Photo Contest rules (please read)

[PhotobearSam]

I may be a culprit....I have no idea how to check the size of the photo...I post and hope for the best...If it's me...PLEASE TELL ME.


Thank you

 

[pyrxtc]

I may be a culprit....I have no idea how to check the size of the photo...I post and hope for the best...If it's me...PLEASE TELL ME.


Thank you

Well, if you host in a place like photobucket, it has a resize tab up top that will resize your photo for amessage board, a little smaller than it needs to be but it works great!

 

[handicap18]

I may be a culprit....I have no idea how to check the size of the photo...I post and hope for the best...If it's me...PLEASE TELL ME.


Thank you

If you use photobucket you can have it default to 600x800 when you upload them from your computer.

Just above where you add the files or browse to find your files (and just under images from my PC) there is an option that says..... max image size: ### x ### (options). This tells you what size your photos are being loaded onto photobucket are going to be. If you click on options you can then choose 15" screen (800 x 600). Then when your photos are uploaded from your computer to photobucket they will all be no bigger than 800 x 600 and thus will insure you will have no issues with the photo contest. It also gives the photo a good size on the boards. Not to big and not to small.

 

[emmabelle]

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 want to see you sneak in a picture from Universal.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

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.

How can you be sure that the photos aren't their own work? Sure, it may look just like one of those ride pictures you can buy, but what if it was a picture of one of those ride pictures? Wouldn't that be their own work? And if that isn't legal, where do you draw the line? Is it not OK to take pictures of pictures hanging up in the park? Pictures of signs? Pictures of statues?

I'm dying to know because I'm thinking about taking a picture of one of GDad's pictures and posting that. Seems fair to me. I'll just be smart enough to watermark my picture of his picture. I'm no fool.

 

[PhotobearSam]

If you use photobucket you can have it default to 600x800 when you upload them from your computer.

Just above where you add the files or browse to find your files (and just under images from my PC) there is an option that says..... max image size: ### x ### (options). This tells you what size your photos are being loaded onto photobucket are going to be. If you click on options you can then choose 15" screen (800 x 600). Then when your photos are uploaded from your computer to photobucket they will all be no bigger than 800 x 600 and thus will insure you will have no issues with the photo contest. It also gives the photo a good size on the boards. Not to big and not to small.

I just checked and I am A OK...Thanks.

 

[CheshireVal]

I made my husband "yell" at TWO parties behind us in the boat on POTC last year who were both taking flash photos about every 5 seconds. It was going off in the corner of my eye and was practically blinding me.

I kept giving them dirty looks every single time, but they didn't seem to get it.

Luckily, my husband is Australian, so he does a good "Oi!" attention grabbing thing that's hard to ignore. And if people get mad, I can always blame it on his being a foreigner.

 

[rtphokie]

How can you be sure that the photos aren't their own work? Sure, it may look just like one of those ride pictures you can buy, but what if it was a picture of one of those ride pictures? Wouldn't that be their own work? And if that isn't legal, where do you draw the line? Is it not OK to take pictures of pictures hanging up in the park? Pictures of signs? Pictures of statues?

I'm dying to know because I'm thinking about taking a picture of one of GDad's pictures and posting that. Seems fair to me. I'll just be smart enough to watermark my picture of his picture. I'm no fool.

You are correct that this isn't a clearcut thing, that's why I dont want to be the judge and jury. I"m thinking that the litmus is whether the photo is simply a duplication of the original work (like taking a shot of the ride photos at the exit of Test Track) or takes that original work and adds to it (like the hundreds of photos of the "Partners" statue in front of the castle, that's the work of the original artist, not the photographer, but the hopefully the photographer brings some different perspective to the statue with his/her photo).

This is not unlike questions that fair use questions that get asked about photos sometimes.

 

[labdogs42]

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

I think I have a picture of that carpet. If it is an illegal shot, I didn't know it!!

ETA, I happen to think that my pictures of my Buzz Lightyear ride pictures bring a certain perspective and panache to the picture that wasn't inherent in the original, but I will refrain from posting them in contests from now on

 

[tiggr33]

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.

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.

I’m going to play devils advocate for a minute. How many people will really be comfortable asking another member about the validity of their entry? Maybe, we can form a group of rules reviewers. ( I was going to say moderaters – but the terminology doesn’t work for the DIS since we have Mods.) People could PM yourself and you could forward to the reviewers, or have a list of the reviewers in the rules – so people know who to contact if they suspect a rules violation.
Another concern, I have is, don’t the rules currently and specifically state “Once you post your picture you can not replace it.” Are we now saying it is ok to post a photo, change your mind/find you are in violation of a rule, take down the photo, edit it, and re-upload it?

If you see an issue with a voting thread, please send me a PM rather than post a follow up in the voting thread.

Just a suggestion, but if a vote has a photo DQ’d and removed during the voting, shouldn’t the whole group get re-voted? The votes for the DQ’d entry, now sit in limbo. Those who voted could effect the outcome, by not being allowed to vote again. There will be votes in limbo. We have some pretty close voting heats, and I think this issue needs airing.

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.

Thank you for running the contests. I know you put a lot of time and energy into them. As I suggested above, maybe you should have some helpers with the comments/complaints. I’ll step up and help if asked, and I am sure there are others here that would as well.

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

Again, I am confused. Are we or aren’t we allowing re-entries? If we allow re-entries, I think the rules need to be edited to reflect this change. I was always under the impression that once you submitted, that was your entry.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

What about super delegates? We've got to have super delegates. And can some of the contests be done by caucuses instead of voting?

 

[fitzperry]

What about super delegates? We've got to have super delegates. And can some of the contests be done by caucuses instead of voting?

If we're going that route, then we should also have some preliminary voting rounds that are winner take all, while other groups that week have several candidates going into the final round. And votes from board members in Florida and Michigan don't count.

 

[JR6ooo4]

If we're going that route, then we should also have some preliminary voting rounds that are winner take all, while other groups that week have several candidates going into the final round. And votes from board members in Florida and Michigan don't count.

Then certainly we can also lobby for votes and lobbiests may use campaign funds to pursuade opinions!

But seriously. It is too much work to repost a poll and revote if someone might have a pic pulled for some reason. This is just for fun....


Mikeeee

 

[ukcatfan]

And votes from board members in Florida and Michigan don't count.

Well that depends. If you shoot with the liberal new DSLRs, then your vote does not count. If you are a conservative film shooter, you get half a vote.

Kevin

 

[willis37862]

[/b]
I’m going to play devils advocate for a minute. How many people will really be comfortable asking another member about the validity of their entry? Maybe, we can form a group of rules reviewers. ( I was going to say moderaters – but the terminology doesn’t work for the DIS since we have Mods.) People could PM yourself and you could forward to the reviewers, or have a list of the reviewers in the rules – so people know who to contact if they suspect a rules violation.
Another concern, I have is, don’t the rules currently and specifically state “Once you post your picture you can not replace it.” Are we now saying it is ok to post a photo, change your mind/find you are in violation of a rule, take down the photo, edit it, and re-upload it?

Really Seriously all this fuss over a "friendly" photo contest where no prizes are awarded is too funny.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

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. Kevin

On the Monster's Inc ride at DCA, Roz says something humorous to you if you are taking photos. Most of the rides at DLR say no flash photography, but I don't recall ever being told I couldn't photograph a ride at DL. I've had CMs look right at me on Matterhorn, Big Thunder, Indy and many others and simply has them say, "No flash photography." Some of it is common sense too -- like if the ride is fast and has wild turns and loops, etc. I do remember being told to put away cameras for safety on the Aerosmith RnRC, though.

I know I messed up my photo entry on the Rides thread when I first posted too big a size, but thankfully another poster pointed it out and I was able to correct it. My POTC photo was no flash as indicated in the Exif data. Sorry about the too big picture, I should have reviewed the rules before posting.

 

[tiggr33]

Wow, I never expected so much negativity (not simply the posts here but the few direct noted I received)

My response was generated by rtphokie stating they were getting an overwhelming amount of pm's about rules violations. I offered suggestions and opened dialouge....I didn't see anyone else doing. I see a lot of smart aleck remarks. The original post started by saying to review the rules? My response was directly related to reading the rules, and to the contradictions found. Yes it is a friendly competition, but it is still a competition. Winners are announced. If we want to encourage new participation, I think if we are going to have rules, they need to be clear rules. Maybe most of the people here are snap-shot types, I am not. I compete in many photo competitions, online and in-person, I am a competitive photographer by nature. I strongly believe for any contest to continually operatate succesfully, there needs to be rules in place.

As to being a fuss, why have rules then? Why not just make it a POTW and not a contest?
As to being fuss, why add more negativity to this? Why not offer up suggestions to help the situation that was brought up by rtphokie.

Maybe it's time I just I put the lens cap on my involvement here.

Happy shooting everyone.

 

[Master Mason]

Most of the rides at DLR say no flash photography, but I don't recall ever being told I couldn't photograph a ride at DL.

Tower of Terror at DCA, they specifically tell you no photography or video at all. That's the only one I can think of.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Maybe it's time I just I put the lens cap on my involvement here.

Honestly, I wouldn't take it so personally. It's just a discussion and your opinion is no less valid than anyone elses.

I think the humor stems from the fact that the weekly contests are meant to be "fun and lighthearted" - something to get all of us away from the "seriousness" of everyday life that we already have at home and at work; the irony being that to some that very essence of fun seems to have now turned into a "job", especially for rtphokie.

That's not to say there shouldn't be rules.

My first thought when I read this thread was "uh oh, was I one of the offenders?" (I'm sure I wasn't the only one who thought this.) But then I realized that if I was, it certainly was unintentional. I know I've made some errors in posting here and there, before I learned my way around. (I'll even admit that as a WDW newbie, I used flash photography on some rides. ) Sure, there may be some "cheaters", but I'd venture to say the majority just "aren't yet aware".

The Photography Board is really a friendly place. I hope we can all try to keep it that way.

 

[steery1]

Wow, I never expected so much negativity (not simply the posts here but the few direct noted I received)

My response was generated by rtphokie stating they were getting an overwhelming amount of pm's about rules violations. I offered suggestions and opened dialouge....I didn't see anyone else doing. I see a lot of smart aleck remarks. The original post started by saying to review the rules? My response was directly related to reading the rules, and to the contradictions found. Yes it is a friendly competition, but it is still a competition. Winners are announced. If we want to encourage new participation, I think if we are going to have rules, they need to be clear rules. Maybe most of the people here are snap-shot types, I am not. I compete in many photo competitions, online and in-person, I am a competitive photographer by nature. I strongly believe for any contest to continually operatate succesfully, there needs to be rules in place.


As to being a fuss, why have rules then? Why not just make it a POTW and not a contest?
As to being fuss, why add more negativity to this? Why not offer up suggestions to help the situation that was brought up by rtphokie.

Maybe it's time I just I put the lens cap on my involvement here.

Happy shooting everyone.

FWIW. I agree totally with your original post tiggr33. Really sensible and good observations.

Thank you for offering to help sort out what is in my opinion a problem that has been ongoing from I started using the photography board and yet to be resolved.

I do not see the point of having rules if they are not to be observed.
I'm sorry that you have had some negative responses but I wouldn't worry too much about it. Everybody has different opinions and are entitled to them.
The idea of members contacting other members telling them how their photo breaks the rules is ridiculous. This IMO should be done by a moderator, the person running the competition or as you suggest - a group of reviewers.

As for your concerns over allowing entries to be reposted. This is against the rules. If an entry is posted and it breaks the rules then it should not go to the voting stage.

Please note that the above is all my opinion only. I believe that if a Competition is to be held here on the Dis it should be done right, without any grey areas.

Having said this I too am grateful to rtphokie for taking the work on and however which way the competition is run I will continue to take part.