October 2011 Photo Contest

[Brad]

Chameleon Photo Contest
October 2011
view entries​

Theme: No Theme

Win A Gift Certificate To: ... you choose

Chameleons Only
FL Chams
Mist King
Screameleons
Tortoise Supply
Heroic Chameleons
Chameleons Northwest
Tiki Tiki Reptiles
Great Lakes Hornworm
LLL Reptile
Chameleon Nation
Ship Your Reptiles
Mulberry Farms
DIY Cages
ReptMart
Eco Zone Vivarium
Pangea Reptile
Josh's Frogs
Educational Science
Jarosek Park Reptiles
Chameleon Paradise
Chroma Chameleons
Light Your Reptiles
Chameleons Finest
Kilgour's Chameleons
Repashy Superfoods



1st place: $50 gift certificate
The winner of this contest may choose a gift certificate to one of the companies listed above. This should give the winner a nice choice of where to use their gift certificate. The certificate can not be split up and used at multiple places.


How to enter the contest:
contest entry deadline: October 18, 2011

• To submit your photo, click here.
• Fill out the form and click submit.
• You are welcome to change your submitted image anytime before the submission deadline.

Rules:
Please view the contest rules before submitting a photo. Click here to access the contest rules. The contest rules have recently been updated.


dates
entry deadline: October 18
voting: October 19 - October 31
contest results will be announced on November 2 2011


Note:
Please review the contest rules. The photo entry period will be extended if a minimum of 10 valid entries have not been received.


The Chameleon Forums reserves the right to modify these rules at any time. Please check this thread often if you are participating in the contest. Feel free to reply to this thread with questions if you have them.

 

[Brad]

I'm in Vegas for the reptile show and did not get a chance to work on the photo contest before I left. Voting will be delayed until Tuesday. The gallery has been reopened for contest entries.

 

[clarkrw3]

Has this months contest been postponed till next month?

 

[Brad]

For this month only we have more than 16 photos to choose from. I was running short on time and did not want to delay the contest further. For those members that did not make the final vote, please try again and enter our November contest.

 

[Brad]

slideshow

Having a hard time deciding on your favorite?

Slideshow: Click to view slideshow

Comparing the original size of each image can help and is recommended. Photos should not only be judged by the chameleon displayed, but also on composition and image quality.

 

[im faster]

clearly who ever picks the photos has differnt taste than me.. 3 or 4 months ive entered and never made the cut..

 

[Hoj]

just keep trying it took along time to ever make the cut and im still trying to place one month, and i enter every month
maybe this month uh uhhm uhm cough....cristautus....cough cough

 

[Olimpia]

Or look up websites on how to take good photos. This isn't necessarily directly at Faster but for everyone that is always bummed that they never make the final cut or win top three:

If your photos aren't chosen, I think it's Ok to assume that something has to be different for next time. What's that saying, what hasn't worked before is unlikely to work now? Look up website how-to's to learn what makes a good photo and what doesn't. Are using interesting lighting (or just using flash), placing the subject in front of an interesting background (or can we see the cables from your cage on the wall?), are the important things like the eyes and face in focus? Is the photo you choose to submit interesting? Or it is very documentary style - as in, it's just a chameleon in profile, just sitting there?

Take all these things into consideration for next time. At the very least it can't hurt to learn something you about something you like to do, if you like taking photos.
And don't think I don't take my own advice! I just about always make the final cut but have only won a spot once, so I always try to see how I can improve and get more and more interesting photos.

 

[okiroo]

Or look up websites on how to take good photos. This isn't necessarily directly at Faster but for everyone that is always bummed that they never make the final cut or win top three:

If your photos aren't chosen, I think it's Ok to assume that something has to be different for next time. What's that saying, what hasn't worked before is unlikely to work now? Look up website how-to's to learn what makes a good photo and what doesn't. Are using interesting lighting (or just using flash), placing the subject in front of an interesting background (or can we see the cables from your cage on the wall?), are the important things like the eyes and face in focus? Is the photo you choose to submit interesting? Or it is very documentary style - as in, it's just a chameleon in profile, just sitting there?

Take all these things into consideration for next time. At the very least it can't hurt to learn something you about something you like to do, if you like taking photos.
And don't think I don't take my own advice! I just about always make the final cut but have only won a spot once, so I always try to see how I can improve and get more and more interesting photos.

i've made the cut three times and tryed three times so im doing SOMETHING right. but never placed. its a hard becuz all the photos enterd are so wonderful, they really are. its exciteing just to try, ya know ^^?

 

[heartben]

I've been debating writing a blog or post with some basic tips about color/composition and stuff like that... I don't know if anyone would be interested. I think there are a lot of pictures that could be much better with some basic information like that.

 

[Miss Lily]

I've been debating writing a blog or post with some basic tips about color/composition and stuff like that... I don't know if anyone would be interested. I think there are a lot of pictures that could be much better with some basic information like that.

I agree it would be good to have some general pointers. Nothing too technical so that the less photographically skilled (such as myself) can understand it too. I use either the macro or 'smart' settings on my camera and I like what they do for me, but I don't understand the more technical stuff! I just point my camera, focus and shoot!

 

[gsurfn]

Yeah there has to be better guidelines because I'm shocked that my picture wasn't at least in the top 16. I really don't get it.

 

[heartben]

I have just started working on a blog entry to try and help. I am hoping to have example pictures as well to help for those who are more visual.

Miss Lilly - thats pretty much exactly what I want to write, my first blog will not be about settings and techie stuff, just tips ANYONE can use - stuff you can actually see with your own eyes (the colors and how the shots are set up - stuff like that)

gsurfn - if you send your picture to me i would be happy to TRY to figure out why it didnt make it (email [email protected] or link me in a pm)

 

[gsurfn]

Hi HeartBen, I just sent you an e-mail with the picture. Thanks for taking a look!

 

[antithesis123]

Or look up websites on how to take good photos. This isn't necessarily directly at Faster but for everyone that is always bummed that they never make the final cut or win top three:

If your photos aren't chosen, I think it's Ok to assume that something has to be different for next time. What's that saying, what hasn't worked before is unlikely to work now? Look up website how-to's to learn what makes a good photo and what doesn't. Are using interesting lighting (or just using flash), placing the subject in front of an interesting background (or can we see the cables from your cage on the wall?), are the important things like the eyes and face in focus? Is the photo you choose to submit interesting? Or it is very documentary style - as in, it's just a chameleon in profile, just sitting there?

Take all these things into consideration for next time. At the very least it can't hurt to learn something you about something you like to do, if you like taking photos.
And don't think I don't take my own advice! I just about always make the final cut but have only won a spot once, so I always try to see how I can improve and get more and more interesting photos.

Good advice Olimpia- That said, I'm published in afew magazines and I'm sometimes baffled on what photos make it and what ones are cut!

 

[Olimpia]

Good advice Olimpia- That said, I'm published in afew magazines and I'm sometimes baffled on what photos make it and what ones are cut!

Me too, but then again, this isn't the National Geographic photo forum contest lol So I can't ask for too much. I don't consider myself a great photographer but I have fun participating.

 

[antithesis123]

Me too, but then again, this isn't the National Geographic photo forum contest lol So I can't ask for too much. I don't consider myself a great photographer but I have fun participating.

Yeah, I'm usually very impressed with the final three though!

 

[altitude]

Everyone should win. Those are all amazing shots. Kudos to all of you!

 

[Brad]

A majority of entries every month suffer from excessive pixelation or digital noise. Some members may only be looking at a smaller version of their photo where it is less obvious. When grading photos I look at the original size. General photographic composition principles are of course the most important. Something else that may not be clear is that I prefer natural looking photos; too much visible human or man-made products could receive a penalty.

Here is a thread I started early last year.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/photo-contest-reduction-phase-38306/

 

[ijmccollum]

Argh! I hate it when you can only vote for one!