Re: [AGA-sc] [121] contest entry autopsy 2006

[Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>]

You're right, though; it IS meant as a learning opportunity.  Fix it next 
year.  A lot of people don't understand when I post these lengthy 
"autopsy" reports, it's so that I or others can go back and check later 
(like next year).  It thoroughly pisses off our local club when I say 
anything negative about the annual auction the morning after, unless it's 
clearly self-deprecating.

My mantra I've been repeating the last two days is "less than two months, 
and I never have to deal with this again."

   - Erik

On Sun, 24 Sep 2006, Cheryl Rogers wrote:

> annoyance factor = learning opportunity.
>
> Jeez, that sounds snotty. :-)
>
> Cheryl
>
>
>
> Karen Randall wrote:
>> That's great, Erik.  And you're right, every year we end up with some
>> different "annoyance factor", whether it's with the contest, the convention
>> or both!<g>
>>
>> I'm looking forward to getting the judging under way.  Do we have all the
>> judges yet?
>>
>> Karen
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Erik Olson" <erik@thekrib.com>
>> To: <aga-contest@thekrib.com>
>> Cc: <aga-sc@thekrib.com>
>> Sent: Saturday, September 23, 2006 3:36 AM
>> Subject: [AGA-sc] [121] contest entry autopsy 2006
>>
>>
>>> So it's after midnight here, and it's 121 entries possible.
>>> The final number will probably go down as there are 2-3 questionable
>>> entries, but not too shabby considering the total lack of PR.  I guess
>>> cash IS a major motivator. :(
>>>
>>> Almost nobody using postal mail this year.  Two personal checks, one bank
>>> draft, and $20 in cash.  I think I scanned in only one entry, and one
>>> other person sent a CD-ROM.  So that's great.  I prefer not having the
>>> giant stack of papers of previous contests.
>>>
>>> Several entries still without photo releases.  One thing I did different
>>> this year is I sent no reminders until after the contest closed, i.e.,
>>> just now.  I had no time to track this stuff.  So it will be interesting
>>> to see how well the stragglers are motivated by the spectre of humiliation
>>> by the "censor judge" picture [or more appropriately, her 2006
>>> equivalent].  It worked pretty nicely last year on a few guys who ignored
>>> the e-mails; about half signed the release once the site went live.  I am
>>> wondering if it will help reduce the problem to begin with now.
>>>
>>> Likewise, there still continue to be folks who don't follow the directions
>>> on the photo release, sending a Word document with everything printed
>>> (complete with the original instructions "Do not send a WORD Document"
>>> included in the document!), or just a signature, or even just the photos
>>> themselves.  Still others are completionists and send a separate release
>>> for each photo.  And there's some folks that sent e-mails AND faxes.  I've
>>> gotten used to sending quick firm replies to the ones lacking, and
>>> eventually everyone's getting it.  I think NEXT year (if I continue to do
>>> the technical work on this contest; or if not, for whoever takes this job
>>> on) it might make sense to modify the program to let them upload the photo
>>> release directly to the entry as another picture that doesn't show up in
>>> the contest.  Maybe.  It's working about as well as to be expected.
>>>
>>> There are the usual one-off oddities in the entries themselves.  Most
>>> interesting is that someone has done a topiary swan with bogwood and moss,
>>> and in one of their photos has actually photoshopped in a real swan to
>>> show you what they're thinking, just in case you don't get it.  Another
>>> entry has a picture of the aquarist's wife/daughter/sister changing the
>>> tank (I removed the name).  A couple of folks have their name burned in &
>>> we'll have to get them to remove them or photoshop them out.  One person
>>> didn't upload their photos to the site, but instead to a free
>>> "photobucket-type" site, and inlined the images in the comments... No big
>>> deal.  A challenge to the tech geek.  As I say, just one-offs.
>>>
>>> But every year there seems to be a recurring "grr" that seems to happen
>>> systematically across many entries.  Last year it was all these folks
>>> mailing 10 photos, or a photo collage of 25 tiny images posing as one.
>>> This year it definitely is UNNECESSARY FRAMES!  I can understand the raw
>>> photos from the camera being uploaded uncropped, but lots of people are
>>> uploading photos with large black bars around the photos, or a large black
>>> bar and a small white bar.  I will be hand-cropping each of these, as they
>>> just make the final image harder to see.
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Erik Olson
>>> erik at thekrib dot com
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> AGA-sc mailing list
>>> AGA-sc@thekrib.com
>>> http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/aga-sc
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> AGA-sc mailing list
>> AGA-sc@thekrib.com
>> http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/aga-sc
>>
>>
> _______________________________________________
> AGA-sc mailing list
> AGA-sc@thekrib.com
> http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/aga-sc
>

-- 
Erik Olson
erik at thekrib dot com
_______________________________________________
AGA-sc mailing list
AGA-sc@thekrib.com
http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/aga-sc