Photo Competition - September

[slartibartfast]

Nice easy theme for you this month, as chosen by our winner Mr. O - "Water".

Lots of scope with this one, hope to see a wide range of interpretations.

Closing date for entries is the 23rd. Good luck.


Please read the rules below before posting your entry.

Rules:

• Must be your own work.

• Only 1 entry each.

• Entries can be changed once during the competition if you feel you've taken a better shot, but please make a separate post with the new entry and edit out your old image from your previous post, to keep things in the correct chronological order.

• Max file size 800x600 250KB. (There's info on optimising your image size in the sticky of the same name)

• Pictures to be embedded into your post in this thread rather than attached. (Use a free image host that allows hot linking such as imageshack or photobucket and encase the direct link in [IMG][/IMG] tags. There's a quick guide on how to do it here)

• Entries should to be taken for the competition rather than entering a previously shot image.

• Photoshop (or other imaging software) use is allowed, to enhance your image, but please remember this competition is about producing the best photo not the best piece of artwork.

[TheFincher]

Good choice Mr O........ Was pleasd when i saw the subject as ive actually got what i think are a couple of good ideas

Good luck everyone

[wizer]

oooh thats better

[tam9]

question for y'all...the people who take part in this contest seem to be fairly professional in their field and anyone who uses a shitty normal (digital) would obviously be beaten by the others with a far superior camera...can anyone tell me if i am talking out my backside or not please

[karlos130]

question for y'all...the people who take part in this contest seem to be fairly professional in their field and anyone who uses a shitty normal (digital) would obviously be beaten by the others with a far superior camera...can anyone tell me if i am talking out my backside or not please

Yeah I think that does come into it m8 ,but i got a shitty little digital camera and I have entered the last 3 months, had a couple of votes for my pics so that pleases me, as some people on here with the expensive ones have had no votes

Alot depends on the actual picture I think, some pictures just look good, and some dont, i suppose doesnt matter how expensive the camera is
Most people tweek them anyway in Photoshop so that always improves them

[willp2003]

Also most of the folk on here (with expensive kit) have probably had years of experience. I've only just started with a normal camera and managed a couple of votes.
I think we should have a "3 wins and your out" rule - give us all a chance - only joking of course. Well done Mr O

[lin]

We've had this conversation before and what it boils down to is it is actually the best picture that wins, some of the people who do this "properly" win very rarely.
Give it your best shot, if you don't enter you miss out on the valuable exposure (pardon the puns) and advice.

[whatnow]

all this tech talk is bollox it's all about composition, structure and what ur taking a photo of.

yes better cameras will take a cleaner shot, but if something is really genuinly amazing then the quality is insignificant, in fact to me, it adds value becuase of how raw it is.

You have to use what you've got to your advantage, if you're using anything over 1mpix then you'll be fine. Obviously using a webcam or a 640x400 cameraphone is gonna look a bit wank, but if the image is a good one, then it'll stand out.

Just snap away and be happy, it's not serious, it's more of what perspective people share on the subject at hand, not a competition where we're all batteling out for the 'my dicks bigger than yours' - sorry gals, simple example.

edit; yeah what lin said

[{{909}}]

alot of the entrants use normal cameras, me included and i managed to win once

[TheFincher]

If you look at the previous winners admittadly some have been taken on "better" cameras but a lot of them havent too. The more pics you take than the better you will become......... Just take Mr Olympia as an example, look at the photos he takes now compared to a year or so ago and the improvment is there for everyone to see (not saying that they older ones were bad by the way mate!!) a lot of that is down to practice and constructive critiscm along with some sound advice from slarti

A lot of it is about thinking "outside of the box" and coming up with an idea that you hope no one else does.

Ive never won in the competition so I could be totally wrong on all these things but its just what i think

[bowers]

well ive been on here for over a year now and have loved this section when it started. ive never entered or voted but im going to join in as some of the photos are absolutly brilliant. i love looking at the art in all of the pictures. i hate it when people get all moody about the "pros" etc. it doesnt matter about winning as its all about different prospectives imo. im going to stop bleating on and enter my first one. im crap but i dont care as i want to be involved.

[bowers]

forget this one as i didnt realise that it had to be taken for this comp!!

[{{909}}]

bowers, the exif date or whatever its called (yeah look how pro i sound!) indicates your photo was taken on the 25th of last month, all entrants have to be taken for the contest, we cant just enter old photos. Shame cos ive got loads of watery ones!

[bowers]

shit your right i took it last week.

never mind.

[Speshal]

Nice pic though well done

[Mr Olympia]

Also most of the folk on here (with expensive kit) have probably had years of experience. I've only just started with a normal camera and managed a couple of votes.
I think we should have a "3 wins and your out" rule - give us all a chance - only joking of course. Well done Mr O

Tut, tut...and I voted for YOUR pic for August...

Honestly, I've only been taking photos for just a few months and I've said it before, but I'll say it again...the person who inspired me to take it up as a hobby was Slartibarfast. Looking at his pics blew me away so I bought a Fuji S9500 for starters, then bought my current camera (Canon 350D).

I would say that after spending hours and hours reading up on photography, looking a peoples pics, buying LOADS of magazines etc. I would say it's deffinitely the photographer that makes the pic..not the camera. Yes of course the right equipment would help, but I've seen loads of excellent photos taken with a point & shoot camera.

I am still very much an ameteur, albeit a keen one, and hope to one day...be as good as Slarti.

[burner1]

I just love taking pics full stop, I like to enter the comp here as I like to contribute to a great section on DF, I never think 'I hope I win this time', But I do go out of my way to think about a good shot, I just like to contribute 'something' at least.

I think though, that some members may feel like people will think their entries are 'shite' due to the quality of the pic so don't enter, but personally, I couldn't give a sh*t if some thought my pics were shite because of quality, composition or idea.. It's my 'expression' and maybe one or two people will like them, so there

[slartibartfast]

Aww shucks Mr. O.

question for y'all...the people who take part in this contest seem to be fairly professional in their field and anyone who uses a shitty normal (digital) would obviously be beaten by the others with a far superior camera...can anyone tell me if i am talking out my backside or not please

I think it's a common misconception that expensive camera equals great pictures. I've no doubt everyone in this forum with a DSLR will tell you it just doesn't happen that way. It takes time, practise and lots and lots and lots of shots to start to improve.

Yes, a DSLR will give you greater creative control over the picture taking process but you also need to learn how to use those controls to their best effect.

The old adage holds true "it's not what you've got, it's how you use it".

Don't forget also that photography is subjective. Even if your image has great lighting, good subject and a perfect technique it may still lose out to something that just appeals more to someone.

Now get off your arse and start taking some pictures.

[wizer]

I have a DSLR camera and it makes me take fabulous pics....NOT!

I like the compo because it gets me taking pictures right across the range. Each month is asking for a different technique or situation.

[TheFincher]

I just love taking pics full stop, I like to enter the comp here as I like to contribute to a great section on DF, I never think 'I hope I win this time', But I do go out of my way to think about a good shot, I just like to contribute 'something' at least.

I think though, that some members may feel like people will think their entries are 'shite' due to the quality of the pic so don't enter, but personally, I couldn't give a sh*t if some thought my pics were shite because of quality, composition or idea.. It's my 'expression' and maybe one or two people will like them, so there

I agree mate........... it makes you take pics of stuff you wouldnt usually and give you good practice

Ive entered every competition except 2 or 3 and have never won but i still enjoy it