I think someone should post some examples of unfair contests... show the pics side by side. Show us what think should have won.

lol.
I think it's only unfair if it's a fee based contest.
Since it's free, i don't have any complain

again, separating the competition into a PS and SLR contest might be a good idea.
or have one of the themed competition be a PS only.
in my opinion, it will be more interesting!

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Explained it all in 5 words.

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Tyler Stewart
Las Vegas NV
www.BLUEBEASTREPTILE.com

If you don't like the contest, then don't enter it.

I think its enjoyable to look thru all the entries, myself.

Some of the best and most memorable pictures aren't taken by professional photographers but my amatures. Goes to show you that you don't have to have the best equipment or formal training.

That goes for any art form, honestly.

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1.0.0 Veiled Chameleon & 0.0.1 Hermann's Tortoise

this is an old thread and i don't think it's worth to be prolonged. Since the longer this thread be, the more it does not serve its purpose.
It'll open up to flaming and stuff.

I think we are all agree that Composition skill and Design precedes over the tool and mediums. But, tools and mediums also matter to some degree.

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A SLR camera is just a fancy tool, nothing more. It's the person who pushes the button that makes the difference. Adhereing to the rules of photography helps quite a bit too - croping, rule of thirds, framing, ect. A hot model doesn't hurt either. Some of the best pictures I've taken are on a old school (2000, hahaha) 3.2 Sony Cyber Shot. You could probably find one on eBay for less than $100. Remember that mega pixels do not matter for pics you post on-line.

The newer hybrid type of cameras (mix between point and click and SLR) you are seeing now are a great, less expensive way to have most of the features and SLR has without the hefty price tag. An example of this is the Olympus SP-560 UZ. You have all the marco tools you'll need for taking Cham pics and can do moving sports shots, ie feeding pics PLUS I think it has a night photog feature. I've played with it and it's great but you will need a tripod for good macro.

I am still reading down the thread... But i wanted to put something in on this... Depending on how you want the water to look you adjust the shutter speed... The faster the shutter speed, The more "Still Life" the pic will appear like in your pic... If you slow the shutter speed you will most likely want a tripod to hold the camera still, but you can get a cool effect using this if the water appears to be flowing or in motion (blurred) and anything that was still will come out clear. If you have a point and shoot most likely this is not an option.

You can get good shots with a P&S... but all you can do is point and shoot...an SLR camera adds a huge range of flexability and the capability, to take the same shot, In a ton of different settings and choose which one looks better. You can adjust aperture, shutter speed, lenses, lens filters... all of these can dramtically alter the appearance of a photo without any photoshopping. But you have to know what you're doing. Makes for almost endless ways to shoot the same exact same pic. So as far as an SLR vs P&S in a photo competition where no digital altering is allowed, The SLR has an advantage as far as flexibility capturing the image the photographer is trying for. Not only that every digital SLR that I have ever used includes the automatic setting as an option, Even in this setting ... The image quality from a DSLR set to automatic is going to be nicer than an average point and shoot.

BUT the fact is... this is a "photo" contest, Not a "Coolest Cham" or "Coolest Cam" contest... Therefore the one with best equipment is going to find it easier to take high quality photos... But I like to think that if you are creative enough a P&S photo could defiantly have a chance... You just aren't as flexible. An amazing photo could be taken by either style camera.

I'm trying to think of a good analogy... Think of a sharpshooting contest. where the objective is to hit the target and it doesn't matter what kind of gun you use... The person who comes with a modern scoped rifle has a better chance at hitting the target than the older guy who shows up with 1950's model winchester.

I currently only own a film style SLR, and a Digital P&S...and I think to seperate the contests by what kind of camera you use would be pretty silly. In a photo contest like this... It is up to the photographer what kind of camera you want to use to produce the final product... But to say that it is not a "Fair" contest because some people have really nice cameras is silly... Life is not fair... I'm sure they acquired their awesome cameras fair and square... You have the same freedom they did to find a way to acquire the equipment you wish to use.

I guess the old saying kind of applies... "Don't bring a knife to a gun fight."

BTW: I am really enjoying the forum so far... Great Resource!!! Thanks Everyone.

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I have O.C.D., Obsessive Champulsive Disorder. Check out my Updated Photo Album

I am new to this site, but I thoroughly enjoy photography on a terrible camera. It does not really matter so much what camera is used in my opinion as much of this can be fixed in editing. But I am frustrated that we are not permitted to edit our photos at all in the photography contest. If you do not have the proper photography equipment, sometimes editing is the only way an artistic vision can be fully realized.

Here are two examples of the before and afer process of editing a picture. Please note that I do not have photoshop, only an elementary photo editing system that comes with alll standard computers.

Wait can someone please tell me how to post a photo that is not online? This asks for a url.

How to post photos and video

Oh okay. Looks like I had to press the "Go advanced" button...grr the paperclip is not working. It says that there are errors on page. I just don't understand...