As the photo competition is fun for some, I want to know what everybody feel about the photo competition. The goal with the photo competition is to learn everybody to take some better photos.

Must there be prizes for the winners or is a competition just for fun going to motivate anybody to enter his/her best photo.

I think prizes are a good motivation. I would enter but my photography skills are rather lacking.

F1refly wrote: I think prizes are a good motivation. I would enter but my photography skills are rather lacking.

I'd say then that if there was a prize, it would motivate you to learn to take better photos. And I think that is what Stalker was hoping for

Oh yeah. Good observation. Next time there is a Competition I must enter.

If the goal of the photo competition is to teach people to take better photos, then the current voting system should be revised. People are taking Stalker's tips and advise, applying it to their photography skills, but don't receive votes in the competition.

If the goal of the photo competition is to just have some fun, then I think you can continue as is. Then it's fine if everyone votes for their friends or for the photo of their favourite species.

I feel that a photo competition in a forum is always good as it get the people to participate in and on the web site. Letting the people see and learn the T’s and how to take photographs. But in saying that the photographs should judged accordingly – Is the main subject sharp (this being the T), the placement of the subject and are the colours correct. These are just a few guide lines to follow when judging a photo. A photo should not win because all his/her friends have voted for it. What you could do is set up a panel of 3 to 5 people to select the best 5 photographs for the competition and get the rest of the forum to vote only on the best 5. As far as prizes go it is always a good thing, it motivates people on the site to get the photos otherwise you will see less and less people will participate. I know prizes are hard to come by and may be run each competition over 2 month instead of every month.

I hope these suggestions help and I look forward to the next photo competition.