This is your chance to show us the best your photos can be! As a trial, we are going to suspend all of the post-shot editing rules for the member challenges that start in December except for the "no text" rule. Members are reminded to hold photographic integrity in the highest regard when both submitting and voting. This trial is intended to allow the best quality photographs to be submitted -- without them looking like obviously manipulated digital art.
Challenges that are part of this trial will be marked with the red flag icon, and the rules in effect during the trial will be noted in the "Extra Rules" section -- please read these changes before submitting or voting!
Open challenges are not affected by this trial and those submissions must adhere to the normal post-shot editing restrictions.
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I actually don't think we'll see any great improvement in quality, as I think the obviously over-manipulated images will still be scored down. It'll be nice to be able to remove little blemishes and dust etc. however.
Despite wishing for a little spot editing now and then (and using Photoshop everyday for retouching and digital art), I actually find the free-range challenges less inspiring. Sorry!
The discipline of finding that pure image is much more useful to me as a photographer.
Do you mean some people have better cameras and this balances it out?
If so, and we are talking of level as everyone uses Photoshop then it is only level if everyone has the same amount of knowledge on how to use it and that everyone has access to the same class of software, which many don't.
The rules might now favour the Photoshop (etc) expert, which a pure camera expert would say is biased against him/her.
I don't see the alteration in rules as any more or less level than always, just different, and maybe favouring different people than previously due to varying areas of expertise.
I like it though, especially as it is not quite "anything goes" but, to me, has sensible limitations that will keep the emphasis on the photograph, with a little extra help from PS, but not let it turn into simply digital art.
I am greatly looking forward to seeing what this month brings :)
Do you mean some people have better cameras and this balances it out?
If so, and we are talking of level as everyone uses Photoshop then it is only level if everyone has the same amount of knowledge on how to use it and that everyone has access to the same class of software, which many don't.
The rules might now favour the Photoshop (etc) expert, which a pure camera expert would say is biased against him/her.
I don't see the alteration in rules as any more or less level than always, just different, and maybe favouring different people than previously due to varying areas of expertise.
I like it though, especially as it is not quite "anything goes" but, to me, has sensible limitations that will keep the emphasis on the photograph, with a little extra help from PS, but not let it turn into simply digital art.
I am greatly looking forward to seeing what this month brings :)
The reasoning behind my comment is quite simple: I have spoken with a number of highly regarded photographers on this site and all have demonstrated a confusion as to what the current rules do and don't allow. By removing the restrictions there is no danger of an illegal editing procedure being used - hence a level playing field.
It is up to the photographer to use the tools to the best of their ability, it is up to me to vote to the best of mine.
Thanks Drew and Langdon! And thanks, also, for the interesting challenge this week (shapes) and the month-long study. I'm looking forward to these member challenges :).
Thanks Drew & Langdon. I think this will be a great trial. As you mentioned, keep it photography and not graphics. This is just to use little things to make a almost perfect photo better :)
For those that don't like it, then don't use it. Life can be so simple :)
