Friday, April 24, 2009

A lotta business stuff and FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHER info.

Hello everyone! Hoping it's as beautiful where you are as it is out here in Eastern Ohio! GORGEOUS today!

Shanda was bogged down with school and stuff this week and asked to reschedule her feature Friday. No prob Shanda!! It gave me a good chance to put an update on the changes that are happening here. So, here is how things will go from now on:

VOTING:
After taking into consideration the things that were voted on for voting (yes, that sounds totally weird), here's what we will do:

I would like to have 8 categories (besides the BEST OVERALL) that we can rotate through. That way everyone knows the 8 things that might be used for voting. We won't actually announce the vote category until the voting day. That will help people keep on their toes! :)

We did have some people ask for a most improved, or something to include people who may not feel like their photography skills are up there yet. I absolutely agree and think this is a great encouragement as you learn. So, I want to include that as one of our random categories.

I would love some feedback in collecting the list we use. So far we have:

1. Most Improved
2. Most original idea
3. Best use of lighting
.....the rest needs to be filled in still. What are your thoughts?


As for the professional vs. amateur...it's a tough call. I mean, there are people with point and shoots who have no real previous experience that are winning challenges and whose photos look professional...people that have really chosen to step up and make their camera work for them, instead of limiting themselves to what they think their camera can do. And there are people who have "fancy cameras" that have only had their cameras for a few months, with no previous experience and yet they are always winning challenges. Just because their pictures LOOK professional, doesn't mean they feel like they could be called that. So, I don't know where to draw the line. And because of that, I just won't. We will keep it as is...everyone together. I think that's how we will really learn and grow and feel encouraged.

Now, one more piece of feedback I need!! :)

For our featured photographer piece we will post each week, I would love to know what you want to know about each other:

I figure we will go with 10 questions--so it's not overwhelming for people. You can ask more specific questions in the comments section of their post.

I will then email a copy of the final to everyone and if you could fill it out and email it back to me WITH A PICTURE OF THEMSELVES, that would be great. Then I will randomly select one person each week to highlight and get to know.

so what do you want to know??? Here are some ideas?
--what camera do you use?
--where are you from? Where do you live?(even a state if people don't want to be specific)
--How long have you been interested in photography?
--what is the funniest photography story you have?
--Share a piece of photography advice you have learned...

These are not set in stone..just things to get you guys thinking.

SO---I KNOW this is long and you might have forgotten by now...
PLEASE, PLEASE leave me some feedback for the challenge categories--

and please leave me some questions you want to know about each other. I will get an email sent out as soon as I can get 10 good q's together! :)

Also, Mindy has offered to help me out with the feature Fridays--she will be emailing you guys with a reminder as your time comes up, and will be updating the sidebar with the calendar, etc. So feel free to let her know when you are ready to do one.

And Janelle has been helping with one challenge a week and doing the voting tallies, etc. So thank you Janelle for taking that off my plate. I sure appreciate it!

THANKS everyone for all your input and allowing me to change things here and there as we make it a good place for everyone. :) Any other ideas? Send them my way!

19 comments:

Mindy said...

If anyone needs to email me about Friday Features...

bmatcsmith@gmail.com



And now, for ideas....
Voting Categories:
Biggest Surprise
Most Emotion
Makes Me Smile

Questions for Photographers:
What is your dream for your photography in the future?
What is your favorite photography subject? (or, what do you like to take pictures of the best?)
What equipment is on your wishlist?
Who inspires you?
Share a couple of your favorite photos you have taken in the past.


Just some ideas... I don't care if you use them or not! :)

Brittney said...

Categorie ideas: best angle...its all i've got, sorry ;)

Questions:
Love Mindy's idea about sharing a few of your favorite photos!
What photography equipment could you not live without?
Also, hobbies, I think it would be fun to learn what everyone else likes to do outside of photography.

Rachel Holloway said...

Good ideas everyone.

And Mindy threw this idea out to me earlier--so I think I am going to pass it along...

Should we just scrap the other category? Just everyone vote for one best overall and then we announce the top two contenders as the winners? It seems that so many shoutouts are given for so many reasons and the feedback I have gotten from shoutouts has been that they make people feel good! :) So, if we just do best overall and then shoutouts, we could include a variety of people without being complex...

yay? Nay?

Kris said...

I have yet to receive one email from you. I wasn't sure if you had my email address or not. Rachel, it's on my facebook page. It is just my first and last name @ gmail.com I thought I'd tell you just in case you have sent a bunch of emails I have not relieved.

Rachel Holloway said...

I got your email put in Kristin. I did a whole bunch more this morning. I didn't repeat a test sendout because I knew I was going to send out the other m24 stuff via email soon. So you're on the list and be watching. I will let you know when I send another email just in case. But you shoudl get it!

Mindy said...

I wanted to explain one of the main reasons I think a second category maybe should be scrapped... sometimes I'll notice that someone will get a lot of votes overall, but they're spread across the two categories, so they end up not winning either. If we just had one vote, it might make it a better representation of the crowd "favorites".

I actually feel a bit embarrassed (grateful, but embarrassed) about all the wins I've received... so I don't want anyone to think I'm trying to keep others from winning... I'm just pretty sure that there were times I might not have won if the total votes had been taken into consideration. :)

Anyway... just didn't want anyone thinking I'm a meanie or something. ;)

Rachel Holloway said...

HAHA MINDY...I didn't even think of it that way. I hope I didn't write your suggestion that way...I certainly didn't want to portray you like a meanie! (Mindy is the absolute NICEST person ever...and in no way would she ever want to upset or hurt anyone) :)

I thought she had a good point though...

Katy said...
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Katy said...
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Brittney said...

Ummm I'm scared to admit that I like the idea of having best overall AND a category to vote for. I think that it gives a more even chance of winning to everyone, no matter their skill level. I do see Mindy's point on how the votes can be divided and even though someone has the most votes, doesn't actually end up winning. Maybe in cases like that you could post who recieved the MOST amount of votes. Although, that may make things more complicated huh? Ya know, I'm really good for anything. I love this blog/group and no matter what we end up doing I'll continue to love it! Its super fun.

Oh and Mindy-you crack me up ;)

Katy said...

that's me deleting all my comments... sorry i just get out of control with the lengthiness.

ok. trying to make it more concise:

First off, Mindy, you're so sweet, don't feel bad or embarrassed at all for all the wins-- You EARNED and DESERVED them ALL!!!

1) if we end up keeping the second Random Category vote: here's all I've got-- best use of color, best irony. I'll be honest, Mindy's idea makes SENSE and i wouldn't be opposed to the ONE vote.

2) about the pro v. novice. I think we shouldn't have the distinction. playing with the BIG KIDS make me "up my game". it pushes me and makes me want to be on "Pro level" (you know who you are, pros! wink wink).

3) LOOOOOVE the featured Photographer idea! LOVE all the other question ideas mentioned... hmmmm, racking my brain for one to add: "What's your Picture-Perfect Dream day?"

4) lastly; just a BIG THANKS to Janelle and her weekly challenges and voting finesse.. you're amazing, it's a MAJOR feat to get all those votes counted and coming up with the challenge words. Gooo, Mama, Go! Really, thanks!!
Also, Mindy-- you da bomb for taking over the Feature Fridays! I don't know about the rest of you, but by the time Friday finally rolls around, i'm too much of a basket case to get a coherent thought of my own together... much less coordinate a weekly lesson for the masses... a BIG thanks for that work done!!

Candace said...

I like the idea of having just best overall for each challenge. Maybe we could do a first, second, and even third place to acknowledge all who've been voted for? I don't know, just an idea! :)

And how are the featured photographers going to be done? Are you (Rachel)going to pick someone each week and email them a questionairre and then you post it or is the featured person going to do the post? How is that going to work? Just wondering...

And I don't think we should divide the group into pro vs. novice, either, because I think everyone on here is still learning, so I agree that it's best to just keep us lumped into one big group! :)

And I was thinking in the car driving into town the other day and was thinking that it would be kind of cool to rotate the person in charge of coming up with the challenge words. I don't know, just a thought. I'm a member of a photography forum called Clickin Moms and on there, anyone can post a challenge and it kind of keeps everyone on their toes. I don't know.. just a suggestion. That way it wouldn't be just you (Rachel) and Janelle having to stress about coming up with great words all the time! I've been wanting to suggest that for a while, but I wasn't sure how it would go over, but since everyone's offering up ideas, I figured I'd just throw it into the pile! :)

Rachel Holloway said...

Candace, GREAT idea! I really appreciate that. I feel like we would need a schedule of people to post so we don't have days with no challenge? Do you agree??

I think I would like to still keep posting on Saturdays because it would keep it simple to just have 1 day to worry about others posting, but I love the idea of the variety. :)


And as for the feature photographers, I will be emailing everyone tonight with the questionarre, and when they get emailed back to me I will keep them on hand and just select one (probably in the order they come back to me for fairness) and post it on that day. Any questions that come in will be up for the featured person to answer back in the comments.

I hope you all know I am really just trying to make sure everyone feels a part of this group. I may have started it, but really it's kept up and made wonderful because of all of you! The only reason I am still taking some charge is so we have some organization. :) Each and every one of you run this show! So thank you again!

Janelle said...

Thanks Katy...it's been fun trying to come up with challenge words (though admittedly, I don't have preconceived photo ideas for them).

Candace, I think it's a great idea to rotate challengers. I know Rachel has asked for suggestions in the past, but I don't know how much feedback she's gotten. As for me, I've got a list of about 18 words to use in the future, so I'm good for awhile. :)

I still like the other category idea (even though only doing one would make voting easier). I have no objections, however, to doing a "most/best _______" and a first and second place overall prize.

Ideas for other categories:

Best angle
Best use of flash
Most original
Most out-of-the-box
Best use of color
Best contrast
Least likely to be recreated
Best use of household item
Best editing

For featured photographers:

I like the idea that someone gave about sharing 2-3 of our favorite photos that we've taken. Also the question about who our inspirations are. I also think it would be nice to know if people have photo blogs elsewhere from M24. I do, and although these days it's mostly just reposts from M24, I'm starting to also post some of my M24 rejects, and it would be nice to be able to draw more inspiration from each other, if it's out there.

Corynn said...

Ok. I like the idea of either having a 1st, 2nd and 3rd winner or 2 categories. If you are counting votes anyway, might as well tell us who was a close second, right!

And, now that we are aware of the split voting thing, maybe people will kind of vote accordingly and the issue will be self corrected. Like, if you really like one photo and you want to vote for it, but it could fit into either best overall or the other category, but you see a couple people before you put it in the best overall, then you just put it there as opposed to the other. Just my thought.

I love the idea of best lighting because I really want to learn more about lighting.

Best angle - like that one too
Emotion
Color
(I think these have all been said.)

As for questions on the Feature Person - I like the idea of being able to write down challenges they face while photographing and how they overcome them (cars driving by, wiggly kid, bad shadow) or they can ask how others might deal with those situations. Like, "I like to shoot inside, but I can't seem to get enough light to speed up my SS and lower my iso..."

And I like the idea of having the opportunity to share our private blogs if we wish too.

And, I wouldn't mind coming up with a challenge if asked. Maybe, members only do a challenge once every other week or something, so that Rachel doesn't have to worry that it isn't going to happen.

Katy said...

ok whoever did the new Mission 24 header... it's SOOO CUTE!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!

Lindy Lue said...

oh and i LOVE the featured photographer!!!!!

Lindy Lue said...

whoa ~ my previous entry didnt get up! yatahay! I think we should stick to ONE winner, cus its simple and easy ~ maybe make a forum to discuss all the rest? that way we still have time to vote! :) i like things simple

Candace said...

I'm glad my ideas are liked! :) And I'm going to go check my email inbox for the questionairre~!