Are you the best judge....

[ABERS]

SWMBO?

[Jonathan]

Golden rule as far as I'm concerned, never show, never enter for competition, never put up for judging and never offer up for exhibition any print or image that YOU are not satisfied with or completely sure about.

It's yours, you've visualised it, you've taken it, you've worked on it, but if you can't get the final result that you want, bin it. Don't offer it up with the hope that someone  may like it, that's a real cop out.
If judges or any viewers don't like it so what? If you go down the slippery slope of taking pictures that you think will please the judge, or anyone other than yourself, you are on the road to mediocrity.

I think that's excellent advice IF your goal in entering a competition is to benchmark your best work and receive feedback on it.  If on the other hand you're entering because you want to win then it's a whole different ballgame.

[Jonathan]

SWMBO?

And I had you down as a Rumpole fan..... SWMBO

[ABERS]

I think that's excellent advice IF your goal in entering a competition is to benchmark your best work and receive feedback on it.  If on the other hand you're entering because you want to win then it's a whole different ballgame.

Little point in entering a competition unless you want to win, but the same rules apply as far as I'm concerned, only enter if you are 100% satisfied with your image.

I'm still none the wiser about SWMBO, what does it stand for?

[greypoint]

She who must be obeyed...I assume

[ABERS]

She who must be obeyed...I assume

Well of course, my harshest critic!  WASBIA.

[Graham]

She who must be obeyed...I assume

Well of course, my harshest critic!  WASBIA.

"What A Silly Billy I Am" perchance?
                                      Graham.
I can think of a couple of others!

[ABERS]

She who must be obeyed...I assume

Well of course, my harshest critic!  WASBIA.

"What A Silly Billy I Am" perchance?
                                      Graham.
I can think of a couple of others!

I made that up as I went along, did you by any chance work on the Enigma at Bletchley Park?  Let's stop now!

[Graham]

She who must be obeyed...I assume

Well of course, my harshest critic!  WASBIA.

"What A Silly Billy I Am" perchance?
                                      Graham.
I can think of a couple of others!

I made that up as I went along, did you by any chance work on the Enigma at Bletchley Park?  Let's stop now!

No I did'nt  and yes let's!
        Graham. 
                     

[irv_b]

Golden rule as far as I'm concerned, never show, never enter for competition, never put up for judging and never offer up for exhibition any print or image that YOU are not satisfied with or completely sure about.

It's yours, you've visualised it, you've taken it, you've worked on it, but if you can't get the final result that you want, bin it. Don't offer it up with the hope that someone  may like it, that's a real cop out.
If judges or any viewers don't like it so what? If you go down the slippery slope of taking pictures that you think will please the judge, or anyone other than yourself, you are on the road to mediocrity.

So Alan in a hypertethical situation
You have a book deal for £50 grand (you've already had your advance) and you are 3 images short.The deadline has past and they are gonna pull the plug. You have taken 3 passable shot this day you saying you wouldn't submit them. If so I have to say you're a bigger man than me as I would suspect most people would put them in.

[ABERS]

And so would I Irv , hypothetically of course. I'm not immune to money. 

I'm an amateur so I won't have that to consider. If I was a professional however, I would hope I was enough of a professional to have met the deadline in the first place.

[irv_b]

I have to say a very very good amateur though Alan

[Jonathan]

Little point in entering a competition unless you want to win

Interesting.  I'd have thought there was more benefit in the process of entering and the feedback received than the prize/kudos of winning.  A bit like when Italy started playing in the 6 Nations.  I never understood why they turned up to get humiliated every year.  Then a friend who is more into rugby than me said "how else would they improve?".  They had no realistic chance of winning even a single game but unless they entered they never would have.  A bt like sticking stuff up on Flickr - it's nice to make page 1 of Explore - but it's a lot nicer to have 10 people who know what they are talking about point out areas for improvement.

Re the pro/amateur thing.......a few friends run a monthly comp for wedding pics.  All entrants are pros and the standard's reasonably high.  There's no prize but for me the benefit is that you get proper critique from your peers.  In June I entered a favourite snap and I won   July I entered another and it was absolutely slated by just about everyone.  I don't think I got a single vote but I got some good honest feedback.  June's bride saw the pic and said "oh that's nice" and at least 1 mag are going to be running it in their next issue.  July's bride saw it and paid me £400 for a print.  Now feedback's well and good.  But £400 is £400 

[Simple]

That proofs the point. Are you the best judge....? ABSOLUTELY!
Nothing as queer as folk.
If you like it, then someone somewhere will like it too.
If you hate it, then someone somewhere will like it.
If someone somewhere hates it, it is up to you to like it or hate it too.

[ABERS]

Little point in entering a competition unless you want to win

Interesting.  I'd have thought there was more benefit in the process of entering and the feedback received than the prize/kudos of winning.  A bit like when Italy started playing in the 6 Nations.  I never understood why they turned up to get humiliated every year.  Then a friend who is more into rugby than me said "how else would they improve?".  They had no realistic chance of winning even a single game but unless they entered they never would have.  A bt like sticking stuff up on Flickr - it's nice to make page 1 of Explore - but it's a lot nicer to have 10 people who know what they are talking about point out areas for improvement.

Re the pro/amateur thing.......a few friends run a monthly comp for wedding pics.  All entrants are pros and the standard's reasonably high.  There's no prize but for me the benefit is that you get proper critique from your peers.  In June I entered a favourite snap and I won   July I entered another and it was absolutely slated by just about everyone.  I don't think I got a single vote but I got some good honest feedback.  June's bride saw the pic and said "oh that's nice" and at least 1 mag are going to be running it in their next issue.  July's bride saw it and paid me £400 for a print.  Now feedback's well and good.  But £400 is £400 

There are competitions and competitions, I'm referring to the ones with the big money prizes where winning is somewhat like winning the lottery. Never any feed-back from them.

The fun ones are akin to a Sunday morning kick about and enjoyable as such, it's there that feedback is sometimes given, not always though.

Congratulations on the £400 touch.