Rules discussion

How about amending the rule to

In my opinion commenting the photos before voting can have a negative impact so it should be avoided.

Comments can bias users against a photo or in favor of another photo.

I was planning on trying to enter #30 if I get some useful photos today but now that commenting has begun and some of the photos already have been identified to individual users I am not so sure I am going to enter because some of the photos in my opinion already has an edge over new photos.

Hi Tommy,

I voted yes for commenting. In my experience with contest discussions, what people say never affected my voting. People are honest so they will vote for what they like not what other people say. I've seen many photos with tons of comments but barely get any votes, while photos w/o comments can win the contest.

For me at least, commenting is one of the main reasons I enter contests. Without it we can't learn and benefit from the discussion, tips, and suggestions. Very often people suggest making changes to an entry and that is great way to learn.

Here is an exampleof changes I've made because somebody suggested it.

Tommy, I'm very happy to change the rules as you suggest. As for whether commenting should be allowed before the voting ends. I agree that it is a difficult area, which is why we have had extensive discussion about it. There is a difficult balance to strike between ensuring the voting is fair, whilst keeping the contest 'alive' and fun by getting discussion going between the participants.

In my view, allowing people to comment on the photos but keeping the photographers anonymous, strikes the balance about right. However, I'm happy to hear contary views.

I do hope you can take part in this contest in the end.

BB

Sam brought a good point above ... at the end of the day all of this is for Fun! isn't it, and we learn something in the process.

I have seen other sites where all images submitted for a competition are not displayed until the "submission period" has lapsed and the "voting period" has begun !! that's the best way i think.

Once the voting period has begun, commeting and voting are allowed while the photographer still remains anonymous until the "Voting Period" has lapsed, after that there is no more need for photogs being anonymous but commenting is still allowed even after a competition has finished and a new one has begun...

Only drawback is that people may get bored of waiting, hence competition times are 7 days and voting periods are also 7 days, while one comp is in "submission mode" the other is in "voting mode" which makes sure people have something to look at all the time...

here is one such site, whose contest page is very well thought out i think...

http://www.worth1000.c​om/cdir.asp?display=ph​otography

aam1234 wrote:
For me at least, commenting is one of the main reasons I enter contests. Without it we can't learn and benefit from the discussion, tips, and suggestions. Very often people suggest making changes to an entry and that is great way to learn.

Here is an exampleof changes I've made because somebody suggested it.

I completely agree that we can all learn from comments and I am not saying comments should not be allowed at all just that they wait until voting has taken place.

I'll see if I got any usefull photos today. I think I did get some good photos that i had not expected to get today so maybe there is a candidate in there.