i am no longer participating in the weekly contest at iHeartFaces. when i first heard of the blog, i was under the impression that anyone could enter and all photos would be eligible to win. and technically, i guess this is true. but only photos that have been edited and 'made pretty' are actually considered for the top photos, and thus, first prize.
i don't edit my photos (i guess that should be pretty obvious). sure, there's the occasional boost of color or sharpening or even some cropping. but i don't have photoshop (of any kind) or lightroom or piknik or whatever is out there. i don't change my photos. i think that would be dishonest of me.
for what it's worth, hiro has a strawberry mark, right there in the middle of his face. i will NEVER edit that out. and sure, my photos are not professional, i'm not claiming that all my pictures are perfect right out of the camera all of the time, but if i take a photo, and then edit things into it (or out) then that's not a true representation of what i captured.
as usual, a photo site that's 'for the people' has once again turned elitist. i'm surprised it only took a few weeks.
this is my OPINION, i am not putting down those who do edit; yes the pictures look prettier (scarier, moodier, whateverier) and i guess in advertising that is what we're looking at (we all know that most ads are photoshopped out of their life, right?), and i'm not looking down my nose at those who continue to enter the weekly contest at iHeartFaces. it's just not for me. i don't feel like entering a contest i'll never win, even if the prize is just a little button to put on the sidebar of my blog.
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17 comments:
I don't really have any comment on the photo contest but I just wanted to say that pic of Hiro is sooooo cute!! Your kids really do have a lot of family similarity - which (I think) means they are all super gorgeous :)
thanks sara. :D
I like your photos! I don't edit mine either. And what adorable kids!
thanks LadyFi. :D
The most i can do to my photos is crop them. LOL I hvae no idea how people do all those cool things to their pics. And i think your kids look very cute! :)
BTW, that link to you sent me is TOOOO funny! Thanks! :p
I read your blog & you introduced me to the site. I loved the idea, but have become disillusioned with it too, since I don't do the photoshop thing, either. However, I did win (by draw) a subscription to Piknik which, if I find time, I may be able to make my photos better. Time's probably the issue, tho.
I love photography & like to think that I get a great shot once in awhile. I appreciate good shots- but more the natural ones- not obviously 'retouched'.
Keep taking great shots of your kids & life. It's a wonderful journal of your journey in life & will give you many smiles as you look back on them. Tammy
thanks cairo typ0! lol glad you like the site!
thanks tammy. congrats on the win, by the way! glad to hear i'm not the only one who feels this way.
Hey! Please don't quit! I too do not use photoshop yet. I used the small bits of editing that flickr allows and placed third. I only changed my pic to B&W and added the copyright with the free piknik software. Please don't quit. I love your pics! It is totally based on the one judge's opinion. If it is not fun for you, then you are probably right. Everyone WANTS to win. Please reconsider. Your pics are great. It is just one person's opinion. I hope that helps you to know that I can't edit yet either. I WILL learn to though!!!!! :)
bryce's momma, thank you for your comment, and kind words about my photos.
it's not so much that i can't edit, it's that i don't want to edit. and the first couple of times i, too, thought it was that particular judge's criteria for choosing a photo. but now, week after week...i checked the faq, and what i understood is that those photos which have been post-processed are more likely to be chosen, because that's part of the picture taking process.
well, i don't do that. so, it's highly unlikely that i'll ever win. so, i don't want to waste my time.
sure, everyone wants to win. and there (seems to be) over 300 entries in the kids category alone each week. i'm not saying that i expected my photo to win, or at least place in the top ten, instead of those which were. i'm not trying to be conceited or whatever. but since reading the faq, it is clear to me i will probably never have a photo in the top ten. eh.
it's their blog, their contest and the two women in charge spend a LOT of time on it. i truly appreciate that. but i just don't want to participate any more.
I guess it's all about personal taste and style. I love your photos for the very reason that they are natural and unedited. Let's face it, most anyone can get a basically good photo to look like an advertisement with the right software if they know how to use it.
I applaude you. You held out longer than I did. I got discouraged after the first try! I enjoy seeing photos that are taken in natural light -- and what you see is what you get. Please keep posting your lovely pics on your blog, contest or not!
thanks sue. :D
I agree 100%! I got really discouraged when so many winners were professional photographers :(
I love your pix, your kids are so adorable!
thanks slime. :D
your pics are perfect as is.. and I think editing life is silly... if the only people who win are ones who have edited than true artists with a camera will never win!
thanks mojavi! :D
I like your pictures, too. ;)
thanks sheri! :D
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