the two ideas I wanted to as I ended up having an operation, then haemorrhaging after it then getting an infection. But I love to enter it as a little challenge each month, although I prefer to try something a little different to my norm.
I wanted to photograph a bunch of leafcutter ants or to light paint lots of people, but just didnt have the physical energy, such a shame.

I love the idea of totally anonymous entries, but think it will make a lot of work for some one. I dont think its clicky when it comes to voting though, the best images always do very well without exception in my opinion, but anonymous entries could help prevent tactical voting for any that might play games.

[Silvermuir]

Could just go the communist route and hijack the welcome thread and press gang the new arrivals into it :lol:

1984:thumbs:

[Silvermuir]

Trying to think how we could keep it anonymous without creating a lot of work for the mods...feel free to call me a tool but how about a mod sets up an email account and we all send our images , that way there is only one thread created by that mod who uploads the pics to photobucket or whatever as they come in and he/she numbers and posts them. When the month is over you only save the winner and dump the rest

The pics dont come all at once anyway so uploading a pic now and again isn't too time consuming. Each mod could create an email account and photobucket account and rotate the duties. And you put a maximum size of 200kb.

I have had a few drinks so im either on to something or im just talking nonsense:lol: i dunno im not savy when it comes to writing website code so maybe that idea is more work??

[TheBigYin]

thats pretty much what I said in post #54 Andy... apart from the bit where the pictures get checked for compliance to all the regulations etc. It's still a hell of a lot of work for the poor so and so who gets landed with it, especially say in january where there's been over 150 entries some years...and I can see it'll be a totally thankless task, but if everyone thinks it might be worthwhile :shrug:

[Doog]

I just couldn't come up with anything suitable for this one. Then I realised I had taken something which could fit the bill (vaguely) but forgot that Sept had 30 days hence missed posting by 2mins:lol: On the whole themes have been good, just one or two I've found really difficult. Some people have great imagination and I don't so struggle to get votes but I'll keep trying.:thumbs::)

[fabs]

Poll is up.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=355586