[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>I was wondering about that when I read the program. Seems out-of-date now to
>limit the contest to just slide film. Or to not have one for DSLRs. All it
>would need is a decent lap top to display the images.
We've been through this already ("we" being the staff, organizers and
helpers of various sorts at the GFM program) and it would take a *lot*
more than just a laptop to display the images. Many different file
formats and sizes; different memory card styles; file naming
conventions. How do we know which image belongs to which participant? In
which category is it entered (many images could fall into two
categories)? Gotta have some sort of database here.
For fairness, everyone should probably be required to submit the same
size (in pixels) image (or at least close), but many point-n-shoot users
wouldn't know *how* (really) or have a laptop with them to do so if they
do. We get plenty of photographers who are strictly point-and-shoot
types. The DSLR users will have powerful PC's with them and would be
able to do cropping and levels adjustments.
Then there's the problem of judging. Digital makes this a *lot* slower
than with slides. Doug Brewer and I judged the contest last year. The
first cut took place on the light table: We could visually scan whole
batches of slides and weed out the over/under exposures, obviously bad
compositions (single rhododendron blossom, dead center in the frame,
what Doug calls the "bull's-eye" shot), etc. Then groups are sorted out
and individual slides examined under a loupe. You can get the hundreds
of entries narrowed down to the best contenders much faster this way
than by viewing images on a computer monitor, but even so we had to work
our tails off to get the judging done in time for the awards
presentation. (Judging looks like the biggest hurdle to overcome in the
whole "going digital" process.)
>You might limit it so no one can post process,
How? Accept only RAW files? That would eliminate file size equality.
Many cameras won't output RAW files at all. We'd need RAW conversion
software for different camera types.
>since a lot of people still do not carry around laptops
>(expensive). I.E. Level the playing field. (Just a suggestion).
>
>I'll be bringing a 300D.
I'll be bring a 645 and an ist-D :)
The Nature Photography Weekend will probably be digital in 2005, but
it's going to take a lot of work and organization to make it happen. A
lot of discussion has taken place via email and meetings will take place
in June.
--
Mark Roberts
Photography and writing
www.robertstech.com
