The monthly challenge

[4hero]

Had an idea (mainly to help inspire those needing inspiration, me for example ), and to get people out shooting.

We have another monthly competition, but this time all shots must be taken within that month (honesty is key to this), if you don't have a chance then skip that month. You'll need to post the exif with each shot. This is also useful to see what settings were used for the shot, good for others to learn from.

The winner from that month sets the theme for the next, e.g.

• street portraits
• shots from the hip
• landscape (Mr Carter is banned from entering this category, if it's ever selected )
• panning (this doesn't have to be motorsport, panning on the street is good!)
• doorways
• bokeh

you get the idea.. It's better keeping it more generic, as not everyone may have a macro lens, access to a studio, or proper lighting, for example. We want everyone to get the chance to enter!

Anyone up for this, or is it a waste of time? Thoughts very much appreciated!

Neil.

p.s. This isn't to replace the existing competition, where there is no date taken required.

[Dogsey]

Nice idea Neil, but to make it a bit more seperate from the main competition how about not having a theme at all? Just make it your best photo that month, winner judges the following one.

[paul911]

Think both ideas are great. I normally post in the monthly comp and try and force myself out that month using the theme as inspiration. I’m up for either one, or a combination.

[Gumstabber]

Me too.

[dibbly_dobbler]

Good idea Neil - it's very unlikely that I'll have anything good enough to post but I'm always around with fawning comments

[AndyKH]

Dogsey said:

Nice idea Neil, but to make it a bit more separate from the main competition how about not having a theme at all? Just make it your best photo that month, winner judges the following one.

I like both ideas, especially this one. Would be great to put your favorite of the month in an open comp each month. Expand the creativity a bit.

[muppetdave]

AndyKH said:

Dogsey said:

Nice idea Neil, but to make it a bit more separate from the main competition how about not having a theme at all? Just make it your best photo that month, winner judges the following one.

I like both ideas, especially this one. Would be great to put your favorite of the month in an open comp each month. Expand the creativity a bit.

I disagree and go with Neil on this - the idea of having a theme being to give some people some focus to go and shoot something specific if their struggling for ideas at the moment (me included). If there was no theme it's just be called 'post your best photo' and I think judging criteria would be tougher.

[4hero]

Thanks for your feedback!

Dave, my thoughts also, it does give us a challenge shooting something specific (rather than any old shot).

If there is more interest I'll post up the first challenge for March

[Dogsey]

muppetdave said:

AndyKH said:

Dogsey said:

Nice idea Neil, but to make it a bit more separate from the main competition how about not having a theme at all? Just make it your best photo that month, winner judges the following one.

I like both ideas, especially this one. Would be great to put your favorite of the month in an open comp each month. Expand the creativity a bit.

I disagree and go with Neil on this - the idea of having a theme being to give some people some focus to go and shoot something specific if their struggling for ideas at the moment (me included). If there was no theme it's just be called 'post your best photo' and I think judging criteria would be tougher.

The only problem that I see with it being this way is that it then becomes too much like the current monthly comp. You might as well just only enter the current comp with a photo taken that month (which I believe some people do). I'm not trying to knock the overall idea, I think it would be great to have a seperate comp for photos taken that month, but if they are too similar then I think it will detract from both comps.

[JSS 911]

I like the idea and showing the exif might held us mere mortals to see some of our mistakes

[forty-two]

A monthly competition sounds good to me. I didn't even realise the other contest wasn't a monthly one though. Not one for reading the rules usually...

[craig_s]

Why not do it as a fortnight rather than a month? That way it keeps it different from the monthly one and gives us more reasons to get the camera out more often.
To make up for the shorter time frame the subject could be a week announced beforehand, or we decide on the first 8 weeks' worth now, but only pictures taken within the specified 2 weeks can be entered.
Does that make any sense?

[Dogsey]

forty-two said:

A monthly competition sounds good to me. I didn't even realise the other contest wasn't a monthly one though. Not one for reading the rules usually...

The current one is monthly.

[forty-two]

Dogsey said:

forty-two said:

A monthly competition sounds good to me. I didn't even realise the other contest wasn't a monthly one though. Not one for reading the rules usually...

The current one is monthly.

I just re-read my original post. A classic moment of not typing what I was thinking...

I intended to write, I did not realise that the existing monthly competition did not require you to have taken your entry within that month.

[Pixel-Snapper]

Nothing more to add but im in.