# Question about photo contest



## Wayne Quinn (Jan 24, 2008)

My question is this, for all entrants in the contest, has anyone besides myself in recent contests noticed after just a single vote your points score dropping down over 1.0 full point by a single vote, which I have check on and is only possible by someone voting your photo the lowest score possible. Is this mainly done by other entrants to each other in hopes of better chances? I am not starting an argument, just asking.


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## blairo1 (May 7, 2006)

Yeah I saw this with mine a couple of times, but it's not really a serious contest, so I wouldn't worry about it too much . Just enjoy sharing the pics and taking part.

If you want voting based more on the technical quality of your photo (and of course artistic quality as well), you should post your pics on a forum that specialises in aquatic photography - I really like aquatic-photography.com. Although I'm not yet brave enough to enter the photo comp, there is a great critique section that can prove very useful!

:thumb:


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## NorthShore (Feb 3, 2006)

I am not involved in the photo contest, but I am quite certain that any really low scores are removed towards the end of the contest. I can't explain what might motivate people to do that, but your explanation may very well be the reason.

Gerry

PS~~Come on, Blair. Your pics are good enough.


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## Guest (Dec 10, 2008)

I only give low scores to pics with horrible lighting, bad angles, bad specimens of fish, or ugly hybrids..

Other than that my scores typically range from 6-10 depending on the fish and the quality of the photo (clarity, lighting, angle, fish's pose, etc).

~Ed


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## NorthShore (Feb 3, 2006)

Wayne, can you actually see the score beside the photo you've entered while members are voting?


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## Wayne Quinn (Jan 24, 2008)

you can see your own rating is all, however, for example, if my score was a 6.25 and I had 24 votes, and the 25 vote dropped my score to 5.25, well, do you see what I mean? 1 single vote, and not positive on the why, but I do know the how. My photo's are very good quality, and I post them on alot of photography based websites, and finish top 3-4 frequently, and this one is solely for fun, but where is the sportsmanship in doing what I see happening here?


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## Wayne Quinn (Jan 24, 2008)




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## Wayne Quinn (Jan 24, 2008)




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## Wayne Quinn (Jan 24, 2008)




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## Wayne Quinn (Jan 24, 2008)

hope that gives you some insight.


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## NorthShore (Feb 3, 2006)

And as I indicated, I'm quite certain that those types of scores are removed. You do have great photos. :thumb:


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## Wayne Quinn (Jan 24, 2008)

thank you, I take alot of pride on my photography. North, with this last contest, I had a friend of mine try it on my photo, not telling which is mine, but I had him do it, the score is still the same as his was the last vote on it.


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## blairo1 (May 7, 2006)

Well, these photo's of mine were killed... I'm biased but I felt they were fairly strong shots, surely worthy of _one_ of the top spots, but then who knows. I normally don't bother with it but if I have a photo I'm pleased with I'll enter it and it comes where it comes, but yes it certainly can be frustrating when a piece you've spent time capturing and processing does so poorly.

This finished second from last:









This didn't do too much better:









This is a smaller resolution of one I didn't enter because it needs some more work and I'd chosen to show it rather than enter it, but I still doubt it would have done too well - the contest here really is about the popular/colourful fish primarily, technical skill and less popular fish seem to rank lower on the voting priority, which is why I said just enjoy it and don't worry too much about voting accuracy.









Maybe there are one or two who go through voting 1's to try and push theirs up, but I really can't see the point as in the long run, the average votes will choose the favourite anyway....

PS Gerry, you're too kind!


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## Wayne Quinn (Jan 24, 2008)

I understand, and they are incredible shots, and I do think they are voting the competition down to bring theirs up, no sportsmanship in it at all


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## Ripple (Jan 2, 2002)

Wayne

Members vote on the contest however they want. Some members like to rank the pictures 1 to 10 while others pick their favorites and rate the rest low. Some members choose their favorite fish or what they think is the best image. Others do a combination of the two.

All photos get low scores, even the best ones. We have to accept that from the contest participants. However, if someone is simply giving low scores to improve their own ranking, we can and do address it.

Like blairo1 said, this is just for fun. An opportunity to share your photo and get some feedback.

Hope to see more of your pictures in upcoming contests.


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## Wayne Quinn (Jan 24, 2008)

oh I know, I wasn't trying to cause a stir, was simply curious if others have noticed this also. And even though only for fun, it is still a contest.


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## Mullet (Dec 8, 2002)

There is a fair amount of low balling IMO. Folks with multiple accounts voting other entrants low. Like it was mentioned above, it isn't a very serious contest, and often a popularity contest vs a technical or artistic contest.

The other side of the coin is the photo specific sites. I often laugh at the comments there as well. Photography is not a science, it is an art form and everyone is entitled to their take or style. Someone will take a photo and you will see comments like, the tip of one of the rays of the dorsal fin looks a little hot (over exposed). This type of pixel bashing amuses me more than annoys me. Take pics that are how you like them. Some folks may like your work while others won't, but nobody is wrong.

I remember one time on one of the forums, a guy posted a famous Ansel Adams photo and sat back and watched all these "experts" and gurus of digital photography tear everything apart about the picture. They looked like the morons in the end.


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## blairo1 (May 7, 2006)

Mullet said:


> There is a fair amount of low balling IMO. Folks with multiple accounts voting other entrants low.


Does it really go on to that extent?! I would be surprised - I mean that would be a new low wouldn't it! Well, as in life, where and when people can cheat, I guess some just will. Just don't let it get to you .


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## Afishionado (Jun 6, 2006)

blairo1 said:


> Mullet said:
> 
> 
> > There is a fair amount of low balling IMO. Folks with multiple accounts voting other entrants low.
> ...


I see it regularly, but I also have seen firsthand that Robert & co. do monitor the votes and take action on any obvious poor sportsmanship. It is unfortunate that people would engage in 'reality TV / Survivor' type tactics in this friendly photo contest. I'm convinced the vast majority of voters don't, but it only takes a few for it to become obvious.

On the other hand I'm sure anyone who participates reglularly gets something out of it regardless of how their photos are scored. When scoring others' pics, I give plenty of consideration to what aspects of each pic appeal or disappeal to me, including technical and artistic details. I find this in turn helps me to hone my own aquatic photography.

To me just having the contest moderators select your photo to be among the finalists is already an achievement, especially now that the list of finalists is down from 20 to 10. How your entry fares when the world votes is something you can take with a grain of salt. While a top 3 finish is definitely something to be proud of, I wouldn't get upset over being in the 4-10 spots. The way I see it, if you keep working at it your pics will improve further, and sooner or later any randomness in the voting will swing in your favour.

Cheers. :thumb:


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