Recently got back into photography - where's the weekly competition gone?

PESolution

PESolution

PESolution

Soldato
Joined
13 Oct 2004
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So back in the day I used to partake in the weekly photography competitions here on OCUK. I've recently got back into it, and am gutted that there isn't one happening.

Any reason for this?
 
Hasn't existed for years and years. About 3 years ago now there was an attempt to restart and it lasted like 2-3 months after spending a lot of time discussing format and rules.

The problem is there are that many active photographers on OCUK and no single format seems to suit everyone which further cuts down the entries. Providing detailed critique and feedback is very time consuming and no one really wants to do that.

IMO, just look at other depreciated photography forums that run competitions. You can post photos here and ask for critique.
 
That's a shame, even if it wasn't a competition, and was just a topic with a randomly generated entrant being picked to choose the topic for next week it would be a fun way to get a whole community shooting similar stuff and sharing ideas.
 
That is what we tried last time, completely casual competition with relative open themes. End of the month anyone got to pick their favourite photos. Everyone always says they are interested in such things but after a few months there were no entries.

You can try and restart it and see what happens. Doesn't take much to organize and then just make a post. Some broad topics for starters: Land & city scapes, nature, people, texture, B&W, perspective, big & small, emotion, balance, symmetry, circle....


IMO, you either need to give people 2-3 months, or let people add entries from their back-catalog, e.g. if the topic is nature I might want to add a photo form 2 years a go because within a single calendar month I might not get out with my camera at all. The easier it is to contribute the more people might take part.
 
It died pretty much with Spie had the bright idea of taking control away from the people and says "You are not running it, I will nominate people I like to do it."

Despite it was an active, alive, and popular monthly competition. I know, I was a judge for a couple of years. There was zero problems, no fights, no bickering so who knew his motivation of taking control away from us.
 
I would like to see some sort of competition again. I think I posted in one years ago on here. Now I have a new SLR I would like to have something to take photos of and progress my experience in photography. Maybe as there are few on here who are getting back into this game or some who are new to it like me (never took it seriously until now) and having such an idea would be welcome. How about something like detailed themes to have a go at such as,

Red and white flowers. Participants have to take a photo of a red and white flower/s together and try to be as creative as possible.
Sticky notes, random but I am sure there is a way to make a subject like that interesting. Same again, be as creative as possible.

There is never a dull subject to photograph I for one would love totally random themes/subject to shoot. Like now for instance, I am sat at my desk and thinking how can I make this nearly empty box of Swan slim filter tips interesting. I have a great idea but no reason to do it. Something like this thread idea would be ideal to do it.
 
Raymond Lin said:
It died pretty much with Spie had the bright idea of taking control away from the people and says "You are not running it, I will nominate people I like to do it."

Despite it was an active, alive, and popular monthly competition. I know, I was a judge for a couple of years. There was zero problems, no fights, no bickering so who knew his motivation of taking control away from us.
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Totally this. I never entered but always watched the threads to see what people were entering. I really couldn't understand when the powers that be decided to break it, it felt like a personal vendetta or something.
 
Raymond Lin said:
I think we all are still taking photos, just don't post here much because the feedback is just not there and hard to talk about some things without often weirdly get into an argument.

https://www.instagram.com/raymondlinphotography/
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Forums in general seem to be slowly dying ocuk as a whole is nothing like as active as it was a few years back and tp has gone massively down hill
In recent years seems everyone is to busy on Facebook and instagram!
 
a1ex2001 said:
Forums in general seem to be slowly dying ocuk as a whole is nothing like as active as it was a few years back and tp has gone massively down hill
In recent years seems everyone is to busy on Facebook and instagram!
Click to expand...

Despite the improved affordability of 'proper' camera equipment, I think amongst the general public appreciation for 'photography' has declined versus cheap thrills type pictures with everyone being more than happy to get a hundred likes on a snap of their dog with a stupid filter on it.

Why post on a photography forum to be told your composition could do with improving and your white balance is off, when all you really want is loads of people to say 'wow thats pretty' because you've over-saturated yet another turgid photograph with zero effort?
 
Kenai said:
Despite the improved affordability of 'proper' camera equipment, I think amongst the general public appreciation for 'photography' has declined versus cheap thrills type pictures with everyone being more than happy to get a hundred likes on a snap of their dog with a stupid filter on it.

Why post on a photography forum to be told your composition could do with improving and your white balance is off, when all you really want is loads of people to say 'wow thats pretty' because you've over-saturated yet another turgid photograph with zero effort?
Click to expand...


Exactly, people are more interested in Facebook likes and inane comments than actual hard critique. Personally, my priorities are whether I had fun taking the photo.
 
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