Photo Contest rules (please read)

[rtphokie]

Please take a moment to review the photo contest rules in the sticky post at the top of each page of the Photography Board. Over the past several weeks there have 2-4 entries each week which are over the size limit of 800x600 or have some other problem. Also please don't enter photos which break park rules, including using a flash on dark rides. We've got some new participants (which is great!) but it's not just the new folks who are forgetting the rules.

If you see an issue with a photo in one of the entry threads, please contact that poster directly with your concerns. They'll know about it sooner and will have more time to correct the problem. It's far more efficient if you work things out between each other rather use me as a referee.

If you see an issue with a voting thread, please send me a PM rather than post a follow up in the voting thread. This is the best way to keep the voting threads together so noone misses out on any votes. Also, please be aware that it takes an hour or so to post the final voting thread for the previous week's contest and all the group voting threads for the current week's contest. This is due to the board's limitations on how fast new threads can be posted. If your issue is with a particular entry, please include that person in your PM (you can specify multiple recipients by separating them with a comma) so they are aware of it as well (again, no stripes on my shirt).

Please don't take this the wrong way, I'm really enjoying keeping the contest running and am happy to see that it's getting more and more popular both with tried and true topics as well as some of the new ones we are trying. Volume of complaints I'm getting about specific entries is getting a little tiresome though.

-RTPHokie

There enough of that, back to the photos, Here's the Blue Man group from their show in Raleigh, NC last Friday, great show, highly recommended if you get the chance:

 

[rtphokie]

This morning I've received 3 more emails and/or PMs from Photo board posters complaining about specific contest entries (entries to big, flash used on dark rides, why did so-and-so edit their entry after posting it, etc.)

This is a community, we should work together. Please contact the individual photographers directly with your concerns. That person can update their post to correct the problem (include notes in the reason field so there are no questions). If that person ignore your questions and you still believe that the photo broke the rules, send me a PM and we'll figure something out up to and including excluding the entry from voting.

I do basic checks on entry sizes and anything obvious (like photos that are obviously not your own work) but I don't have time to scrutinize 70+ entries each week.

 

[fitzperry]

I do basic checks on entry sizes and anything obvious (like photos that are obviously not your own work) but I don't have time to scrutinize 70+ entries each week.

Evidently someone does. Maybe they'd like to take over.

Is it Mark trying to impose his BCS rule system?

 

[pyrxtc]

I don't think it's a matter of someone having too much time on their hands as it is that a photo that breaks the rules and it is noticed as we look over and see what all the entries look like. Pictures that are taken on rides that don't allow photography at all are easy to spot.

 

[jann1033]

This morning I've received 3 more emails and/or PMs from Photo board posters complaining about specific contest entries (entries to big, flash used on dark rides, why did so-and-so edit their entry after posting it, etc.)

This is a community, we should work together. Please contact the individual photographers directly with your concerns. That person can update their post to correct the problem (include notes in the reason field so there are no questions). If that person ignore your questions and you still believe that the photo broke the rules, send me a PM and we'll figure something out up to and including excluding the entry from voting.

I do basic checks on entry sizes and anything obvious (like photos that are obviously not your own work) but I don't have time to scrutinize 70+ entries each week.

rats. i was hoping the photo ansel adams took on it's a small world would win me a first place for sure sometimes i am glad i don't have photos to enter so i can stay out of the line of fire

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Evidently someone does. Maybe they'd like to take over.

Is it Mark trying to impose his BCS rule system?

It's not me. Although I will confess that I'm tempted to try to enter a single picture that breaks every single rule and doesn't get caught. It'd be an interesting challenge.

 

[rtphokie]

It's not me. Although I will confess that I'm tempted to try to enter a single picture that breaks every single rule and doesn't get caught. It'd be an interesting challenge.

I like it.

Shall we make this a topic for an upcoming contest? I'd love to see how many 801x601, flash photos of people hopping turnstiles we can get. It would have to be a photo that won previously and had elements photoshopped out and borders added of course.

I'll have to alert the admins to keep an eye on my PM inbox of course, so the disboard servers dont crash.

 

[JR6ooo4]

I don't think it's a matter of someone having too much time on their hands as it is that a photo that breaks the rules and it is noticed as we look over and see what all the entries look like. Pictures that are taken on rides that don't allow photography at all are easy to spot.

Which ones are those? I can only think of "behind the scenes" rides (right now). what am I forgetting?

Oh the CoP has new "no photo" rules. It used to be only a no flash rule.
any others?

Mikeeee

 

[rtphokie]

rats. i was hoping the photo ansel adams took on it's a small world would win me a first place for sure sometimes i am glad i don't have photos to enter so i can stay out of the line of fire

B&W photography is encouraged, there have been some great examples posted here.

I was referring to recent instances where PhotoPass photos have been entered, more specifically photos monitors displaying ride photos, complete with the photo number in the corner. Even I noticed that one.

 

[mabas9395]

It's not me. Although I will confess that I'm tempted to try to enter a single picture that breaks every single rule and doesn't get caught. It'd be an interesting challenge.

I'll be watching your posts, looking for that one that is cropped to 600 x 801.

 

[funhouse8]

I just want to thank you for keeping the photo contest running. I know it's a hard job and you are doing a wonderful job. I look forward to the contest each week as do many other disers. Keep up the good work.

 

[Master Mason]

Which ones are those? I can only think of "behind the scenes" rides (right now). what am I forgetting?

Oh the CoP has new "no photo" rules. It used to be only a no flash rule.
any others?

Mikeeee

I think she ment flash photos on rides that do not allow it, there were a few in the rides voting that fell into that catagory. But the easy way to fix that is to simply not vote for those that do it..... Oh and yell at them when your on the ride with them.

 

[ukcatfan]

Which ones are those? I can only think of "behind the scenes" rides (right now). what am I forgetting?

Oh the CoP has new "no photo" rules. It used to be only a no flash rule.
any others?

Mikeeee

The Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor and Stitch come to mind (just b/c I rode both within the past few days and remember them saying it) I have seen people told to put them away on Aerosmith RNR b/c of safety concerns. I also once saw someone being scolded for trying to take a shot of the Presidential Seal carpet in HOP. I though the Secret Service was going to show up and tackle the guy or something by the way the CM acted.

Kevin

 

[Groucho]

The Disneyland version of Tower of Terror also officially forbids all forms of photography. I didn't enjoy being chastised by a CM for having my lens cap off (on a PnS no less) as the ride was about to begin, back in 2005.

Are the rules linked at the beginning of each contest thread? I would suggest perhaps a link there, or before even a "best of rules" in boldface at the beginning of each contest thread.

Ie, something like:

This week's contest is pictures of Donald Duck eating churros.

Click "here" for the complete rules. The most commonly broken ones are:
ONE PHOTO PER PERSON
NO LARGER THAN 800X600 (OR 600X800)
MUST BE A PHOTO THAT YOU YOURSELF TOOK
MUST NOT HAVE BROKEN PARK RULES (IE, NO FLASH PHOTOS FROM RIDES WHERE IT IS PROHIBITED)
PHOTOS MUST HAVE MINIMAL EDITING - NO BORDERS, "PHOTOSHOPPING", ETC (see complete rules for details)

Something like that, pasted in the beginning of each week's contest, might go a long way towards keeping people from unintentionally breaking the rules.

 

[jann1033]

yeah and then the intentional rule breakers can be barred from disney for life ( where is that impending doom sound when i need it)

boy i'd hate to see it if prizes were ever offered

 

[NostalgicDad]

boy i'd hate to see it if prizes were ever offered

Now we're getting somewhere!

 

[cpbjgc]

...Oh and yell at them when your on the ride with them.

Hey, I resemble that remark! Last time down we rode POTC for the first time in many years (we were finally able to convince DS to go on). I had dutifully turned off the flash on my P&S camera, and took some some really bad pictures (MAX ISO 400 ) when I hear the person behind me start whining to her DBF/DH along the lines of "the ride is dark, you didn't tell me it would be dark" and so on, which lasted the whole ride. In between the whining she managed about 20 pictures with a flash on, pointedly ignoring my loud comments on how there was no flash photography, and how inconsiderate that was to others. I even stopped them after we got off and asked if they knew there was no flash photography, and did they no how to turn the flash off? They answered yes to both questions and scurried off to get away from this crazy dude asking all the questions I'm sure they have at least one picture with me glaring at them as actually turned around at one point to see where the flash was coming from just as she snapped a picture I am surprised I didn't see my picture in the Villains contest!

 

[orchjoe]

I thought your picture looked familiar
This is when they came to Minnesota

Great Show

 

[Miller1412]

With all the talk of the photos taken with flash in the PotC ride, I sort of am afraid people are thinking that about my shot in the rides contest, but I swear it's a clean no flash shot. You can check my EXIF data on that...and note the bluriness too I don't want anyone to think I am annoying others on that ride! I hate it when people do that too!

 

[MarkBarbieri]

yeah and then the intentional rule breakers can be barred from disney for life ( where is that impending doom sound when i need it)

boy i'd hate to see it if prizes were ever offered

There aren't any prizes? I've been wasting all my time for NOTHING?

I think she ment flash photos on rides that do not allow it, there were a few in the rides voting that fell into that catagory. But the easy way to fix that is to simply not vote for those that do it..... Oh and yell at them when your on the ride with them.

I never use flash on dark rides - I'm so bright that I don't need it.

I'll be watching your posts, looking for that one that is cropped to 600 x 801.

I was thinking about doing one that is 800x600.1 pixels. I figured no one would notice if I added just a fraction of a pixel, but it would surely make my picture stand out.

Oh, and I won't be thanking ANYBODY until we fix the stupid problems with the contest (the lack of a single elimination tournament, the lack of computerized rankings, and most of all - the lack of a multi-million dollar payout). The fact that we don't have a multi-million dollar payout is why I'm going to have to trudge off to work yet again today. Well, that and the fact that I never win anyway.