OK folks, I could hardly get to sleep last night thinking about this
proposal for a photo contest. Yes a contest, competition, with a
winner, AND a *prize*. The grand prize being a *brand new* *Zuiko*
*35-80/2.8* zoom lens. The prize will be ordered direct from B&H,
un-opened, until the winner receives it. Barring any unknown packaging
issues, the winner will get to open, for the first time since leaving
the womb of the Olympus goddess herself, a new Oly 35-80 lens. First
will be the plastic bag enclosing the soft leather pouch with lens
inside. Inside the pouch will be another plastic bag containing the
Zuiko jewel. If opened very carefully, the winner may actually get to
sniff the air trapped inside containing wiffs from the bosom of the
Olympus goddess herself. Such vaporous nectar has been known to grace
its recipient with renewed vigor and inspiration.
OK now that I have your attention, a few proposed details for this
contest, known as the One Moment Photo Contest, or OM photo contest.
1) The photo submitted should be a decisive photographic moment when
the hand, eye, camera, subject are fully engaged. The photo does not
need to be perfect more than it needs to capture the essence,
revealing the inner nature, of the subject. A perfect example would
be one of my favorite photos of Carl Jung, taken by Henri
Cartier-Bresson, on the back of Carl Jung's autobiography -
*Memories, Dreams, Reflections*. To quote Bresson, "To take
photographs is putting one's head, one's eye, and one's heart on the
same axis." This will be the criteria used for judging the winner -
all three coming together in that One Moment. The photo can be about
anything, but will be judged by the eye-heart-hand axis.
2) This is an oly list members contest only. Given the nature of having
a valued prize that can attract attention, some limit on who can
participate may be necessary. Basically each person in the contest
will need to register by sending an email to me before a certain
date. The purpose of the contest is to inspire the oly list members.
By registering, you reserve a space to submit up to 3 photos, each
judged separately. Details to follow.
3) The photo/s submitted should be uncropped and un-manipulated except
for basic contrast and color adjustments. The submission should be a
high resolution scan along with a second photo of the original
negative or slide to verify no manipulation. Negatives or slides can
be sent to me for scanning, and will be returned.
4) Judging will consist of volunteers from the list who will
independently judge all the photos. Here I have not figured out all
the details, but, depending the number of judges, the first round of
judges will each filter the photos down to 1/3. The thirds will be
combined and re-judged on a scale D- to A+, (another 1/3 rating
scale like exposure compensation). The rating will not reflect good
or bad photo, but degree of meeting the eye-heart-hand-one-moment
criteria. The results of each judge will be re-normalized to a
normal distribution so that one judge who gives more A+'s than
another won't influence the combined result. Judges can also
submit photos, but will not be allowed rate their own photos.
5) Copyrights to the photographs remain with the photographer, who will
hopefully give permission to display the photo (at a lower
resolution) on a web site for all to view.
6) Further details will be figured out, such as the exact process of
deciding a winner. Proposal on equipment - hopefully OM's but I'm
flexible.
7) Tentative: April 30, 2000 deadline for registering, to keep it to
the list members. September 30, 2000 deadline for photo submission.
Prize awarded after the judging is complete.
OK, "Right" you say, it's April 1st, what's the gig. Nope today is
March 31st, not April 1. This is real. Well, that's all I can think of
at the moment. I will need help, particularly with the judging process
and other particulars.
I was also thinking of adding a merit rating as well, determined by the
net worth of all the oly gear a person has. If you already have 3-4
OM4T bodies, so many t20 or t32 flashes you've lost count, your photo
may end in the honorable mention class, particularly if it is close. So
the bar will be a bit higher for you to win. However, if you fight for
every dime just to get that 100/2.8, your merit rating will be higher.
Oh, and barring any unfortunate circumstances with Miss N. Daks, the
prize donor, whose high tech fortunes often ride on an emotional roller
coaster, the prize will be purchased mid-summer or so. Plenty of time
before the end of the contest.
OK, let's hear those Comments? Suggestions? Volunteers? What did I
forget?
Wayne
Hopkinton, MA usa
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