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Etiquette for Public Votes
Greensquared
Registered Users Posts: 2,115 Major grins
If you are new to submitting images into Photo Contests, you will likely feel that voting for your own image is an obvious thing to do. However, it is severely scorned by many. As is voting for someone simply because they are your friend or family.
Let me explain why.
First of all, voting for yourself is a statement that you are in it to win more than to learn and appreciate the photography of others. Secondly, it is a tradition of fair sportsmanship to cast your vote toward an entrant other than yourself.
While it is not a rule to vote for someone other than yourself, ask yourself what your motivation is for casting your vote. Your vote should go toward the image that is the overall BEST. The best technically, aesthetically and in conveying its message. Everything else should be secondary, if considered at all. Whether you know the person, want the prize, have liked their past work, know how long they've been shooting or what their general attitude is, should not be your primary reason for casting a vote. Yes, it may sway how you view their work, but being a successful photographer also includes looking the work of others objectively. How would you feel if you knew I was judging in such a fashion? You would call "foul play", correct? You want me and anyone else who is judging to judge based purely on the images themselves, right? So why expect anything different of yourselves? Maybe you really do feel that yours is the best image of the group, but consider the other images carefully. Yes, it's your vote to cast as you wish, but take pride in knowing that you cast it fairly and objectively. :lust
Here are a quotes from a couple of our Moderators which may shed some enlightenment:
"Part of learning is developing your critical sense, and that means recognizing when someone else's shot is better than yours. When competition and ego outweigh artistic judgment, something important is lost." ~ Richard
"If people aren't able to identify artistic merit in other people's photography...I'm wondering why they are even bothering to enter, as I would assume that this is an essential part of developing/growing as a photographer." ~devbobo<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
Let me explain why.
First of all, voting for yourself is a statement that you are in it to win more than to learn and appreciate the photography of others. Secondly, it is a tradition of fair sportsmanship to cast your vote toward an entrant other than yourself.
While it is not a rule to vote for someone other than yourself, ask yourself what your motivation is for casting your vote. Your vote should go toward the image that is the overall BEST. The best technically, aesthetically and in conveying its message. Everything else should be secondary, if considered at all. Whether you know the person, want the prize, have liked their past work, know how long they've been shooting or what their general attitude is, should not be your primary reason for casting a vote. Yes, it may sway how you view their work, but being a successful photographer also includes looking the work of others objectively. How would you feel if you knew I was judging in such a fashion? You would call "foul play", correct? You want me and anyone else who is judging to judge based purely on the images themselves, right? So why expect anything different of yourselves? Maybe you really do feel that yours is the best image of the group, but consider the other images carefully. Yes, it's your vote to cast as you wish, but take pride in knowing that you cast it fairly and objectively. :lust
Here are a quotes from a couple of our Moderators which may shed some enlightenment:
"Part of learning is developing your critical sense, and that means recognizing when someone else's shot is better than yours. When competition and ego outweigh artistic judgment, something important is lost." ~ Richard
"If people aren't able to identify artistic merit in other people's photography...I'm wondering why they are even bothering to enter, as I would assume that this is an essential part of developing/growing as a photographer." ~devbobo<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
Emily
Psalm 62:5-6
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