8 replies to this topic

[Phil Rudin]

Most clubs have photo contest at each meeting which involves a theme, such as marine mammals. And most would agree that a whale shark would be disqualified from this category. But some categories are not so clear, such as motion through the use of slow shutter speeds and rear curtain sync.

I would like to know how other clubs handle the issue of disqualification of images entered into a given category. Specifically who makes the call, I.E. the President, board, a challenge from the membership and at what point, while the images are being shown at the meeting, prior to the meeting or what.

Thanks in advance for your imput.

Phil Rudin

[Alex_Mustard]

Hi Phil,

At BSoUP are club competitions are voted on by the audience (of underwater photographers) and generally we decide by mob rule. As competition organiser we would only exclude subjects that clearly are outside the theme and anything that is borderline we let it in and allow the voters to decide.

Usually with lots of nice images to choose from an image that is borderline won't get many votes and therefore natural selection will take its course.

Well that is the theory. A few years ago a Jellyfish got the most votes in an On-The-Day shootout on the theme of Fish. That was then excluded by the organising committee from the competition. Although the photographer (who knew it wasn't a fish) got a special mention.

Alex

[John Bantin]

Against my better judgement, I once entered the BSoUP annual slide competition, invited by Brian Pitkin. I was well pleased with my six pictures when they got projected. Unfortunately I got "nil points" because I did not realise that the audience voted for the work of their friends - and as everyone knows, I'm Billy No-Mates!

Years before I entered Holborn SAC phot competition and all my pictures were disqualified because they were technically perfect!!!!

(Ask me why I don't ever now enter photo competitions.)

[scorpio_fish]

I'm not sure an overt act of disqualification is necessary. An inappropriate submission would just get no votes. If the voters voted for it even though, say the whaleshark isn't a mammal, then maybe a future meeting topic on classifications is in order.

Our local UPS had the categories listed for each of the months. I had no clue what any of them meant. It was like, all Latin, or something. I figured I'd enter my best shot. It was bound to be in the right category one of those months.

A few years ago a Jellyfish got the most votes in an On-The-Day shootout on the theme of Fish

If a jellyfish isn't a fish, why is called a fish? Shouldn't be called somthing else? Like a sandwich or something.

[james]

At HUPS, we have three judges who each vote on the photos 1-10. The judges are usually just three people that did not enter the competition. They are told the topic beforehand, so if an entry is outside the topic, they should give it a 1...

Unfortunately, this does not always happen, hence George's comment about educating the judges is a good one.

Cheers
James

[thatporchdawg]

At HUPS, the monthly photo contests are judged by three members using an archaic electronic apparatus... no mob rule for us Americans!

As far as off topic entries, the club leadership has taken the stance that the judging process will take into account any off topic entry, and judge it accordingly. I've never seen an off topic image place in a monthly contents, so its never been a direct issue that I know of. Should it happen, a member could challenge the contest results and have the club leadership make a ruling.

I've often wondered what would happen if I entered a phenomenal off topic image into the monthly contest. I think its time to go find that image I have of the whaleshark, penguin, polar bear and blue whale all swimming in formation and enter it into the nudibranch contest! B)

[herbko]

Some topics should be obvious to the voting mob and some are more difficult. I remember one NCUPS monthly contest long ago had juveniles as the topic. The winner was small filefish that I thought was not a juvenile, just an adult member of a species that's small and cute. I think this is an example of something that a voting mob can easily get wrong.

[kathymm]

I would like to know how other clubs handle the issue of disqualification of images entered into a given category. Specifically who makes the call, I.E. the President, board, a challenge from the membership and at what point, while the images are being shown at the meeting, prior to the meeting or what.

Thanks in advance for your imput.

Phil Rudin

NCUPS allows everyone present to vote. Occasionally, a member will enter an image that does not fit into the subject of that months competition (usually not realizing that it doesn't fit). Either, as Herb mentioned, no one will notice; the image will not get any votes; or... someone very loudly will say "That's not a juvenile!". Luckily these competitions are anonymous.

Best,
Kathy

[Phil Rudin]

Thanks for everyones imput, this issue is being addressed again at our board meeting on Monday 23 Oct.

Phil Rudin