7 replies to this topic

[KenByrne]

Just to get the forum started how about suggestions for themes for out meeting competitions.

I think we've had most of the colours but how about green, it might encourage a few UK shots.

Man made objects A wreck, a pier or a coke can, your choice.

Cephalopods

Crabs and lobsters

All suggestions welcome.

[Lucy Kay]

Having met the challenge of a tompot blenny image competition at the October meeting and lived to tell the tale, here's a few additional suggestions for competition themes for NUPG meetings. Anyone got any favourites?

Worms
Big Bony Fish
Bottom Dwelling Rays
Dogfish
Sharks
The colour Purple
The colour yellow
Hermit crabs
Scenic weeds
Urchins
Divers and the sun
Fish shoals
Symbiotic relationships
Wide angle scenic shots – ambient light only
Wide angle scenic shots – balanced light
Life on undersea wreckage
A blend of colours
Silvery reflections underwater
Corals

B)

[Alex_Mustard]

I think the best question to ask first is do we want:

1) the most possible entries (i.e. appeal to the most members)
2) to set a challenge to our members

If 1>2 then go for general ones. If 2>1 then more thought provoking ones are good.

Alex

[KenByrne]

My own feeling is that a mix of the 2 is best. I think we need to set themes that encourage as many members to enter as possible, most of the time. Otherwise the club and the competition run the risk of appearing elitist.

The occasional more challenging theme will hopefully produce some interesting pictures and encourage the less experienced photographers to try something different..

[TonyG]

I think BOTH, because in the club:

1. Camera types vary, from Compact Digi, SLR Film & Digi, Wet Digi & Film.
This means the subject mater has to broad enough to ensure that a camera system can cover it. If for instance "Blennies" were selected, then wipes out most wet cameras with framers unless you've been really lucky and been shooting for years. A broader approach could be "Blennies, Gobies, Scorpionfish & friends"

2. Several Divers prefer/only dive warm water. (or the converse)
If "Kelp" is only selected, then this implies colder water, such as California or UK, so again, a broader approach could be "Kelp and Green Weeds"

Yes, by all means challenge, but also some balance for those less fortunate either financially for cameras, skills-wise, or those who prefer a single climate. It is hard, and yes it could become elitist with the same ones winning - but if you make it too challenging, then the winners could be come very select, and then it just disappoints others who then may think "why should I bother". I think from this perspective, careful consideration needs to be made:

a. Broaden the horizon of the image subject (ie, make it wrecks, and not just uk wrecks).

b. Perhaps consider a "previous winners/runnersup class" and "new"

c. I think the recent suggestion to scan images could be beneficial, so the "Slide Comp" becomes the "Meeting Image Comp", but with scanned images, quality can deteriorate, especially for those shots which contain shades of the same colour, eg, blue for ambient wreck. In these cases perhaps the raw images, slides/raw files should be shown

d. Perhaps increase the voting to 3 images and not two.

I think it could be subjective-categorisation dependant on subject matter and whether the meeting organiser/committee feels its too biassed towards the top end of the club. For the club to move forward, there needs to be some encouragement for those just starting out and those on the rocky road of gaining experience.

I used a wet camera system for 8 years and took it to the limits of its capabilities, I simply couldn't get any more out of it, but occasionally I would be placed. Is this because the equipment is inferior, the image inferior, or the photographer? Probably none/some, but it was more likely your'e up against better equipment, better imagery (from more capable/adaptable lenses) and better photography (from more experienced and seasonsed veterans).

Its a difficult one - or am I in danger of sounding elitist?

[TonyG]

Here are some Comp Themes:
Sagartia Anemones {may wish to expand this to include paranzooanthids}
Tubularia, Hydroids & Salp {worldwide}
Plumose Anemones {we’ve had anemones in general in 2003)
Spider Crabs
Squatties & Slippers (lobsters) {as opposed to common lobster}
Starfish {can’t see that we’ve had this}
The bigger wrasse & groupers, ie cuckoo, ballen, potato cod etc.
Eels (moray, conger, garden etc.)
Encrusting Sponges (elephant ear, breadcrumb, potato etc.)
Wide Angle coral structures
Cleaner shrimps & wrasse
The polyps feeding

Kens Items from first note:
Man made objects A wreck, a pier or a coke can, your choice.
Cephalopods
Crabs and lobsters

Original List (minus used):
Big Bony Fish
The colour Purple
The colour yellow
Hermit crabs
Scenic weeds
Urchins
Divers and the sun
Fish shoals
Symbiotic relationships
Wide angle scenic shots – ambient light only
Wide angle scenic shots – balanced light
Life on undersea wreckage
Silvery reflections underwater

[echeng]

Great! Keep 'em coming. If we are too specific, we're going to confuse members. After all, we tried to get y'all to post pictures of plants, and something 60% of the subjects submitted were animals.

[Bill Bradley]

Themes: How about diving models.