The contest

[tommykjensen]

It seems that the contest have stalled after number #21.

Is there any interest in continuing the contest?

In the last voting (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=53732) some opions was expressed that perhaps the way photos was submitted and administred was a bit clumsy so I have offered to setup a gallery where submitting users can post their own photo and thus minimize the administration. The gallery I suggested also has a voting system so it would be easier to tally the votes and find a winner.

However before I go ahead and setup the gallery (I already have a domain name for it) I would like to know if there is a real interest in continuing the contest series.

If enough are still interested I am willing to set it up, it is associated with a small cost between $120 - $220 a year (cost depending on amount of space required).

[Moppie]

The contest has to continue, but I see no trouble with how its currently being run, other than the current host seems to have vanished :(

Theres an easy fix for that, if they are not back by the end of the weekend, then someone else has to step up and simply take over. :)



Your proposal of hosting space and an easy admin option is a very very cool idea Tommy, and would certianly make the contest easier to run. Its also very generous.
But I don't think you need to spend your money just yet :)

[aam1234]

I would defiantly love to see the contest back. You have a great idea there Tommy (setting up the site). Thanks!!!!

Voted option #3.

[tim]

I would participate, but it seems too clumsy to me. You need a way of counting votes that isn't manual, perhaps using a poll. Another site I visit has everyone email the images in, they're posted on a thread anonymously, and people vote for their favorite. It works well. Having the pic and the voting seperate is a pain. If you wanted people to rate the top 3 then you might need to write a little bit of software, but it should be pretty easy in PHP.

[tommykjensen]

Tim that is the main reason why I suggested to host it. I would setup a gallery software that can handle the voting within an exhibition with the posted photos. I am testing 2 different galleries, but so far I have found one major drawback in both and that is the lack of date for closing the voting.

[tim]

If you did that i'd be all for it. The obvious way around the lack of an end date is just to write it somewhere and look at the results at the right time on the right day. Sometimes simple answers are the best ;)

[Tom W]

Yes, I enjoy the contests, even if I rarely participate. I think the only problem lately is that with so many different image forums, people aren't finding the contest as readily as before.

[boomer1959]

Yes, I enjoy the contests, even if I rarely participate. I think the only problem lately is that with so many different image forums, people aren't finding the contest as readily as before.

I agree with this and have said it before. maybe the contest or contests should have there own sub forum. Maybe Tommy's idea is a good one although it maybe alot of work for him and also the money issue, I don't know about that :confused:

[ppuga]

I never been in one of these contest before, but I think that this could be a nice way to get in to one, and so far the proposal that Tommy makes sounds great, so we can have this contests back.

cheers.

[tommykjensen]

*bump* More votes please :)

[blinking8s]

i like the gallery idea, but giving the contest its own forum might make it stand out more. I rarely checkup on what is going on with it...its just not a section I check regularly. In fact I had to look up where it was located the other day. I didnt even know.

[cmM]

I think the interest loss is due to the redesigning of the forums.... I, for one, haven't been to that side of the boards in a while.
:oops: Guilty as charged.

Would like to see more contests. Doesn't really matter how or where they're hosted.

[tbfoto]

Ummmm, contest? I didnt know this forum had contests. I love to participate in them. Maybe it's just me but I've been on this forum a couple of months now but this is the first time I've read about a contest. Looking foward to it.

[boomer1959]

Ummmm, contest? I didnt know this forum had contests. I love to participate in them. Maybe it's just me but I've been on this forum a couple of months now but this is the first time I've read about a contest. Looking foward to it.


This along with cmM and blinking8s comments, I rest my case :D

[aam1234]

Do you guys have ideas we can suggest to mods to make the contest more "visible".

[Moppie]

They can put up an annoucment that will show at the top of every single forum.

[tommykjensen]

Ok I have now tested a few of the galleries that allow easy uploading and voting.

Unfortunately I don't think any of them are good enough for our purpose. If anybody know other galleries written in PHP please let me know. I have testet Coppermine (http://coppermine.sf.net/) and Gallery (http://gallery.sourceforge.net/)

So I might need to write the software myself. I am thinking that the software would need following

an admin part which allows creating and administration of contests
an upload part that allow easy upload from users with email authentication* of uploader
a voting part that registers votes and ensure no duplicate votes
a result viewing part


* email authentication. I am thinking that when a user upload a photo a valid email must be provided . The system should send a mail with a special link. The photo is only entered in the contest when the user has clicked on the link. If the forum membername is also provided during upload I think it should be possible to ensure that people are who they say they are ;)


Any and all ideas as to what the software needs to be able to do are welcome and specific code is also welcome :)

Web designers are especially welcome to help as I am absolutely hopeless when it comes to layout/design/coloring etc :confused:

[Pekka]

Ok I have now tested a few of the galleries that allow easy uploading and voting.

Unfortunately I don't think any of them are good enough for our purpose. If anybody know other galleries written in PHP please let me know. I have testet Coppermine (http://coppermine.sf.net/) and Gallery (http://gallery.sourceforge.net/)

So I might need to write the software myself. I am thinking that the software would need following

an admin part which allows creating and administration of contests
an upload part that allow easy upload from users with email authentication* of uploader
a voting part that registers votes and ensure no duplicate votes
a result viewing part


* email authentication. I am thinking that when a user upload a photo a valid email must be provided . The system should send a mail with a special link. The photo is only entered in the contest when the user has clicked on the link. If the forum membername is also provided during upload I think it should be possible to ensure that people are who they say they are ;)

Any and all ideas as to what the software needs to be able to do are welcome and specific code is also welcome :)

Web designers are especially welcome to help as I am absolutely hopeless when it comes to layout/design/coloring etc :confused:

Next Exhibit engine has capability to handle this on this site. All I need to add is Vbulleting login detection and set limit to one vote for each photo per each forum user id.

That way people could register to competition (register as user in EE), upload photos there on their own (EE would do the thumbs and EXIF/IPTC/XMP automatically), I would be able to approve them and edit the detail data, and then forum users would be able to rate each photo once. EE has four rating areas which means you can get winners by rating category (Composition, Technical quality, Wow factor, Personality). Then you'd have automatic result system like it has now in http://photography-on-the.net/gallery/list.php?exhibition=all&revealforms=0&u=7337-0

[roanjohn]

GREAT IDEA PEKKA!!!

This should be implemented and made STICKY!!!

Ro1

[tommykjensen]

Next Exhibit engine has capability to handle this on this site. All I need to add is Vbulleting login detection and set limit to one vote for each photo per each forum user id.

That way people could register to competition (register as user in EE), upload photos there on their own (EE would do the thumbs and EXIF/IPTC/XMP automatically), I would be able to approve them and edit the detail data, and then forum users would be able to rate each photo once. EE has four rating areas which means you can get winners by rating category (Composition, Technical quality, Wow factor, Personality). Then you'd have automatic result system like it has now in http://photography-on-the.net/gallery/list.php?exhibition=all&revealforms=0&u=7337-0


That would definately make it a lot easier.

[Conk]

Pekka is the man! I was hoping by the time I scrolled to the bottom that I would see a post from Pekka with a solution. :D

[aam1234]

Great Idea from Pekka!

[poke]

I vote for whatever is going to be the easiest for whoever decides to take ownership of the process.... just bring back the contests :)