How do you vote (for photos other than your own?)

[mabas9395]

You mean there are people out there who vote for a photo besides their own??? Who knew?

 

[wenrob]

Since I started hanging out here I've noticed that I've started to become more critical of my own pics and I think that affects how I vote at times. However, I'm much more of a captured moment kind of girl so even if the picture is technically a mess if it caught an expression or moment that moves me I'll vote for that. Composition is next if there aren't those types of photos to be had.
I've yet to enter a contest here, I'm just not that brave. Contests I've entered (and won some actually) on other boards it would never cross my mind to vote for myself or someone I'm friends with. I really take my time looking at all the pics and always skip over my own.

 

[klmall]

Originality but that's based mostly on watching these contests since before there was a Photography Board (in the Community Board I think) and this factor greatly influences my own entry choices now. I photograph differently now and my entries are often different than others.

I voted for originality as the most important for me. For instance, when the theme was Disney's Hollywood Studios, how many of us have a photo of the Sorcerer's Hat taken at night, and how many were entered in the contest? Tons. After a while, it becomes ho-hum. But somebody had a neat shot of a fog-shrouded lamppost at Tower of Terror that was different, so I remember voting for that shot just because it was unusual but you still knew where it was taken. That's just the most recent example that comes to mind, but I think you know what I mean....

Amy, I agree with your first point about overkill on some photos. I might even choose a poorer quality photo with originality over the best Sorceror's Hat photo but I am definitely in the voting minority it seems.

 

[Sha]

I look at a lot of different things when I vote for a photo (the subject, the compostition, appeal... it goes on). With this poll I wanted to refer back to the contest (Poster's Choice) that were to be future contest subjects. I voted first based on what the poster of the photo said the topic was and then I looked at the photo to see if the subject was well presented in the shot.

Regardless if a shot has been repeated, it's the poster's thought that this is the best shot to fit that catagory. I try to keep that in mind when I vote too. And it all helps us see though another's lens and help us (or at least me, a non professional) to improve.

 

[MrsJackSparrow]

I vote nearly every week but have never posted a picture. The pictures I vote for are the ones that bring a smile to my face. I usually view the pictures with my kids and it's usually a concensus picture that gets the vote. The picture that most takes us into the scene is the one we like best.

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

I peek at the poll and check and see who has the least amount of votes, if I am in the contest I will pick my own, and then in the other groupings I will pick the one with the least amount of votes to give myself a better chance I guess. I dunno, the reasoning works out in my head. LOL.

 

[ILuvCrush]

I like to vote for the pic I WISH I could have taken!!! It may be any of the reasons listed in the poll....but if it is one I would have loved to see in my scrapbook.... they get the vote!!

Call it the jealousy factor

Paula

 

[klmall]

I peek at the poll and check and see who has the least amount of votes, if I am in the contest I will pick my own, and then in the other groupings I will pick the one with the least amount of votes to give myself a better chance I guess. I dunno, the reasoning works out in my head. LOL.

Oh, so you're the one who voted for me!

 

[orchjoe]

It is the wow factor for me. Too many things can affect how an image turns out and if get me to say WoW! Then that's usually what I go for.


There are so many wonderful photos that everyone posts. This is also such a great learning environment too. Thanks everyone!

 

[Quicklabs]

For me, it's creativity, originality and how well it expresses the theme. I love to see the world from different angles, so that's big on my list. Of course, it has to be a good photo as well.
I absolutely agree with Donold Fan--there are so many great photographers on this board, and there is such generosity of spirit here, while still being effective in teaching newbies like me. The photos in the contests inspire me to improve my skills. THis is one of my favorite places on the web.

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

Oh, so you're the one who voted for me!

yup thats me...

 

[DebºoºS]

Regardless if a shot has been repeated, it's the poster's thought that this is the best shot to fit that catagory. I try to keep that in mind when I vote too.

me too

 

[jann1033]

i resurrected this since i hadn't seen it but voted other cause i go by technical composition( by that i mean composition, wb, etc and originality equally first,then narrow down by color( basically only to rule out if it looks over saturated) and the others. something has to really stand out and grab me to get me "emotionally" voting...which has only very occasionally happened, how emotionally grabbing can Disney be really i mean, not like a crying mother holding a starving child grabbing...i like the letters since i always tried to ignore the photographer to keep my self impartial and that is easier...

 

[rtphokie]

Its interesting that no one has selected "who posted it". Beginning in June of this year, contests were switched to identifying photos by letter instead of name (though you can click through to the original post if you really must see who posted it).

Prior to that, we'd see the same 3-4 posters getting the top votes in about 75% of the contests. After that they are winning less than 50% of the contests. While this shouldn't be directly attributed to "I'll vote for that person, I've seen him/her winning a bunch of contests, this must be a good photo", I'm guessing it was a factor.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I always start by voting for my own with my regular account and all of my fake Disboard IDs created just for the contest. Then, for the other heats, I vote based on the camera maker (I almost never vote for anything other than a Canon shot). I also look at the picture to try to make sure that a photo better than mine doesn't advance to the finals against it.

If I think I have a strong competitor, I look for a technical flaw in it and then post a thread about the technique. That gets the idea on other voter's minds so that they'll look more harshly at the photo.

I also like to spam the moderator with complaints about technical violations as a way to reduce competition as well. Besides, even if he doesn't disqualify them, he loves getting the PMs and so I know he'll probably help me out later.

I'm not really interested in the pictures. It's all about winning and furthering my photography career.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Its interesting that no one has selected "who posted it".

I should have added that I always consider who posted it. For example, I would never vote for a GDad picture because he cheats by sticking cute little girls in his pictures. jann1033 is always mean to me, so I immediately rule hers out. I ignore everything that DebºoºS posts because the little "º" things in her ID bother me. In fact, now that I think about it, I never vote for anyone who's ID I recognize.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Mark, you are unique.

 

[ukcatfan]

jann1033 is always mean to me, so I immediately rule hers out.

HA!!!! I think have caught you in your little lie!!!! As far as I know, she does not enter the contests b/c she has not visited WDW since owning a DSLR.

 

[DueyDooDah]

I, too, have been thinking about this very subject. I am routinely surprised by some of the selections that are made during the polling. I imagine that because I'm in a photo class, my view is tainted by education. Sometimes it's a good thing, other times, maybe not.

I look for composition using these three criteria:

Clear subject: Can I decifer what the person is trying to depict? Does it have too many ambiguous elements to determine the subject? If I look at a photo, the subject must be immediately apparent.

There is focus on the subject: Does the viewer's eye get drawn to the subject?

Is it simple: Does it include only elements that draw attention to the subject? Can anything be removed without affecting the overall subject of the image?
​

Then I look for sharpness. If the photo is unintentionally blurry/out of focus, then I can't vote for it.

Then I look for the feeling of the photo. Does it make me feel all warm and fuzzy? Happy? Sad? Bring a tear?

IOW, techincal appearance seems to dominate my views, followed by the touchy, feely stuff. I guess that's why I'm a computer geek.

 

[jann1033]

HA!!!! I think have caught you in your little lie!!!! As far as I know, she does not enter the contests b/c she has not visited WDW since owning a DSLR.

yeah uk is right so liar liar pants on fire mark although i do try to be equally mean to everyone here so as not to be partial