Weekly Photo Contest (Dec 1st - Dec 8th) Planes, trains and automobiles

[deep diver]

I'll second the nomination for deep diver. Thanks for volunteering as I don't think the contest should sit too long with out movement.

Is there any mechanism that we could use to ensure that we kept the contest going in a timely manner? What if we had a standing rule that at 24hrs or more after the end of the contest anyone who frequents the forum can volunteer to judge (especially if they want to give comments). If another seconds them as judge...then off they go.

Not sure if that would work, I'd just like to make sure this weekly contest stays going strong.

JD

This has been a challenge a couple of times in the past. It seems to have happened a lot (3-4 times) in the past few months. We have always used 48 hours as the standard and then it falls to the second place entry. I don't remember anything like this where no one shows up to judge. I don't know what to do with that except to ask for a volunteer.

Check back in a few hours and I'll at least have the first 3 places.

 

[mickbab]

Is there any mechanism that we could use to ensure that we kept the contest going in a timely manner? What if we had a standing rule that at 24hrs or more after the end of the contest anyone who frequents the forum can volunteer to judge (especially if they want to give comments). If another seconds them as judge...then off they go.
Not sure if that would work, I'd just like to make sure this weekly contest stays going strong.

This has been a challenge a couple of times in the past. It seems to have happened a lot (3-4 times) in the past few months. We have always used 48 hours as the standard and then it falls to the second place entry. I don't remember anything like this where no one shows up to judge. I don't know what to do with that except to ask for a volunteer.

Perhaps we need to straighten this out a bit? The contest relies on people who can get contests up soon, and results up quickly. We know this can't always be possible but in the interest of others, I think a backup system needs to be implemented.

Do we need to add something to the rules?
There are currently 4 rules governing how the contest works.
How about a rule 5 and 6?

5. The chosen winner of the week's contest will have 48 hours to post a new thread. If a new topic has not been posted within this time frame, the title will be handed down to second place, and after another 48 hours, third place etc.

6. At the end of the week's contest, the judge will have 48 hours to post the results. If the results have not been posted, judging will be handed down to second place, then third, as in Rule #5.

This would require rule 4 to be changed to add in the judging of a second and third place.

4. The judge will choose his/her favorite at the end of the week, place a post listing it, and include a short synopsis of why he/she chose that photo. The judge will also be required to choose a second and third place, should the winner not come forward to open a new contest or judge the new topic. The winner is then responsible for choosing a new topic and starting a new contest thread, which will again run for exactly one week.

Any thoughts on this?
Would more rules just make things more complicated or would it make things easier in situations like this?

 

[JDDavis]

I do agree that the fewer rules we have the better. It's an open, friendly, and constructive contest now and I'd hate for that to change in anyway. Perhaps just adjusting rule 4 a bit as you suggested to put down a timeline would help remind everyone that all the submitters are eagerly waiting. I understand why 48hrs is probably the right time but I could see 24hrs as well. If we cycled all the way to the 3rd place contestant that would be 3 days (at 24hr)...6 days at 48.

I say tweak rule 4 just a bit to add a suggested time responsibility to the winners.

JD

 

[deep diver]

I do agree that the fewer rules we have the better. It's an open, friendly, and constructive contest now and I'd hate for that to change in anyway. Perhaps just adjusting rule 4 a bit as you suggested to put down a timeline would help remind everyone that all the submitters are eagerly waiting. I understand why 48hrs is probably the right time but I could see 24hrs as well. If we cycled all the way to the 3rd place contestant that would be 3 days (at 24hr)...6 days at 48.

I say tweak rule 4 just a bit to add a suggested time responsibility to the winners.

JD

Just to weigh in on this before posting the results...........

The change to rule 4 is good because it reflects what we are doing.

I think that 48 hours for the winner to post and then 24 for 2nd and 3rd place gives the winner the greatest opportunity to enjoy the prize. By 48 hours the 2nd and 3rd place winners either know they are now responsible or they are not coming back at all.

 

[gaswerks]

<edit> sorry, didn't notice the dates before posting ...

 

[deep diver]

This is the 3rd or 4th time I've judged and it just gets harder with experience. Once again, the quality and variety in the submissions is great. When I know I will be judging I can spend a lot more time evaluating the images as they are posted. I hope that my "on the fly" judging does justice to the images. (You can decide whether the pun was intended.)

3rd place to Indydenny. I love riding commuter trains and this image really captures the best of the experienced. I love the way the riders are engaged with one another and the passing scene. The expression on the child's face is priceless. My concern with this image is that the focus is on the conductor's hat rather than on the woman's and child's faces.

2nd place to mike dunx. This is an amazing image - one of the coolest I've seen in a long time. The interaction between the various colors, and the light and shadows is beautiful. I love the way the shape of the lightening mimics the line of the wing and window. The distractors in this image are the window frame and the spot at the top left. Taking pictures through plane windows is a challenge. If you had moved back just a little to avoid the window frame and then processed out that spot then this probably would have placed 1st.

1st place to needlnerdz. This is just outstanding. Clean, simple, and great movement. It speaks for itself.


needlnerdz, you now have no more than 48 hours to post the new thread. If you do not get it posted in time then the honor falls to mike dunx.

 

[Chappers]

needlnerdz a beautiful image - congratulations

deepdiver thank you for becoming "The Judge" - good job.

That was a tough week.

 

[Designer Dale]

I agree fully with the tighter timelines and rules you folks have suggested. In entering a timed contest, you assume a level of responsibility that is not like posting to PTOD, Best Point & Shoot or Fortnight Challenge. Lives do get hectic at times, but that is quite often predictable. I don't usually enter, but I do watch the contest clock and check in at the end to see who would have beaten me if I did.

Keep up the good work. All of the photo threads give life to MacRumors.

Dale

 

[Chappers]

As not to distract from our winners moment of glory maybe we should continue discussing possible changes to the rules over here

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/580184/

 

[designguy79]

needlnerdz, congrats on the win! It is a great photo, I had a feeling it was going to win as soon as I saw it.

deepdiver should get honorable mention for stepping up to be the judge!

Can't wait to find out what the next theme/category will be for the next contest...

 

[Phrasikleia]

Congrats, needlnerdz. That's a brilliant image. Great choice, deepdiver.

Very sorry to see yet another contest abandoned by its judge, but at least things are back on track now.

 

[liljohnny51]

I feel tho that we need to add to the 4th rule. by giving the judge 36 hours to judge the contest that he/she started and if they dont have not judge it by then. then the 2nd place winner should then take over and judge the contest and so on after that if that person dosent want to judge it that week.

i just feel that this has been happening a lot lately.

 

[Acsom]

Keep in mind that mhami is a physician, and by the subject of the winning shot, he may very well work emergency room at night. I don't like that the judge didn't show up to adjudicate, but it's possible that real life intruded.

I love the winning shots, especially #2; that is the one I'd have chosen for first place, but it's subjective, and I can see how the order was decided.

 

[Chappers]

There is a discussion going on about the rules here :-

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/580184/

needlnerdz I know your replying right now - congratulations again but we need you to join up on this one.

 

[Indydenny]

Thanks

Thanks for the time that ALL of you have taken for judging (particularly deepdiver this week.) It has been so helpful to me to read the comments.

I don't enter a picture every week but almost always read the comments. It's like taking a class to those of us who are new to this hobby.

Congrats to needlnerdz for an amazing photo.

 

[needlnerdz]

Woohoo! Thanks for all the compliments folks - Happy to have participated in my first of these contests and look forward to trying to be a regular contributer. I have to tip my appreciating hat towards Fuzzy14's modeltrain wreck.. great bokeh that pulls us into the action, [even though it might have been a PS blur..?]- Soo I have __ counting hours to pull out a new theme.. I'll get thinking and have a look over the previous contests to make sure I find some new water to tread. Thanks again and see you in the next contest!

+ Thankyouverymuch deepdiver for jumping in and helping this contest find a juror - and good to know of mhami's day/night job, as their absence seems very reasonable.. but I imagine it leads to a rule or modification, which I'll check the other thread to learn about before starting...

++ Congrats as well to 2nd and 3rd place, just had to familiarize myself with names to photos, and:
mikedunx - amazing shot, i have flown over lightning once and it's right up there with northern lights as most amazing things i've seen - fantastic capture!

Indydenny - I've taken my share of special train rides here in Switzerland, but this really captures the special ones that usually go up a steep hill to some mountain top.. and nice POV for that shared memory they'll have.

 

[needlnerdz]

needlnerdz I know your replying right now - congratulations again but we need you to join up on this one.

*looks out window* -

haha.. sure thing.. I'll have a look at what is being said there shortly.

 

[Chappers]

*looks out window* -

haha.. sure thing.. I'll have a look at what is being said there shortly.

Cheers

 

[Designer Dale]

Hi, all. I loved the train wreck, too, but I agree that the judging was fair and the winners deserving.

That said...the next topic is...............................?

Dale

 

[needlnerdz]

That said...the next topic is...............................?

...Waiting for you here.

 

[Fuzzy14]

I have to tip my appreciating hat towards Fuzzy14's modeltrain wreck.. great bokeh that pulls us into the action, [even though it might have been a PS blur..?]

Thanks very much, I bought myself an early birthday present, my 2nd ever lens a Sony 50mm F/1.8 and took it out to my mate's model railway club show 2 weeks back. Turned out to be the wrong lens for the show, lots of leg work involved. Only PS work was a wee crop. I think your picture had a bit more technical skill than mine, a deserving winner.

And well done to deep diver for the judging but....

Leaf spring assembly from the Empire State Express 999 -- the first machine to break the 100 mph barrier.

Post the timings or it didn't happen! I'll always be in the City of Truro camp.

 

[ukuleleman]

I used to build 'em.

Whoops, guess I was too late, sorry.

 

[TheSVD]

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