In the entry thread for People last week I gave mine the title "Winners and Loosers". That didn't show in the poll - just the file name. Would it have made any difference? I very much doubt it, the winning entry was well deserved. I only ask because in the local club a judge has occasionally knocked off points due to not liking the title of the image.
Simon
I didn't see any title other than that which I used, but shortened, to fit the poll title limit. If you check your posted image in the gallery, the title appears below the image.
As to your remarks about the judge then, I think he is wrong to judge the title, as it's a photograph competition and not an English exam. :o
It seems to me that you've partially answered your own question. Clearly, titles matter a lot to some people like your judge. How would he react to one of Edward Weston's "pepper" series, with titles like "Pepper number 6"?
Once upon a time, when I has a flickr account, when I posted a photo I'd usually put up a title that gave the location. This practice ended for me when, having posted a photograph taken at Brimham Rocks in Yorkshire, I used Brimham Rocks as the heading. And then got a critical response that the rocks weren't visible in the photograph. After that, my titles were the reference number of the negative; and if "LF01022" was less informative as to the location of the subject, it was exceedingly informative as to the location of the negative (large format negative binder 01, negative 022).
Sometimes, a title can convey extra information, and even provide a needed pointer to interpretation of intent. But I don't think them always necessary.
Photos should stand up on their own but in such fun competitions I think titles do add something sometimes and help people realise where you were going with an entry when at first glance it might not meet some people`s idea of the theme set . I know I`ve been disappointed once or twice over the years when titles I`ve given in the entry thread have not been applied or have been misspelled as I fear it reflects on me. Thus I`ve always ensured I`ve put exactly what it says is the title in the entry thread rather than on the file uploaded as people often leave those with just the file number or something done quickly. I hesitated with my own entry title last week as I wanted to call it "Barmen" as it is all men in the image whether real or drawn. I didn`t want to be perceived as being sexist so didn`t.
As for did your title make a difference. I don`t think so . It`s not easy to tell who are winners and losers with opponents hugging. I think it just ended up against a stronger image.
Thanks for the constructive helpful responses. I fully agree with the voting, all the other images were stronger. Mine was taken as a record shot, hence including the scoreboard. I confused things by giving it a different title when I posted it as an entry . The new title might have been more appropriate for a close crop of the players, showing the various emotions.
Cheers, Simon
For me, titles do matter, to a degree.
As other have alluded to, a title can help with context or a train of thought that may not be immediately obvious. I have seen photos and thought one thing, but upon reading the title have looked at the photo in a different way, which can help me appreciate the photo more.
That said, the photo is the important part, and I would never take the title into consideration when voting.
(Is that me sitting on the fence??)