Ok , why would anyone ask such a question when all thats up for grabs is a very reasonable prize fund and possibly some constructive critisism to help improve your photography? Well, for someone who was utterly dismayed by the choice for  the overall winning  photograph for 2007 when there were so many other pohotographs that were so much more deserving of such a title seriously begs explaination as to how such a "typical" photograph could actually win! I mean, how could the judges not see through the shock factor that was obviously being used? I saw photos just like these years ago which really relied on the "shock" factor just to get your attention. Anyone of us could use the same technique, we could for example, go down to the local butchers and get some shots of the actual moment chickens get their heads cut off, or may be we could go down to the local morgue and take some "wide agle" shots of dead people's rotting bodies! This choice to me was an absolute insult to the other portraits which were by far more skilful and deserving of recognition.

 I ask in all honesty shouldn't a photography competition be about ones ability to show an audience how they have learnt the skills of photography and the art of seeing rather than their ability to take a mug shot of an anorexic girl with a pretty face! Is that really what photography is about? For me photography is about showing what you see relating to what you saw, using the skills of the craft you spent so much time to learn. It's not about exciting an audience to the extent that their emotions get the better of them and they vote through what they are feeling rather by what they have seen!

Therefore, I am reluctant to enter this years Digital Camera Photographer of the year 2008 through fear that the 2008 judges will be of the exact same mentality resulting in the exact same choice of winner.

It is important to realise that I bear no grudge and my complaints stem only from how I think the game should have been won and not the fact that i failed to wiin!

best regards
Dave Randle

Dave, I have said this more than once on this site: if you want to win a competition you have enter something different.  That's difficult to do if your photography is based in the UK.  Ten to one, most UK entries will be the same old landscapes or cutsy pet shots that the judges get bored with seeing  a thousand times before lunch.  All the judges will do with these entries is take a quick glance at them and put them very quickly on the 'not-a-chance-in-hell' pile.  My entries are just like that - the same old boring shots I always submit.  That's because I live in the boring old western part of the world.  Now if I lived in China, or the Middle East, where war and poverty raged, and where shots of blood and guts was everywhere you looked, and people were starving to death, or dying with aids, I might be in with a chance if I went around with my camera and took a few snapshots of the same.  

Is it worth entering any competition?  Well, probably not, but at least you have given it a go if you do.  Perhaps if the site members (myself included) were to get in there and vote for the good old UK boring shots, we might see some of ours up there with the best.

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Comments regarding the winning entry have already been posted in the POTY 2007 thread and so I don't think that they need going over again here (your comments are not new, or constructive in my opinion).  I don't agree with some of the other winners either but that's life. 

I have asked what it is that the judges are looking for, and how to choose an entry, and there has been some helpful tips.  Have a read.

If you don't want to enter the competition then I don't think you should, in fact I don't think anyone should.  That way I might have a chance of winning

 

EDIT : Sorry Keith, I type slower than you.  My comments are directed at the original poster.

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couldnt agree more with the points raised here!!! Even though i didnt enter lat year, i was looking forward to seeing the winning photographs. The one that onfact took the top spot got me thinking, why?? This is almost trying to promote this state!!
Anyway it won, but looking through the other categories i felt there were alot more deserving shots that that entered. As for entering, i doubt i will this coming year

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My DCM gallery click me!!

dont be afriad that your life is going to end, be afraid that it will never begin!

www.eddfury.com - My website, almost running smoothly

The reality is, there are thousands of entries for this competition and someone has to win and a lot will have to lose.  I always enter competitions with the attitude that if I win, my luck was in, and if I lose, it wasn't. (Most times it isn't) I mean, it costs nothing does it?

I'm pretty slow myself at typing, Martin, so you must be really slow...

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keitht are you realy saying that war image and poverty people will realy give a high chance of wining something?

if that's the case i will get a ticket strait away to kosovo to take some blow up takens that still in my front garden or go to albania and get something with the bunkers which ENVER HOXHA kept albania for 50 years away from freedom.

you know i think i will give it a go perhaps this summer

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MY DCM Gallery

i think part of what Keith might be saying is that interesting places and events can make for more interesting picture opportunities.

there are three well known photographers here in Donegal that i have come across...and without exception, all their most acclaimed work was done in such places. one particularly, by coincidence, in Kosovo.

I've got little chance this year, unless sheep become vogue again.

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shelfpics

shelfy's gallery

Thanks, Shelfy.  That's exactly what I mean.  If you take Don McCullin as an example, it's his Vietnam images that come to mind and not his black and white landscape work of the 1960's and later. In fact, when you mention Don McCullin to most photographers, they instantly visualise that image of the traumatised soldier first and foremost.  But there you have it in a nutshell I think.  As brilliant as his landscapes are, they are no different to many other brilliant landscape photographers work.

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I also had concerns about a few of the winning entries, but most of the pictures in the final selection were great and I think it's defeatist not to try to be one of those if that's what you want.  As others have said, you can't win if you don't try. Even if you don't win (and most people don't) entering pictures in a competition is a great way to develop your work and learn.

A while ago I read an article by a woman who'd criticised a competition winner, and was challenged by him to do better. She was a pro photographer but hadn't competed before and took up the challenge. She said it was a huge learning experience. In the course of a year entering pro comps she got one 3rd place and a few Highly Commendeds. But she felt she'd gained much more than this because she really improved her picture-making skills and got a new enjoyment from her work.

For me that's enough reason to have a go. Winning something would be nice too of course...

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My DCM Gallery

But i still think it would be a better competition if it was a case of setting assigments for pictures to be taken for the competition - making entrants actually go out and try to take a winning photo....rather than just be able to trawl through their past files from up to 5 years ago to see if anything suitable is there....and of course, be judged on a number of entries and not just one photo. It's still not a POTY of the year contest - but as long as there's prize money they'll get a lot of entries and sell a lot of magazines so I suppose they don't really care.

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a few mediocre pics

I quite like the way that some mags seem to structure their comps into monthly challenges which the people wishing to enter have to build up points over the months by getting ranking photos and the top 3 each month get prizes and the most points.

 

But then again I suppose we have a seperate monthly comp aswell.

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I think it depends on what you want from the competition.  If you want to win the money I think there are easier ways of getting £15,000 - win the lottery, rob a bank etc.  There is probably more chance of being struck by lightning than for any individual to win the POTY competition it you take into account the number of entries.  If winning is your goal you would probably be better off entering a greater number of smaller competions.  I entered the competition for the first time last year - it was my first year of owning an SLR and the learning curve was and continues to be very steep.  I received no votes and no comments but it was a huge confidence boost to realise that my photos weren't the worst in the competition (in my opinion!) although they certainly weren't the best.  I have learnt a lot from browsing other entries and have found the competition to be a good source of inspiration.  For me, this is more important than the overall winner.  Art is subjective and we can never all unanimously decide on one photo from so many great ones - I don't envy the job of the judges  -  I don't think I could have chosen just one picture that stood above the rest. 

All the best and good luck to those that do enter,

Alex

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My DCM Gallery

There will always be someone whos not satisfyed with the winning entries in any compitition as everyone has different tastes, thats just the way things are.  I entered a few shots in last years competition and found myself addicted to looking at other peoples entries some i drooled over and some i flicked past without hesitating over them much.  I found that when i entered a new shot and went to the entries section and used the recently added search option my shots never appeared which made me wonder if anyone was seeing them at all!. 
Anyhoo i loved the winners publication excellent and i loved the tiger shot Fantastic!!! although maybe there should have been a warning on the cover about the burns victim shot as my friend was a bit traumatised by that when she flicked through it while i was making coffee.  some people are more sensitive to stuff like that than others
All the best,
Keep snapping
Mal

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MY DCM GALLERY

do not mind to participate if the prize would be the Sony FF (Full Frame) DSLR!!

 

 

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I was born and brought up in Iran, a beautiful country full of history.

k o m b i z z

I dont think that because we live in the uk that we cannot get some good shots that are different. Yes other countrys have wars, starving children, and other horrors on a daily basis that make more drymatic shots or fantastic deserts or 10,000ft mountins. Have you forgoten the horrors of the Morris dancers. The lovely countryside being filled with new houses.
More seriously, i agree with the fact that other countries will probably have more powerfull imagies of daily life but its only caught in that one shot. As a photographer its about working with what youv got, not worrying about what other people have. Catch the shot infront of you as best you can and if good enough and you feel brave enough, put it in for a comp or up for criticisum. I dont delive the best photographers win many compititions but the best photos usualy do. I say usualy..........

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