Is it just me, or do you not believe this also...?

MeanDorris

So, I don't know how many on here are active on Photocrowd, but for those who aren't or don't know it is a site that hosts various online Photography competetions, some run by reputable bodies (Camera Magazine, other Branded Photo competitions etc) but a number of them created by and run by members for "fun" :0)

So, final results can be decided normally by one or two methods: A crowd voting system, or Judge(s) picks (sometimes both).

The crowd vote works by a rating system, any member can rate any number of images in a given crowd vote contest (though once you have rated as many as you care to and opt out you can't rate further).

Rating is by a one, two or three star system or a "no rating given" option, points are then calculated by some dark art and final placings given.

Still with me?

Ok, I'll continue... so see the link below for the results to a recent contest:

Check out these winning photos on Photocrowd

I suppose for full understanding it is worth reading the Brief on the "Breig & Entries" link also.

Without me providing any suggestive bias at the moment, is there any thing that strikes you as amiss/out of place in those results?

Particularly ineterested to here from photocomp peeps on here (as well as others) as you lot have least proved based on winners on here that you all have some taste! @snerkler @Marika @icemanonline @AMc @rancidpunk @273K @shotokan101 @Simian Sibling @anyoneelseIhavemissedoff

Please let me know.

Scroll down for my opinion....
































































I can't understand how in month of Sunday's how those 4th & 5th (by the same person) place got those spots (espeically the 4th place one!) when you look at all the photo's placed lower (and for some way down).

I used this site and entered a lot of contests over the last couple of years, but I've never felt that away about undeserved places - so much so I felt compelled to mail the photocrowd dudes to ask them to check for any irregularities in the voting.

This is the response from them below:

"Thank you for your email regarding the results in 'Famous landmarks'.

There have been no suspect irregularities in regards to rating and voting, however it's useful to keep in mind that photography is subjective and that we have gone to great lengths to make sure that the results in the crowd vote accurately reflects the overall rating done by the crowd."

So, is this purely a subjectivity issue and there is much more apparent to others in those images that others are seeing, or is there something fishy going on...?

Love to hear your opinions :0)

icemanonline

Don't understand how it works but to be honest, in my present position, I really don't need ANYONE to tell me how good or bad, in their opinion, my work is!

Sorry to be negative but I like where I'm at in my life with photographs and photography..... Just be happy.

Ice

snerkler

First of all, for 99% of those photos wow, wow, wow I'd love to be able to create shots like this, they are stunning. Of course, this has done no favours for my negativity towards my own photography

Regarding those images that you mention, I agree that for me they are not in the same league as the others but then I can't say what other people find appealing.

It could of course be like the Eurovision where votes are cast on popularity

craig1912

I agree with you- they look like something I could do better than and, I’d go as far to say all of the others are better by some margin (although lots that are a bit over processed for may tastes).

MeanDorris

Unless they are "watermarked", which these aren't, you don't know whose images they are, unless you, you know, know.

snerkler

I don’t know how it all works tbh, but if there’s a ‘community’ then people will ‘know’ each other, like they do on most forums.

Johnmcl7

A few years ago I entered a cocker spaniel photo competition and was pleased with my photos compared to the others, most of the other photos were taken with camera phones or low end compacts plus they were generally simple shots of the head of the dog.  Most of the shots I submitted were taken with a FF DSLR plus I didn't just want to show the head of my spaniel but wanted to show some of his character and personality as well.

I thought I had a good chance in at least one of the categories but I was completely wrong, my photos were ranked mostly at the bottom and the best was an honourable mention for a shot I'd say was the worst of mine.  I'd have no problem with that if the other pictures were much better but bar one of the others users most of the other photos were just simple shots of their dogs most of which didn't even fit the category they were submitted as.  It was a good lesson in how these competitions work and I'm certainly not surprised any more when I saw not particularly great photos winning or doing well.

LJx

The first two photos look totally fake to me, like something out of a video game

Johnmcl7

I'm personally not keen on over processed shots like that but they're definitely popular.  I was working on a photo I'd taken pointing towards a setting sun and I couldn't really pull back the detail I wanted.  So I mucked about banging the likes of the contrast slider to full, -100 highlights,  100 shadow, high saturation etc. until it looked very the top and quite fake yet that photo was by far the most popular in the set with friends.

andy1249

They are real, and not processed to death like most of the rest, maybe thats why?
Take out the overboiled photomatix shots and there is not much left.