Foto contest question

[FJ and G]

In latest GRR they do not specify digital photo criteria for the contest. Can someone provide me a direct link to where this info is located? I'm assuming that a photo of O gauge garden RR is OK to use.

Thanks.

[biddy71]

Dave this is what I found on there home page this may help.

http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/002/223bymak.asp

[Anonymous]

I too have had questions, even after reading the explanation.

I was slightly confused as to the reason for needing a hard copy. I sent an Email to Rene, who explained it so even I could understand. Don't hesitate to ask. I'm back on tracks (sorry) for the compo. now.

Matthew [bow]

[FJ and G]

Well, what exactly IS the reason for the hard copy? The whole purpose of emails, digital photography etc is to have a paperless office, right? And no snail mail, right?

[Anonymous]

Hey David, this is the Email Rene sent me, including the explanation bit from the website (point 4.), what I asked Rene and the reasons I got:

4. Images should not be corrected for color, sharpness, size, cropping, or color mode. Image files should be raw and unmanipulated, just download them from your camera and send them to us. Please provide a hard copy (printout) as well (from a copy of the image file).

I asked:
'If you require a hard copy then what's the difference to a non-digital photo. What do you do with the hard copy? Is it for inspection and judging? If so, then it should be on the best photographic paper possible. Then it would be on par with non-digital photos.'

The answer:
The hard copy is for judging purposes only. It does not need to be on photo paper; white copy paper will work fine. We request a hard copy because a) is it time consuming for us to print out each entry and b) there are times we have problems with CDs (corrupt) and if there are no hard copies or information, we are unable to contact the photographer.

I also asked:
'If there is another purpose, a non-judging reason then can the hard copy be on ordinary printer paper? If yes, then does it have to be in colour?'

The reply:
I would suggest that whatever format your photo is (sepia, color, b&w) that what the printout is. You do not need a large printout; a 3x5 size is fine.

I ended with:
'Please clarify this for me. I will send my pics on a CD-R, probably a couple of weeks ahead of the deadline to be safe.'

Rene finished:
I hope this answers your question, but if not, please let me know.

Rene

So it seems that the hard copy is for judging and I would think that a proper photo on good photographic paper would show off the railway scene best. Perhaps the judges have an initial round to pick out the potential winners from all the rest (like American Idol). Perhaps the digital copy is to use in the event of the photo being printed in the magazine, and so they don't have to waste all their good paper. I suppose film/negative or Jpeg file is the main difference. If that is the case then the quality of the digital photo hard copy would be important!

Seems I still have unresolved questions...[sigh]

Well, Rene[?]? Perhaps someone can pull the sock off my head[B)] or maybe some others have been wondering the same thing[:I].

Matthew


[bow]

[kstrong]

I'll pipe in here, since I'm one of the judges...

Good quality photo paper is always best. You may get a job wearing a T-shirt and jeans to the interview, but a suit and tie makes a far better impression. I don't recall ever judging photos printed on regular copy paper.

One comment--when submitting your digital prints, PLEASE remember to send the hardcopy AND the electronic file. We've had to disqualify a few entries every year because all the entrant sent was the printout off of their desktop. Desktop prints are unsuitable for reproduction, so sayeth the art department.

I look forward to seeing your photos!

Later,

K

[Anonymous]

Thanks Kevin.[:)]

All understood now!

Matthew [bow][bow]

[Rene Schweitzer]

<BLOCKQUOTE><table class="quoteOuterTable"><tr><td class="txt4"><img src="/trccs/Themes/default/images/icon-quote.gif">&nbsp;<strong>kstrong wrote:</strong></td></tr><tr><td class="quoteTable"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="100%" valign="top" class="txt4">I'll pipe in here, since I'm one of the judges...
<br />
<br />Good quality photo paper is always best. You may get a job wearing a T-shirt and jeans to the interview, but a suit and tie makes a far better impression. I don't recall ever judging photos printed on regular copy paper.
<br />
<br />One comment--when submitting your digital prints, PLEASE remember to send the hardcopy AND the electronic file. We've had to disqualify a few entries every year because all the entrant sent was the printout off of their desktop. Desktop prints are unsuitable for reproduction, so sayeth the art department.
<br />
<br />K</td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

Kevin has a good point. It can't hurt to submit on photo paper, but yes, please send the electronic files. We simply can't use the printouts for publication.

Come on everyone, send in those photos! The new link to the rules is here: http://www.trains.com/grw/default.aspx?c=a&id=208

[Takasaki Matt]

That's a lot of code!

[FJ and G]

I'll send this one in...



Naw, changed my mind. The mulch is way too out of scale and part of the deck post is visible. It sucks, actually, now that I think about it.

Hey, maybe we can critique each other's photos prior to sending them in; you know, hold preliminary prejudging contests; that way GRR only gets the cream de la creme

[FJ and G]

Do you think there might be a scale issue with this photo? Might humor be one of the judging criteria?