+NickandAliandEliza Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Right. Not too many to trawl through this month. That's a pity. Themes can be fun and I have set them as well. But they do restrict people from posting. I wanted to post an entry this month, but I just didn't have a picture which met the theme. Perhaps from the New year we should think of scrapping the themes and making the rules that the picture 'must' have been taken the same or previous month, and a link to the cache log is required for proof? That way we keep it open to everyone who wants to participate, but keep it relevant to the time of year. I agree with Haggis Hunter. I would rather see as many photos as possible. I think the rules should be amended from January onwards. Thoughts anyone? Quote Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Also, I think that the decline in photo entries is partly due to the overall decline in use of this forum - So much more geocaching chat happens over on facebook these days. (Which is why I've posted about the December competition in the fb UK Geocaching group, in an effort to "raise awareness".) MrsB Quote Link to comment
+Original A1 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 I don't use FB, but I'm a Luddite when it comes to uploading, so haven't entered. I think that's why when I apparently won a competition last year, the promised GC never arrived. I don't remember the details other than there was a shift in the goalposts where it was suggested I ran a subsequent competition but couldn't! Quote Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 I don't use FB, but I'm a Luddite when it comes to uploading, so haven't entered... If you want a Luddite-proof explanation of how to get your photographs into your forum posts let me know and I'll help you through it. If I can do it, then I'm sure you can - I'm still fairly Ludditish but I can write easy instructions. MrsB Quote Link to comment
+The Patrician Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 When I won the competition some time ago I found that I hated the idea of choosing the winner in the next months contest, so much so that I have never entered again. Some form of popular vote would suit me better, then I might be persuaded to have another go. Perhaps entrants to the contest could be given some points or votes to award? Quote Link to comment
I! Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 I suspect you're in a minority. I liked having the responsibility of defining the rules and picking the winner. Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ragged Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 When I won the competition some time ago I found that I hated the idea of choosing the winner in the next months contest, so much so that I have never entered again. Some form of popular vote would suit me better, then I might be persuaded to have another go. Perhaps entrants to the contest could be given some points or votes to award? Post them on facebook, and use the 'like' button? Quote Link to comment
+Original A1 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 When I won the competition some time ago I found that I hated the idea of choosing the winner in the next months contest, so much so that I have never entered again. Some form of popular vote would suit me better, then I might be persuaded to have another go. Perhaps entrants to the contest could be given some points or votes to award? Post them on facebook, and use the 'like' button? Well I suppose that cuts out all opportunity of taking part then (see above comment "I don't use FB")! Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ragged Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 When I won the competition some time ago I found that I hated the idea of choosing the winner in the next months contest, so much so that I have never entered again. Some form of popular vote would suit me better, then I might be persuaded to have another go. Perhaps entrants to the contest could be given some points or votes to award? Post them on facebook, and use the 'like' button? Well I suppose that cuts out all opportunity of taking part then (see above comment "I don't use FB")! I'd rather see the photos posted here in the forums. Quote Link to comment
+NickandAliandEliza Posted December 4, 2012 Author Share Posted December 4, 2012 When I won the competition some time ago I found that I hated the idea of choosing the winner in the next months contest, so much so that I have never entered again. Some form of popular vote would suit me better, then I might be persuaded to have another go. Perhaps entrants to the contest could be given some points or votes to award? Post them on facebook, and use the 'like' button? Well I suppose that cuts out all opportunity of taking part then (see above comment "I don't use FB")! It's a bit of fun. No one will be insulted that you've not chosen their photo (although in saying that I still think my 'left side of Harry Redknapp's forehead' was a clear winner for it's artistic merit that particular month....... ). The popular vote idea could end up being a pain in the rear. What happens if there'e a tie for first place? Far easier for one person to decide I think. As for Facebook - like Original A1, for various reasons I don't use it. Keep it simple all round I say. Recent photos, UK caches, no themes, one judge, one winner. Quote Link to comment
+The Patrician Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 (edited) I suspect you're in a minority. As usual! Edited December 4, 2012 by The Patrician Quote Link to comment
+The Patrician Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 It's a bit of fun. No one will be insulted that you've not chosen their photo (although in saying that I still think my 'left side of Harry Redknapp's forehead' was a clear winner for it's artistic merit that particular month....... I seem to recall that there were many photographs of merit that month, and yours was definitely a photograph..... Quote Link to comment
+Haggis Hunter Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Right. Not too many to trawl through this month. That's a pity. Themes can be fun and I have set them as well. But they do restrict people from posting. I wanted to post an entry this month, but I just didn't have a picture which met the theme. Perhaps from the New year we should think of scrapping the themes and making the rules that the picture 'must' have been taken the same or previous month, and a link to the cache log is required for proof? That way we keep it open to everyone who wants to participate, but keep it relevant to the time of year. I agree with Haggis Hunter. I would rather see as many photos as possible. I think the rules should be amended from January onwards. Thoughts anyone? Well I think you just need to look at this months competition, we are only 4 days in and we have 8 different photo's entered. As you all know it's not got a theme. Now look at last months with a theme and in the whole month it only had 10 photo's submitted. Read into that how you will. Keep it simple all round I say. Recent photos, UK caches, no themes, one judge, one winner. Exactly!! Quote Link to comment
+Shanghai Joe Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 There's a similar competition on another forum I use {yes, there are others!}. On that forum the theme of the competition is set by the previous months winner. At the end of the month the previous winner also selects his/her choice of entries for the rest of the group to vote on. It does help that the forum software allows users to set up polls, something that seems to be lacking on here. Quote Link to comment
+duncanhoyle Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 I don't think I've posted any photos yet as I've not had any that fitted the themes. Maybe themeless every month would help but I don't mind if the winner decides if they want a theme or not the next month. One thing that I find gets in the way of participating in the photos thread or even reading through it all is that people regularly reply with quoted text that includes the images. Often I've had to scroll through several repeats of the same images just to get on the next one. Perhaps it would be workable to set up one message thread which had the entries without people replying to them and another thread with the images that people can reply to as currently happens now. Quote Link to comment
+Guanajuato Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Rules, Scmules. Its a bit of fun. Seeing as I'm a semi-pro photographer ( ), I DO get offended when my picture isn't picked. I set a theme last month because it can make you think a bit. But I chose one I thought could be interpreted so widely that it really was almost themeless. I think the reduction in entries may be down to a general reduction in use of forums and also an element of 'same thread boredom'. Look at the pub quiz thread - that goes in fits and starts. Nowt for weeks, then 3 or 4 pages in a couple of days. The initial 'rules' were that the previous month's winners set the rules and they are flexible/open to interpretation. The only prize was getting appreciation, so it really didn't matter. Quote Link to comment
+t.a.folk Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 I set a theme last month because it can make you think a bit. But I chose one I thought could be interpreted so widely that it really was almost themeless. We too thought the earth theme was good and had almost endless potential . Themes are what make us look at the monthly photo thread . Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ragged Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 How about... Themeless is for 'recent' photos, taken this month/last month. Themed is for a longer time period eg taken during the last 12 months? (With extra kudos for being taken specifically for that months competition!) Quote Link to comment
I! Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 The only rule should be that the winner selects the next month's theme (or non-theme). It doesn't need to be a photographic theme - my "Favourites" one worked well. Other ideas: D/T/T Grid: each cache a different Diff/Terrain and Type. Alphabet: each cache name starts with a different letter (or number, or symbol). Dearly Departed: the cache has been archived for at least a year. History Trail: each cache published in a different quarter-year. Come on, use your imagination. Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.