GT4 PhotoMode Competition: Week 5 Poll

[superbad]

Personally, I wouldn't want to go down the road of a really descriptive brief for the competitions, however much we all enjoy using the photomode on GT4, it's still quite limited in what you can do with a single unadulterated image. Many a time I've been frustrated by not being able to get the exact angle I want, (a by product of being able to tweak away at your hearts content, rather than in the real world where you have one chance lol).

What I'm saying is that I think a descriptive brief might stifle creativity, and leave us with an entry list of very similar looking photos. I think the range of entries right now is about right, but we need to get a handle on judging the photos by their originality, composition, use of light and how well they illustrate the title or brief given (for example) - rather than "That's a cool car, composition is a bit dodgy, nothing to do with so and so track - but no one else has submitted a picture of that car - and it's got flames/is drifting/jumping...lol nothing against any of these pursuits...as long as it has some relevance to the brief.

That's why I like to see open-ended titles that can be interpreted differently by people, and not be limited to certain cars/tracks...this only seems to cause tears!
I've mentioned this in the themes thread, What about themes that leave the door wide open for interpretation, that are judged on how well they use that theme to come up with a good picture? eg. "Night-drive", "Vanishing Point", "Too close for comfort" or suchlike.
It's up to the person choosing the theme in the end, these are just my thoughts...I'll probably still enter whatever the theme, ...might even make the cut someday, cheers.

 

[speedthrill]

you have a point there, a big one. And I like it myself 💡

 

[CrackHoor]

I personally believe the whole theme was ignored by TsLeng in his choice of the top 20. And after this week I hope that the themes are much more descriptive so these issues don’t pop up again…..

IMO, TsLeng should be free to pick any top 20 he wants from the eligible entries. He's earned this privilege by winning a competition, and he shouldn't have to justify his choices to any of us. He chose the theme.

I'm not sure I'd want to win one of these things now, knowing that I'll have to put up with pages of this 'Why'd you choose that one instead of mine?' garbage, or theme nazi's telling me my choices suck. It's completely spoiling these contests for me... this is supposed to be fun, right? 👎

Summary: We're not voting for a new Pope here guys, why don't we lighten up a bit.

 

[adam fraser]

IMO, TsLeng should be free to pick any top 20 he wants from the eligible entries. He's earned this privilege by winning a competition, and he shouldn't have to justify his choices to any of us. He chose the theme.

I'm not sure I'd want to win one of these things now, knowing that I'll have to put up with pages of this 'Why'd you choose that one instead of mine?' garbage, or theme nazi's telling me my choices suck. It's completely spoiling these contests for me... this is supposed to be fun, right? 👎

Summary: We're not voting for a new Pope here guys, why don't we lighten up a bit.

totally agree with you. he has his own right to choose, since he won the last comp.

 

[dori-san]

WELL PUT, Crack!

I know I don't agree with this weeks entries myself, but it's TS Lengs privelage and nobody elses. I know some people probably didn't like some of my picks for week 4, but that's just how it goes.

Everyone whining should put a sock in it and get back to taking the best damned picture you've ever taken. Cause when you win, YOU can pick the top 20... but until then, deal with it!

I think allowing a winner to pick their top 20 makes for more randomization in the competitions. Because you just never know what differences there will be from one persons preference to another. Because if it was Slick picking the top 20 every week then after a while everybody would kind of have a grasp on his taste and personal preference, and start taking photos just to appeal to him. This way we have more of a challenge because not only does the theme change every week, but the style/taste/preference to appeal to is also changed... it keeps things fresh. So just take your pictures and put up the one YOU FEEL is your best, and eventually your time will come.

Speaking as someone who has already won one of these competitions... I was the FIRST to shortlist my top 20 and let me tell you; it's no picnic. I had 70+ pictures to go through and pick 20 from and it was not easy. I had lots of tough decisions to make and there were a good many pictures I had to cut but didn't want to. You may think it would be great to win a competition, and it is, but with that win comes responsibilities that some might not be ready for... and pressure that you might not expect. As I said at the top about it being TS Lengs "privelage," it can also be "punishment" when viewed a certain way. It was cool winning and getting to pick a theme and seeing everybody perception/attempt at my theme. However, it was somewhat stressful in the end having to choose out of all the entries which ones were better than the others... what to base your decision on, and which ones to nix. I am sure it was harder even for TS Leng. He had (I think) somewhere in the ballpark of ~100 entries. So winning come with its perks AND downsides, remember that!

It was actually originally MY idea to narrow the entries down to 20 for the poll, and ALSO my idea to have the winner who picked the theme also pick the 20. I suggested this and I'm glad that Slick put it into action because obviously he knew (just like I did) that things would get WAY out of hand if we didn't do this. I knew that the competitions were only going to get bigger as time went on, and it's hard enough for slick to piece together 20 pictures for the polls. Like I said before, I had about 70 to choose from and TS had about 100. Slick had a hell of a time with the first week because there were about 40 entries to choose from in the poll. These competitions are only going to grow and it would damn near kill that man to have to put 120 pictures into a poll, let alone how scattered the votes would be and how annoying the poll would look with that many choices. The shortlisting was inevitable, it's truely the most efficient thing that has happened to the competition. As someone had suggested earlier, and I'm sure it may happen as the competitions grow... the shortlist will get larger. Maybe soon it will become a top 25, and then a top 30. Who knows? We may end up with a top 50, but that won't be until there are like 250+ entries.

 

[mudro]

Thanks for allowing to voice my opinion, but I still think my point is being missed.

This isn't about the the theme choosers "privledges" to pick what pictures he wants. It's about his "responsobility" to make his choices based on his given theme. And with that I ask you, how can a close up picture of a car represent a track named theme? or how can a landscape picture adequetly represent a car based theme?

I respect the ideas and rules of this contest I understand what was said by dori-san and superbad, And I have to agree with them whole heartedly on the issue, that it's up to the person who choose the theme to pic out what they feel represents the said theme the best. I was wrong in stating that the themes should be more descriptive. In actuallity they are correct, less description will create a more diverse field of pictures to choose from. I know we all don't want to be seeing the same pictures of the same car on the same track.

My main problem is still the fact that it appears that this weeks winner choose "pictures" that he liked, and ignored the theme that these pictures were based on. I'm sorry but I keep going back to the Beetle...Great pic and all, but that pic coupld have been taken at any track location. It's not the only pic in the shortlist that ,,,too me,,,,says nothing about the "theme" that was choosen.

And it's this statement that makes me wonder , what criteria he had in mind when he choose the other 15 pictures.....as he states he only liked five of them and 1 was his.
Did the beetle make it in because it was a cool picture, or did it make it on the theme base of ""Nurburgring Nordshleife" ???

Actually....i only really really like a few of all the pics posted which makes it easy to select at first.

And then...... I have to choose some 15 more out of a possible 30 (average for me, the rest are too crappy to me) photos to make it 20 and it really blows me off

So finally, I have chosen my 20 best pics(mine included ) and PMed slick.

And just for the record, I'm not whinning or complaining because my picture didn't make the cut....I'm trying to make a valid point, that I hope other winners will take into account when choosing the shortlist.....

If you choose a theme, please make all efforts to make sure the pictures in the top 20 have something to do with the said theme.


My rants over now,,,,,I'll shut up
Thanks for listening.
Mudro

 

[homer110123d]

Damn, thought I'd make it in this week. Oh well.

 

[Brock5000]

some fair points there mudro but remember that everyone will interperate the theme differently. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that your interpretation is the only right one

While you and others (myself included) may take the theme of Nurburgring to mean the photos should make the track the main feature with the vehicles a secondary consideration, there will be just as many who read the theme as simply requiring the Nurburgring to be the location with the car taking center stage. In this respect the beetle shot fits the bill perfectly.

That said, the more specific the theme, the more people will be forced to try to come up with something creative. The curent comp of JGTC cars on Suzuka is an excellent theme - it limits what you can use and puts the emphasis on the skill and style of the photographer.

Another thing to keep in mind when selecting your final entry is that you don't just have to appeal to the theme picker, but alsoto the general public who'll be voting for the winner. From looking at what pics got the most votes over the past few weeks, it is clear that the majority of votes go to the most visually impressive pic, no matter how closely it does or doesn't fit the theme. In fact I'd wager that most people who come from outside this photo forum vote without bothering to read what the theme was.

 

[dori-san]

And just for the record, I'm not whinning or complaining because my picture didn't make the cut....I'm trying to make a valid point, that I hope other winners will take into account when choosing the shortlist.....

If you choose a theme, please make all efforts to make sure the pictures in the top 20 have something to do with the said theme.


My rants over now,,,,,I'll shut up
Thanks for listening.
Mudro

Well put. I guess it was easier for me because my theme was American cars (not very difficult), and all the pictures focused on the correct theme. But I did take many things into account when making my selcections. Being a photographer and knowing a lot about pictures, I went with the ones that were the most intriguing and the ones that had the best composition.

case in point:



this is one of my most favorite of the week because he got a neat angle, vibrant colors, great composition, the Dunlop arch in the background to offset the car placement.... overall one of the best photos of the week.

 

[MR8]

Well put. I guess it was easier for me because my theme was American cars (not very difficult), and all the pictures focused on the correct theme. But I did take many things into account when making my selcections. Being a photographer and knowing a lot about pictures, I went with the ones that were the most intriguing and the ones that had the best composition.

case in point:



this is one of my most favorite of the week because he got a neat angle, vibrant colors, great composition, the Dunlop arch in the background to offset the car placement.... overall one of the best photos of the week.

Thanks for the complements, dori-san!

Damn I didn't make it.

 

[speedthrill]

well Franz, we were going nice head to head for a couple of days but i think yr gonna win now

 

[superbad]

Some good points raised, and things have been clarified a bit for me. Hope I wasn't considered a whinger wasn't the intention, just making suggestions to try and make the compo run smoother (like Dori-san).
As for all the hassle you get from winning, you have my sympathies - it must be very difficult to for a past winner to pick a shortlist, (and get moaned at from entrants who weren't picked), but it is the way to go.
Thanks for listening.

 

[franz]

I'm going to give you guys a challenge for week 7
The idea will be a bit similar to superbad's theme suggestion
which will be more freedom on car choice and location
but meeting the theme concept will be rather important

btw ... thankyou anyone who vote me
and good luck to you all next round

 

[the hodge man]

i have 2 agree on the picture of the beetle i mean no offence after all i did not make it into the top 20 but the pic of the beetle and the range stormer are not exactly what i would call "top 20 material" and no offence to whoever chose the theme of week 6 with suzuka and the jgtc cars but suzuka is a great track to race on but for photo mode its not exactly very good thus the main reason why i did not want to enter the week 6 competition no offence

 

[440 CHARGER]

i have 2 agree on the picture of the beetle i mean no offence after all i did not make it into the top 20 but the pic of the beetle and the range stormer are not exactly what i would call "top 20 material" and no offence to whoever chose the theme of week 6 with suzuka and the jgtc cars but suzuka is a great track to race on but for photo mode its not exactly very good thus the main reason why i did not want to enter the week 6 competition no offence

I submitted the Range Stormer. That is actually why I submitted it. That is kind of the way people vote. They vote for the cool cars that have nice styling and have a unique look to them. I thought about submitting one with alot of the track in it, but I just did'nt think it would do well because that is not what people tend to vote for. Just thought I would give an explanation on my submission.

 

[speedthrill]

yes they vote on very unique cars. Look at that Mazda running in second place. Wow what a unique car... lol

 

[franz]

sometimes it is really hard to understand how people pick their favorite
maybe week 5 had too much freedom on car choice and the track was long
so people picked unique car and unique location
for the past ... it seems more about camera angle and location wise

 

[Hãt©h]

I voted!! horay for me!

 

[eastley]

WTF, I just finally voted and looked at the results.

The theme is the Nurburgring right? so I thought yeah, vote for a pic that really shows it off. The second one was my obvious choice as it shows the straight slowely disapearing in the distance. BUT every dumb arse thug has been voting for the only drift PIC in the comp that doesn't really show a descent bit of the track. This weeks competition is a failure.

In my books the second Picture wins by a far margin, it shows the best bit of the ring. To the person who took it, well done!!!

 

[Touring Mars]

.

 

[Slick6]

Congratulations to franz, Winner of Week 5!

 

[Touring Mars]

Congratulations Franz, I've thought of a name for your winning pic...

"Always Look On The Breidscheid Of Life"....

 

[franz]

Thankyou for voting the Elise
I know there are some very good entry which didnt make it into top 20
otherwise I may not win this one, so it is a lucky win
I know many people think drifting does not belong here
so week 7 theme is no drifting involved to make people happy

 

[speedthrill]

congratulations 👍

Now were's the poll of week 6? It's sunday here and pretty late in the afternoon.