Camera Labs

Hmmm, I'd opt for 1 week voting though.
We've seen how long it takes to get 10 applicants and 800 views of this thread. So we shouldn't rush the decision.
Oh, and btw: Voting for your own pic only shows lack of manners

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Woohoo: 1900th post

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Voting is ON!
G'night and good luck!

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Apologies if this has already been done, but I'd really like to see a page with all the entires on them, as that would make it easier to judge.

Is there a flickr page where we can do this, or would you prefer us to host the final entries here? The former would be better if we all had access and could upload to the same group page... what do you think?

PS - Should we also have a separate forum section for 'On Assignment?'

Its your site Gordon!

I think perhaps if you think this might take off, a separate forum where only admins (or mods) can start the topics.

Each week 3 are started.

E.g.

O.A. - Bottle Of Wine - Entries

O.A. - Bottle Of Wine - Discussion

O.A. - Bottle Of Wine - Voting (Voting thread isn't started until the Saturday midnight GMT - And is open for 1 week to vote, and as soon as this has started, a new OA should be started at the very same time, and the process continues

e.g.

(made up dates for simplicity sake)

Make a section inside "General" Called On "Assignment"

1st Jan is a Saturday!

1st Jan - Start OA Topic #1 Entries and Discussion Threads

8th Jan - Lock OA Topic #1 Entries Thread Start OA Topic #1 Voting and OA Topic #2 Entries and Discussion Threads

15th Jan - Lock OA Topic #1 Voting Thread and OA Topic #2 Entries Thread and Start OA Topic #2 Voting Thread and Topic #3 Entries and Discussion Threads

22nd Jan - Lock OA Topic #2 Voting Thread and OA Topic #3 Entries Thread and START OA Topic #3 Voting Thread and Topic #3 Entries and Discussion Threads.


And so on in this manner - I think this is the most logical solution!

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Canon EOS 5DmkII + BG-E6 + Canon EOS 40D + BG-E2N + Canon EOS 33
Canon 17-40 F/4L USM + Canon 24-70 F/2.8L USM + Canon 28mm F/1.8 USM + Canon 70-200 F/2.8L USM IS + Canon 85mm F/1.8 USM
Canon Speedlite 580EX II + Canon Speedlite 540EZ + 2 x Nikon SB-80DX
Cactus V2s Wireless Trigger - 5 x Cactus V2s Wireless Reciever

MY FLICKR!

Thanks to those who took part.

I can see Chardonnay is very popular with forum users.

Studini, what did you use for lighting and what did you support the bottle on?

Rob, I was going to ask why you hadn't used a higher ISO rather than the flash, but then I realised the "unnatural" flash light really adds to the photo's feeling. Was it intentional?

DavidL, I really like Little Nemo popping up behind the bottle. There seems to be little refraction; is that glass or acrylic?

A problem I had with my photo was that the bottle was giving away to much reflection from the sun. This ruined most of my photos in that particular occasion. There was little I could to to avoid this, as the sun was low and the place was build in a way that I had to be in that position. Am I right in saying a filter would have saved the day? And what kind of a filter?

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Nikon D90 + MB-D80 + SB-600 + AF-S VR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 + AF-S 35mm f/1.8 + AF 85mm f/1.8 | My photos on Flickr.

I just had the bottle lying down on some black velvet, it was lit with my desk lamp, took a few shots to get it right though.

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Nikon D80 w/ Nikkor 18-135mm/ Nikkor 70-300mm VR/ Nikkor 50mm 1.8/ Nikon SB-25
Tamrac Digital 3 bag, Tamrac adventure 9
BR-2A reversing ring

My flickr page

Glass from the Aquarium - some reflection from lights.
I could not get a direct shot as the reflection would have been aweful - did it a few times though and thought it was bad.
A shot from the top was not so good either - too many bubbles.
So I had to settle from the side.

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Nikon D7000 and a bunch of Nikkors

As to voting: We could count flickr views until a certain date but that implies, everyone is on flickr. That would give a broader base to for voting.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

I believe the simplest and perhaps the best way to go would be for you to create a separate Flickr group, that is invite only. You could then invite the entries. So we would have a single web page to see the "on assignment" entries. This would however mean that having a Flickr account would become a condition to take part. If you can live with that restrain, then go for it.

To both promote your site and to give the best change of exposure to the entries, I feel the photos should still appear on the thread, regardless of where they are hosted. From my own experience. People will rather have a photo readily available on a forum thread, than having to click a link that leads elsewhere.

As for a different forum section, I'd say it's a bit premature. In any case, it's your call.

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Nikon D90 + MB-D80 + SB-600 + AF-S VR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 + AF-S 35mm f/1.8 + AF 85mm f/1.8 | My photos on Flickr.

I could do a simple Camera Labs Assignment picture upload site if you like

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Nikon D80 | 18-135mm Kit Lens | 50mm f/1.8 | 4GB 150x Card | SB-600
http://flickr.com/photos/antmanisfubar

Antman - that sounds like a pretty good idea actually.

Need a pretty reliable server + whoever hosts it (the company) make sure that they do regular backups of the server (once a week would be fantastic!) since we don't want to loose hundreds of photos that have direct image links in the forum!

Simple upload script would do fine, as long as its secure, don't want some smart "word for backside" hacking it

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Canon EOS 5DmkII + BG-E6 + Canon EOS 40D + BG-E2N + Canon EOS 33
Canon 17-40 F/4L USM + Canon 24-70 F/2.8L USM + Canon 28mm F/1.8 USM + Canon 70-200 F/2.8L USM IS + Canon 85mm F/1.8 USM
Canon Speedlite 580EX II + Canon Speedlite 540EZ + 2 x Nikon SB-80DX
Cactus V2s Wireless Trigger - 5 x Cactus V2s Wireless Reciever

MY FLICKR!

I think however we do this there will be the possiblity of people missing the submission deadline, the judging deadline, or not being able to update the page which houses the images quickly enough - perhaps because they are on holiday or busy studying or with work.

So what do you guys think of a monthly competition instead of a weekly one? I think it would allow more people to participate and judge and make the hosting of images easier to maintain. It also means we only have to come up with 12 subjects a year instead of 52!

Let me know what you think...

Gordon

I like the idea of weekly -- If you miss one, then go with the next one...

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BrianS
D50, 70-300mm VR, 50mm f/1.8

I'd like monthly. Gives more time to think, shoot, post, vote.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses