Re: [AISdiscuss] AIS Photo contest

[MORRISJE1@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/23/2006 11:58:01 PM Central Standard Time,  
loberg@adelphia.net writes:

Hello  everyone,

the reason I was adding
stickers to the back and numbering  the photos, was for ease of organizing,
tracking, and scoring.    I anticipate quite a few photos, and the more
organized I can prepare them  so that the judges can review all that I send
them, in a single  weeks  time before it's forwarded to the next judge, was
primarily on my  mind.    However, I understand the point for having 3  judges
other than myself.   When Jeanne Plank, Bob and I  discussed this project, I
mentioned the fact that we could have so many  photos that it would be very
difficult to send 250 photos to all of the  judges, and have any meaningful
scoring upon return. and no clear  winner.   I plan to pre-screen the photos,
using some sort of  local panel. and try to pick the obvious better photos, 
and
forward just  the top of each group for the final panel.    I will develop  
and
ask the judges to use some sort of point scoring, such as 10, 9, 9, 8,  8, 7,
6. etc. and then when the scores are received, I will add all the  scores and
see who is on top.   If three judges select from 250  photos, I predict they
are likely to NOT select the same top photo(s), and  it would result in NO
clear winner(s).
.....What will be the judging criteria?  Having secured professional  
photography judges for the Society for Japanese Irises photo contest in 2003, I  know 
that there are specific criteria used for photos, slides and digital  
submissions.  Content, pose, lighting, depth of field, etc. are  considerations 
different from "point scoring". 



If the judges were all sitting in my house doing  the judging, we could
have discussions and work towards a consensus, but  the idea came forth to 
have
judges from through USA, which means I have to  forward the photos by Fed. Ex,
and have a judging method which will result  in a clear winner.    I hope you
can understand why I feel I need  to narrow down the group of photos to a
manageable group, by using a  smaller pre-screening panel locally.   I 
honestly
don't think I  can say, in advance, that we will prescreen to a specific
number, I'm going  to have to wait and see.  We will have the option of 
holding
ANY photo  over to be judged in any following contest.



#2  we should  put a sentence in the application letter that states that the
photographers  should not write or attach labels of any kind to the back of
the  photos.   Because there is limited space in the AIS bulletin for all  the
rules, I'm trying not to add any more instructions than  necessary.   I think 
I
can handle this without making it an  instruction.  In my experience, most
photographers won't write on the  back.   For the few who might, I can take a
simple white label,  and paste it over whatever is written, to cover it up.
.....It has been my experience that photographers do write or paste a label  
on the back of their prints, on their slides and CDs.  These can be  
neutralized and coded but you do need identification.

#4  "And then if we do that, what do we do if a life member wins".   I  am
stuck, I haven't yet thought of an idea for what to do for life members,  and
would appreciate ideas on this.   Shall we offer a membership  in one of the
Sections?

.....Yes, offer membership in a Section of their  choice.


#5 "I think we should acknowledge the receipt of the  photos by email".   I
would like to handle this  differently.   There is about a one month period
between receiving  the final photos, scoring, and then being able to return
photos to those who  requested them.   It would save ME work, if I was to ask
those who  want an acknowledgement of receipt of photos, to include a SASE
envelope. the  same concept as those who want their photos returned.  It will
keep  costs down for the contest.    If there is no objection, I have  changed
the contest statement to "Please provide AIS with a stamped,  addressed return
envelope if you want an acknowledgement of the receipt of  photos, and an
additional SASE envelope if you want the photo(s)  returned."
 
.....Sounds good.




#6 "should we put the deadline to August 31st so it can  also be included in
the July Bulletin".   I do have one thought  pertaining to this idea, and I
need your feedback please.   For the  purposes of getting it announced twice, 
I
have no problem.  My concern  has to do with the timing of the shipment of the
rhizomes.   If the  deadline is pushed to August 31st, prescreening and 
routing
the photos via  Fed Ex to 3 judges is going to take more than 4 weeks.   That
means  the earliest winners are selected is October 1st, if that.   If  
rhizomes
from the convention are held out of the ground, they probably are  not going 
to
look the best if held that long.   A bigger concern,  is if any contest winner
in the northern States. Idaho, Wisconsin, or even  Canada, can afford to plant
rhizomes mid to late October (upon receipt), and  have a good likelihood than
enough root growth will occur such that they  won't lose the plant in the
Winter.    What do you all think?
 
.....If you can get it done by the April AIS  Bulletin use the earlier 
deadline.
If not, we will have to live with October.  Those in the  north may have to 
pot their winner.



#7 "Are there to be a  total (or maximum) of 10 winners (one adult in each
category and one youth in  each category."

With Gary's question on how many  categories, for #6 youth I had intended
just one youth category.    I plan to change the wording to "Youth, any photo
with irises".
 
.....I think one Youth photo winner sounds all  right.



#8 ").  I think we need to have some  flexibility on the categories...  If we
only have 10 entries,"  I  agree in that I want to have flexibility.    I
expect to have  hundreds of entries. but there is no reason why the judges
couldn't withhold  awards, at their discretion, if no photo(s) were worthy of
an award in any  particular category.  

Those are my thoughts.   Again  I am sorry my earlier responses didn't make it
to AISconfer.  I  understand that our timeframe for getting this to Bruce
Filardi is now  tight.  Will it be possible for everyone to get their final
comments to  me within one week. by Jan. 30th?   I'd appreciate it very  much,
and thanks for your earlier comments.


......Comments as stated and returned 1/24/06.
 
Jim Morris 


Kitty  Loberg

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