I feel like my photos suck!

[Samurai_Writer]

I have entered every photo contest except one (the winter theme, cause, hey, I'm in Florida). Every time, I get one, maybe two sympathy votes. That's it. *sighs* I don't expect to win, but it would be nice if people at least liked my photos enough to vote for them.

My current entry is in the 3rd batch, Doggy Heaven.

[TahitiNut]

1. I wouldn't be so quick in discounting the votes you (or I) got.

I certainly wouldn't call them "sympathy votes." People vote according to their own criteria and there's really no good reason to demean anyone's vote vis a vis anyone else's. Yes, some do seem to put some late-stage "windage" on their votes when they see front-runners, as I've observed before. Clearly, we are all influenced in our preferences by the already announced preferences of others. Sometimes we might merely take a second look and go "Oh! I see." I think we all weigh the personal "impact" of the photo highest, according to our own individual emotional make-up.

I think there's a decent degree of appreciation for the Theme in the voting I'm seeing. It seems the image's representation of Light and Shadows is having a noticeable influence on the voting ... and images lacking clear shadow elements (not just the low-key shadows we ordinarily see) aren't faring as well as they otherwise might if the theme were different.

While I'm personally happy with my photo, I never expected it to get many votes. That it's gotten as many (5 or 6) as it has pleases me and I'd never look down my nose at them. I didn't expect folks to vote for an image which is obviously a walk-out-on-the-porch-and-shoot snapshot ... since the apparent minimal effort clearly diminishes the impact. Something that indicated some greater physical/logistical investment (walking, traveling, crouching, etc.) would be expected to have greater impact.

I think those images that're of subjects not part of our everyday experience, all other things being equal, tend to fare well. I'm personally somewhat impressed that "Sand Fences" (whose author I forget) is being appreciated as well as it is - it tends to reinforce my own sense of quality. Serene images often don't fare as well as ones which trigger some archetypal emotional response (again, all other things being equal).

[Immad2]

2. Hey - Watch it - I voted for Doggy Heaven and it WAS NOT a sympathy vote!

[DS1]

3. It doesn't suck per se, but it is up against strong competition

I know people that wouldn't vote for a pet picture out of principle - and there's hardly anything related to the theme in your entry.

:shrug:

[alfredo]

4. Yeah, I agree we are up against some great photographers, some

are pros. That's fine. I see mine don't do that well, but I don't care. I enjoy taking part in this community.

[Longgrain]

5. Hey, don't feel bad, my photos rarely get many votes

But I'm always thankful for the ones I do receive.

[Blue_In_AK]

6. Mine's not getting many votes this time, either...

....but it's all good. Your pictures don't suck at all. Tahiti Nut said it well.

[Longgrain]

7. Here, here...it's a very tight race.

And no one can win them all.

[TahitiNut]

9. Thanks.

I sometimes don't know whether some of my posts are even read. :dunce:

[Blue_In_AK]

10. I read every post of yours I come across...

[RagingInMiami]

11. I read your posts

You always have a lot to say

[TahitiNut]

13. (grin) Well, I hope it's not "always" ... it wears me out as it is.

:silly:

[RagingInMiami]

14. you're a piece of work, TN

You never fail to take a simple subject and turn it inside out.

[superconnected]

15. *grin*

I'm reading down the thread and I hit your post, and it was FUNNNY.

I'm sure your posts are read. :)

[ralps]

8. I felt like my photo would have been better if it had been brighter, or

more shadows or something.:shrug: :hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals:

[RagingInMiami]

12. Bella

Your photos don't suck. I remember the one you entered (in the contest I hosted) of the train. That was a good photo. I also remember the photos you showed us of that rock group. You even sold it to them.

But I'll be honest. The photo you entered in this contest was just a snapshot of a sleeping dog that could have been taken by anybody.

You need to show us the "Bella" style -- even if you have to try harder.

What I like about these photo contests is that you're forced to do your best. You actually have to go out there and try to get a good photo that is relative to the contest's theme.

The DU photo contests are very competitive so you need to try harder.

Show us how you see the world.

[NashVegas]

16. Don't Worry About It

Unless you're trying to make money, the only person you really need to please is yourself.

Some people vote for content (ooh, pretty) while others vote for context, and still more, composition.

I never seem to get to the voting in time, but even if I did, I doubt I'd make it to the finals. There are some seriously good photographers here. If I tried to measure my own stuff against some of what I see here, I'd probably never pick up a camera again.