Voting Booth - Feb/Mar 2005 Prize Photo Competition - sponsored by Carl Zeiss UK (3 Viewers)

[Eagle]

Seems its getting tougher !!
First look through was by the slide show and I had a few stick in my mind then I went over them again...
My first choice was easy but there were another 9 that I really liked!!
Shame the software doesn't allow for three choices...!!
Congratulations to the photographers!!

 

[Glen Tepke]

Personally I view the photos on merit to select which gets my vote, rather than checking which has already got the highest number of votes.

Ian -- This comment seems to have led to confusion among the troops since we cannot see the results before we vote. Perhaps you can clarify what you meant. Glen

 

[Andrew Rowlands]

Ian -- This comment seems to have led to confusion among the troops since we cannot see the results before we vote. Perhaps you can clarify what you meant. Glen

It's just a Mod thing, I think, Glen. Members can't see the votes until after they've voted.

Andy.

 

[jvhigbee]

Choose what YOU like.

Entering these contests makes for a humbling experience. So many excellent photos. Reading the comments, makes we marvel also at the variety in we humans. While we vote and come to a winner, there are, indeed many winners. As some have expressed, after voting they think they may vote differently were they to do it over. I was torn between two, neither the popular one, and still am not sure I voted for the right one. Which is the one I like best? Which is the one that best expresses the theme? Technical merit? Someone mentioned the most effort to obtain. I can see where a person working in a position having to judge photos for different uses would see different things than we. Anyway, how very nice to have so many different views of nature to choose from.
Joe
ps; if I were the judges at Zeiss, I'm pretty sure I would choose the one I didn't vote for.

 

[IanF]

Ian -- This comment seems to have led to confusion among the troops since we cannot see the results before we vote. Perhaps you can clarify what you meant. Glen

My apologies Glen,

The feature used to be accessible to members and was requested to be removed as that was happening. Obviously it has been now.

Sorry for any confusion :h?:

 

[nokhuu]

Any photos are great. :eek!:
I couldn't choose one soon.

 

[Jeffa]

As well I have found making a honest, none bias choice truly difficult. I am in my second year of the study of photography. so I am just developing my skills as to why an image can be desirable. My personal birding experiences have been regionally limited and I keep finding myself more attracted to the images of subjects I am more familiar with or personally favor. Upon realizing the control this was having in my decision making I had to clear all my thoughts and start over from the beginning. This is the first monthly vote I have been involved with and have been quite surprised as to what I have learned of myself in the process.

~jeffa~

 

[Adey Baker]

My personal birding experiences have been regionally limited and I keep finding myself more attracted to the images of subjects I am more familiar with or personally favor. Upon realizing the control this was having in my decision making I had to clear all my thoughts and start over from the beginning.

~jeffa~

This is very interesting - the impression that I've got from previous competitions (not necessarily the prize comps) is that many people will go for an 'exotic' species, just because it's something different for them, irrespective of whether or not it's a 'common local' bird for the photographer.

 

[bubobubo]

it has also taken me many days to choose but it is all done now!! well done guys those pictures are outstanding!! boo'iful real boo'iful :clap:
bubobubo

 

[IanF]

Thank you all for supporting the competition so well this month, both inrespect of entries made and the number of votes cast - 360 - the highest number ever to date :t:​

​

Here are the finalists for this months competition. These 21 entries will be passed to Zeiss for their consideration in order to select the overall winner.​

Avocet at Dawn
Eastern Box Turtle
Cleared for Landing
White-Throated hummingbird
Snowy Owl Trio
Black Skimmer
The colours of the rainbow
purple honeycreeper
Protecting Breakfast
Egret Egress
Bee with Pollen
Bohemian Waxwing
Saw-whet Owl at night
WOW-are those Carl Zeiss bins mister
Jack snipes winter habitat
Great Gray Owl - flying
Snowy Egret
Boreal Owl
Sundowners
Kingfisher
Willow Warbler

The entries will remain in place in the Gallery until the end of the month.

Please feel free to now add comments to the photos in this month's entries.

Photo competition gallery

Details of the April competition will follow shortly.

 

[Adey Baker]

Well, I only got one vote but the 800+ viewings looks very impressive under my photo!

Good luck to everyone in the final selections from Zeiss

 

[savagebirder]

Quite a competition. To everyone who entered, thank you so much. I have enjoyed all of your photos. It's amazing the quality and diversity that appeared. Thank you.

Sandra

 

[markpie]

Yeah, thanks for all those great photos, everyone should be proud of themselves. And well done to the top 20!

Mark

 

[Glen Tepke]

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest -- it was a great collection of shots -- and to everyone who took the time to look over the entries and vote -- with so many great shots, it was not an easy choice.

I am curious about what factors people considered in casting their votes. For example, good flight shots are usually (not always) more difficult to get than good shots of perched or standing birds. Was that a factor people considered in voting, or was it based purely on the aesthetic or technical qualities of the result?

Was the familiarity of the species depicted a factor? I am under the impression that photos of familiar UK, European and North American species tend to attract the most votes in these competitions, but I may be wrong about that.

Glen

 

[jvhigbee]

Good question, Glen. I've wondered the same thing. Sometimes I think our first reation is to pick what we think might compare to shots we have seen, such as cover or spread shots in magazines. While it is true, these are usually good photos, they are chosen on merits pertaining to that use, not neccessarily difficulty, rarity, or even quality of content. I think we should all look at each photo on it's own merit, that is what is the thing that makes this a good photo. Or/and what keeps it from being better. Other things depend on individual preferences, but again why do I prefer this, etc.

And your point on familarity is certainly valid. I know I have to make myself look at what is unfamiliar to me. And yet one of the photos I have admired the most is a Malaysian bird, a Barred Eagle Owl by Laurence Poh. And that photo was digi-scoped which in my case is another prejudicial barrier.

Everyone is different, but we can all gain by careful consideration of merit before we choose.

Joe

 

[Russ Jones]

I base my preferences on many things. The difficulty of the shot isn't usually a factor in my decision. Some photo's remind me of a time or place and bring back fond memories....that is a winner for me. Thats the beauty of having a vote....everyone has different things they look for in a great photo and in the end the one who pleases the most people for whatever reason is the winner.

Cheers,

Russ

 

[Grousemore]

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest -- it was a great collection of shots -- and to everyone who took the time to look over the entries and vote -- with so many great shots, it was not an easy choice.

I am curious about what factors people considered in casting their votes. For example, good flight shots are usually (not always) more difficult to get than good shots of perched or standing birds. Was that a factor people considered in voting, or was it based purely on the aesthetic or technical qualities of the result?

Was the familiarity of the species depicted a factor? I am under the impression that photos of familiar UK, European and North American species tend to attract the most votes in these competitions, but I may be wrong about that.

Glen

Interesting question. Having thought about it, I think I have tended to vote for a picture that (at least)represents what I'd like to see whilst out birding; in which case familiarity is probably a significant factor.
Having said that, I voted for your Great Gray pic, having not yet seen one!

 

[Gashead]

Interesting question. Having thought about it, I think I have tended to vote for a picture that (at least)represents what I'd like to see whilst out birding; in which case familiarity is probably a significant factor.
Having said that, I voted for your Great Gray pic, having not yet seen one!

I tend to weigh up all the esthetic and technical issues............and then vote for ME!

 

[Marmot]

With me I do not bother wether it comes from the UK, Europe or any other part of the World - or if it is known to me or not.

The deciding factors for me are, How clear is the shot,The background /surroundings also matter, would it be hard to capture that pose/ action again.

After all this my short list went to 5 pictures and I was having a lot of trouble still deciding, and in the end I had to pick the Great Grey Owl flying -the reason its furry little feet swayed me.

:clap: To all that entered.

 

[markpie]

The main factor for me is if the subject is in an interesting/amazing pose, i.e if the photographer has managed to catch it in a great way, and has made the most out of his or her subject. But the voting was still very hard.

Mark