 Susan M. Smith |
April 2013 - No EP Feedback Thread This is a thread where we can post contest entries that did not receive an EP that you would like to receive constructive ideas on why and what could be improved on the image. Please leave feedback on the image here in this thread as many members do not wish to have those comments directly on the thread of the images. Members may want to upload a "Forum Only" copy of the image. Stay tuned for a possible BP Club for this discussion :) Happy Shooting!
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Ken Beatty |
Tag. No EFPs so far, so I'm not sure if images have been reviewed.
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Patricia Buenting |
Tagging the thread
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Susan M. Smith |
Not sure whether to post any entries yet for feedback. Entries on 4/1 and 4/5 haven't gotten an EP, but it looks like no one has gotten EP's for anything in April yet.
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- Peggy Pfister Contact Peggy Pfister Peggy Pfister's Gallery |
No EPs for me in April ...
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Ken Beatty |
As far as I can tell no EFP have been given in NL since 4/1. So don't remove any images.
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Susan M. Smith |
I got an EP on my 4/1 entry but don't have another entry till 4/5.
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Tiia Vissak |
I got EPs for 1st and 3rd (both for EODs).
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Susan Williams |
I got one on the 1st and none since. Entered every day.
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Kathryn Wesserling |
OK - this is the one I really thought would get an EP. Now that people 2 or 3 people are seeing EPs on the 5th, it's obvious that this will be skipped over. I'd like some honest critiquing on the entire image. Cropping, title, post production, composition, category? Elements of Design: Thanks, Susan - for providing this opportunity.
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Ken Beatty |
Maybe the wrong category? I think it should have been Detail/Macro. Elements of Design suggest to me, man made devices and/or structures that have a design component either apparent or revealed by the image.
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Thanks, Ken - I'm thinking you might be right. That eod category has had its boundaries so blurred that I don't "get" why half the entries in it are in it!
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Btw, before I resubmit in close up/abstract, do you think it should be cropped in a little closer from the right side and bottom?
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Patricia Buenting |
You could try it and see what it does. I tried cropping it on screen and it looked good both ways. I do think I would try a different category. I have never understood some of the categories, sometimes even the entries make no sense.
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Thanks, Pat. In a couple more days (just in case they're erratic again), I'll try a half-way between crop and see how that looks.
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Ken Beatty |
Wow! They are tough. I feel I'm shooting the best shot I've ever done. But I've gotten 0 on EFP... Disheartening!
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Connie J. Bagot |
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Here are a couple of things that came to mind. Having the double vertical frame dead center might have lessened the impact. More saturation and/or contrast might make it pop. One of my Finalists had more brilliant coloring (ID#13151852 ). Btw, out of all the entries that month, BP's choice surprised the heck out of me! This next one is so miniscule that it may not matter... The horizontal lines feel slightly off (left side dip). It's teeny teeny teeny, but felt off-kilter nonetheless. It sounds like a lot, but really isn't. I went into great depth just because who the heck knows what they're looking for these days. Hopefully, others will add to my look at it. Did you enter it as an EOD? (that would have been my choice.)
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Connie J. Bagot |
Thanks you Kathy for your quick and detailed response---I really appreciate it! I always worry that I will put too much saturation and contrast into my images so your thought that there might not be enough in this one is very enlightening! I actually did the symmetry in this image on purpose---but I think you are right that it might have ended up being detrimental to it in the contest. I swear I checked the level on this multiple times but again I think you are right about the slight off-kilter feeling. So thanks a bunch for your help!
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Connie - I must have done the scroll-test on every single horizontal line - and still wasn't sure. But then the whole image just kept feeling off (like 120th of an inch, which seems dumb.)
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BetterPhotoJim.com - Jim Miotke  Contact Jim Miotke Jim Miotke's Gallery |
BetterPhoto friends, Just in case you did not see my other posts, the EP is not gone. The Editor's Picks are still being rewarded for excellent entries. If there is a delay, it just means the judges are working hard on other stuff and will get back to it asap. We take great pride in that: * EVERY round is judged by a human being, a pro photographer. * We do not take the photographer's name into account (when the contestant watermarks the photo, we of course can't control that.) * We look only for photographic excellence, beauty, inspiration, uniqueness... and the qualities of truly amazing photography. I greatly appreciate the love and energy that many of you have expressed in this thread and elsewhere. Your support means so much to me. Sincerely, P.S. P.S. I want to reiterate that the EPs are still being given out. :-) Help me spread the word.
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Robert Jensen |
JIm ... this has happened to me before and is happening again. In wondering why some of my images have not received an EP, I look through every single image in that category, and I don't even see my images posted there! They show up on upload page as being in the right categories, but when I select those categories under current contest, the photos do not show up!!!
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Robert Jensen |
Jim ... one question: If the judges look at every photo, why would an image I post in one week, which didn't get an EP, get an EP later in the month if I repost it in the same category? Are there different judges for each category throughout the month? I can't imagine that the same judge would pass up an image in one week and then give it an EP in another week.
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Susan M. Smith |
Hi Robert, For your contest entries, I look in my Member Center, under My Photos, then under Contest Entries. That's where I double check that my entry "went through." I know that BP has more than one judge in the later rounds, so it's possible that they may in the EP rounds, as well. They might take turns doing EP "duty." That might explain what you are describing?
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Susan M. Smith |
Thanks for your thoughtful response, Jim! Actually, the message Jim left on the March thread is a little more detailed, so I'll copy it in here too: I posting the following on another thread but, because it's important that the truth be expressed, I want to copy it in this thread too. But before I do, let me just give Susan a pat on the back for starting this thread. The original intent was to get and give feedback. I LOVE that! I always wish members did that more on every photo. We don't have time to offer constructive critique on each photo so it's AWESOME when members do so for each other. I highly recommend that you keep this up on these monthly threads and also do so on each photo. If you're concerned about judges reading it, don't be... the judges don't have time to read all the comments. And they prefer to stay out of it so a) they don't get erroneously influenced and, b) they don't see the member's name... so they can continue to judge without any bias. Keep the focus on constructive critique... ******* BetterPhoto friends, The EP is not gone. Please help me correct the misinformation that is being spread on this topic. The Editor's Picks are still being rewarded for excellent entries. EVERY round is judged by a human being, a pro photographer. We take great pride in that: we tell the truth, work very hard, look at EVERY photo, and do not take the photographer's name into account (when the contestant watermarks the photo, we of course can't control that.) We look only for photographic excellence, beauty, inspiration, uniqueness... and the qualities of truly amazing photography. I greatly appreciate the love and energy that many of you have expressed in this thread and elsewhere. Your support means so much to me. The reason why we don't answer often is that we have a lot of work to do. Yes, we promote our products; that is what any company does. We serve our clients with love and in truth, AND we work to get more clients so we can continue to grow. That's business. While we read everything, we don't often respond on these threads because we need to focus on work. And it's hard to want to respond when people are unfairly mean. We have a standard here of being constructive, supportive and helpful. Just like you would with a photographer, give thoughtful, encouraging, helpful feedback and live up to the standard of being constructive. If you would not say it about a fellow member or his/her photo, do not say it about me or BetterPhoto. Now I want to reiterate that: a) The EPs are still being given out. b) I love you all :-) c) I send you my blessings and look forward to seeing you continue to enjoy photography and pushing yourself to be your very best in your art. d) I really appreciate the comments and energy of helpfulness that I continually witness in most members. You know who you are, and I thank you from the deepest depths of my heart. If the forums and in your general conversation about BetterPhoto, please help me express what is true. Don't allow yourself to get sucked into meanness or mini-flaming. Just ignore it if someone lashes out in frustration... that is nothing, especially when compared to the amazing energy of camaraderie, friendly encouragement, and family that shine here at BetterPhoto. Sincerely,
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Sharon Sawyer |
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Sharon Sawyer |
Double Trouble OR
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countryimpressions.net - Tammy M. Anderson Contact Tammy M. Anderson Tammy M. Anderson's Gallery |
Hi Sharon. I like Double Trouble 2. The light on the top bird gives it more clarity. Details are fabulous. Both are amazing captures.
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Sharon - after opening them side by side, I'm still not sure why DT (1) appeals to me a tad more than DT2. The crop is slightly different but not enough to matter (maybe.) I think it's the tone of the blue. In the first one, it's slightly different but feels a little richer and so makes the cream colors of the birds pop a teeny bit more. The lighting is slightly darker in the first one but the contrast of the darker blue makes that unimportant to my eyes. As I said, the differences between the two are so minimal, that it's difficult to select. I'd be proud to call either image my own.
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Connie J. Bagot |
I was going to try to give a "tie-breaker" opinion but I find myself agreeing with both opinions. The blue is better on the first (and the shadows under the wings wich I think are nice when darker) and the light on the birds is better on the second. How about overlaying #2 on #1, doing a hide all layer mask, and then brushing just the highlighted portion of the birds from #2 onto #1?
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Connie J. Bagot |
Which! not wich! My keyboard is getting kind of sticky.
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Sharon Sawyer |
Tammy, the lighter one does seem to have more clarity but the sky Kathy, the crop is exactly the same... the contrast must make it look different. I agree with everything you Connie, I agree it is half dozen of one and 6 of the other. I don't So, what I have done is I used the magic wand to highlight the sky and then darkened it leaving the birds with the lighter color as in Man, it's time consuming being a perfectionist. LOL
1. Double Trouble (Original that has darkest gull & sky) 3. Double Trouble 2 (Original that was the lightest gull & sky)
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ALL MORNING AND HAVE JUST FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO THE LINKS RIGHT AFTER MANY DIFFERENT TRIES. To bed way too late and up way too early and back to bed I will be going after I get this right. Well, at least I've learnt a lot and hopefully my mind will retain it :)
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Sharon Sawyer |
PS: It wouldn't upload photos with the uploader so you have to use the link. Thanks again!!!
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Kathryn Wesserling |
DT3 gets my vote (and I'm really impressed with your "fix", Sharon. Btw, I have had trouble on and off with the uploader for the past few weeks too. It keeps saying that there are too many redirects and I need to grant permissions. Then, it works with no problem on the next attempt. Arggghhh!
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Sharon Sawyer |
Kathy, thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I'm leaning towards DT3 now myself. I appreciate your feedback and kind comment. I can upload a photo on Internet Explorer but can't upload a photo with Firefox which is my preference. That is what must have been my problem I forgot Firefox won't let me upload a photo and forget 3. I was working back and forth between the two servers and a little sleep deprived. Oh yes, IE kicks me out a lot and I have to sign in again. Real tolerant testers... I could grrrrrrrrrrrrr and arggghhh too!!! I see there's new EP just now.. they have a busy 10 days a head of them with EPs, Finalists & Winners. I hope they don't go over into May with the Finalists and Winners. I hate it when that happens... that's just not right. Well have yourself a great day and thanks again. I'm going to have breakfast and then a nap... thank heavens it's raining out anyways. :)
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Connie J. Bagot |
I vote for DT3 also. :)
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Kathryn Wesserling |
I started with IE and ran into problems at DIC, so switched to Firefox (Foxfire?) Then that one became impossible to use and switched to Chrome. Why is it whenever a site "improves" things, it becomes my technical problem to "fix"? So frustrating.
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Sharon Sawyer |
Thanks Connie for taking the time out to help me out. Kathy, I agree... and I don't always know how to fix it. Had my breakfast now I'm going to sit back and enjoy a cup of tea. TT4N
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countryimpressions.net - Tammy M. Anderson Contact Tammy M. Anderson Tammy M. Anderson's Gallery |
Great work, Sharon. Will put my vote in for DT3 too.
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Sharon Sawyer |
Ladies thanks for all your help working on and deciding what to do with Double Trouble. I decided to delete my first entry and go with DT3 tonight. Stupid me deleted it before I copied & pasted the two comments to the new image. It's been a long day.. no nap but lots accomplished. Have a great week... I will try to make it to all your galleries to take a look and drop a line. TTYL Sharon
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Sharon Sawyer |
Is this something new to the new version galleries or has it always been there? I tested Susan's gallery and it doesn't happen with her photos but does on some of Tammy's & mine. When you run your mouse over your small thumbnails of your images it shows the name you have given your photo... not the title. I've never noticed it before and I don't like it. How about you? I know when they first changed things I couldn't name my photos before uploading them so just gave up on it so maybe they fixed it. Do you catch my drift? :)
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- Martha R. Mazon Contact Martha R. Mazon Martha R. Mazon's Gallery |
Hi Sharon, I didn't get a chance to see the earlier entries but DT3 is excellent! Great job. Regarding the file names, it has been that way as long as I can remember. I don't like it either.
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Sharon Sawyer |
Thanks, Martha. The earlier entries were the same two as in DT TEST before adding the DT3 image, so you saw all of them. I agree that DT3 is the one so I uploaded to the contest last night. I'm in spring cleaning mode and got a little carried away... should have waited a little longer before deleting them. Oh well... :) Also glad you agree about the thumbnails. I think it looks tacky. I just checked Kathy W and Connie B's galleries and theirs are the same as ours but Tammy A's has the correct title name. Maybe she could help us fix ours. Tammy would you please let us know how you upload your photos and how you get the correct title on your small thumbnails? We don't know how to fix it. It would be greatly appreciated.
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countryimpressions.net - Tammy M. Anderson Contact Tammy M. Anderson Tammy M. Anderson's Gallery |
Hi Ladies. I see what you mean. Don't know if this will make a difference but I always go to My Photos, then under the Enter Our Monthly Contest I click on the Image Upload tab. That takes me to the page then. Let me know if that is different then how yous do it.
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Ken Beatty |
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lesliemorrisphotography.com - Leslie J. Morris Contact Leslie J. Morris Leslie J. Morris's Gallery |
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Ken Beatty |
Beautiful image Leslie. I have no idea why it was skipped. Maybe composition... Try to use the thirds more...?
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Sharon Sawyer |
This gosling is adorable and well captured. No idea why it didn't get an EF. Resubmit, it will get one and more next time! Got to get myself out there and find myself some babies to photograph. It's such a wonderful time of year for that. Love it!
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Ken and Leslie. Your birds may have been skipped for the same reason that I'm thinking that mine was - not a tight enough crop. I'm pulling mine and trying again - it's too darned good a shot not to be a Finalist or better (let alone having an EP.
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Ken Beatty |
Unfortunately I was shooting on a 200mm on an APS-C sensor and I've already cropped the heck out of it. No resolution left.
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lesliemorrisphotography.com - Leslie J. Morris Contact Leslie J. Morris Leslie J. Morris's Gallery |
Mine is full-frame, so I could crop but I don't think that's the problem.
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Nuts! Too bad about the options.
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Connie J. Bagot |
I've looked at these images several times and don't have any magic answers---I have a couple of images skipped this time that make me scratch my head too. I did have a couple of thoughts that I could share. Ken, the upper part of the background and the upper part of the bird are both dark. I think it is a lovely image with great composition but it might have done better in the contest if the background had been a contrasting color so that the bird popped out a bit more. I say that too, remembering some of the bird images that have won in previous months. Melissa, when I studied your image I realized that some of the bird is in focus and that mostly just his head and neck are blurred with movement---and I understand that the movement is what the image is about and I love the spraying droplets. But my eye just insists on going back to the bird's eye and it leaves me feeling like the whole image is out of focus even though it's not. Of course that could just be me and have nothing to do with what any judge thought. Leslie your little gosling is adorable and perfect. I'll share something that I just read the other day. When someone looks at a photo their eye is drawn first to the lightest thing in the photo---and that thing often compels the viewer to return again and again. So even though I really like the soft white flowers framing the gosling I think it's possible that they are so intensely white that they are drawing the viewer's attention away from your subject. I always hesitate to suggest things for fear that I will be totally wrong and hurt more than I help---but I know how good it feels to have a second person at least offer an opinion on a photo so I thought I'd try.
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Ken Beatty |
Thanks for the input Connie!
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Connie - never be afraid to make suggestions, especially after it's already been skipped over (not before, unless asked.) Chances are that the judges may think something is wrong that we can't see ourselves. It's just another opinion, like the judges' (they could be wrong too.) Also, thanks for sharing that part about light spots catching one's eye - it's true I think. The other thing that always bothers me is when the crop leaves an open area off the edge or something sticks out into the picture for no reason. It always helps me to hear other comments - it's amazing how each of us can miss the teeniest flaw (that eventually becomes huge!)
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Sharon Sawyer |
Tammy, thank you for your feedback on the image uploading. I've tried all the ways there are in Firefox and Internet Explorer and can't upload at all on some and get the same results on the others. I will have to email tech support. I've been saving up a bunch of glitches and problems I have noticed on the site to share with them when they don't seem so busy. Kathy, do you mean Brrrrrr? If so, what I see is... the bill of the little bird disappears into the black of the rest of it's feathers. Connie, thank you for you info on each image you commented on as I learnt a lot from what you said.
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Susan M. Smith |
To all who've given great feedback - thank you! I also learn so much. It's like seeing through different eyes and very enlightening. I have one or two I'll be posting once this weekend is over.It's very busy at the studio where I work due to Mothers day!
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Yes to Brrrrrrrr. I've been working on it, and will resubmit - not sure how soon. I've been getting this message a little too often lately (sometimes during an upload and sometimes on other urls.) Frustrating! "This webpage has a redirect loop Error 310 (net::ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS): There were too many redirects."
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Yes to Brrrrrrrr. I've been working on it, and will resubmit - not sure how soon. I've been getting this message a little too often lately (sometimes during an upload and sometimes on other urls.) Frustrating! "This webpage has a redirect loop Error 310 (net::ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS): There were too many redirects."
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Sharon Sawyer |
Just did another test... I can upload from "Upload New Photo" on Firefox & Internet Explorer but I give it a title in IE and it still shows the file name in the small thumbnail in my gallery. When I use "Image Uploader" I get the message below. So I can't find out if in IE or FF if the title I give it would show up instead of the file name. Grrrrrrrrrr!
The page you requested has an error. We have recorded the error and will attempt to fix it as soon as possible. If you were writing an input - a question, comment, or discussion - use your browser's Back button to retrieve what you wrote. The images are the right size so that's not the problem.
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Sharon Sawyer |
Kathy, do you know how to clear your cookies?
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Yes, I clear them automatically and then I go through the entire list and take out any that are still in the list of visited sites. Sharon, I've gotten that message for a long time (error 310 is fairly new - with no changes on my end of things!) The Page Error that you've cited seems to happen after I upload several images and then try to edit them. I've learned to just add the title and/or description on maybe 3, and then go to the bottom and hit Submit. At that point, I can return to the latest uploads and edit the rest of them. If the description is the same for most of them, I keep a document open and do a copy and paste just in case BP dumps my efforts with the Page error. That way I don't have to retype it all.
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Sharon Sawyer |
Never seen your problem Kathy. Regarding my problem check your small thumbnails in your gallery and you will see it has the long file name you gave it before uploading and not the title. Even if you give it the title name before uploading it still shows up the file name. Tammy Anderson has the title name and I suppose others must have to. Many have the file name like ours. ?????? Can't figure it out.
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Actually, I've been leaving my file number/name until I'm ready to enter it (date is in the description) and then I give it a regular title. I change it to a regular title name the day I enter the image.
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Kathryn Wesserling |
Actually, I've been leaving my file number/name until I'm ready to enter it (date is in the description) and then I give it a regular title. I change it to a regular title name the day I enter the image.
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Sharon Sawyer |
Run your mouse over your small thumbnails and see what it says. It should have the title not the file name. There must be a way BP can have it so only the title shows and not the tacky file name. Mine are quite long and ugly. File number and title are two different things. When you change it on the day to enter it in the contest it should change to the title name and not stay with the file name on the small thumbnail. I hope I'm explaining it clearly, sorry if I'm not. Well, that's enough computer for me for the day. Have a good night everyone and have a blessed Sunday!!!
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Susan M. Smith |
Hi everyone! I've started a critique thread for May images not receiving an EP. Feel free to also post any April images with no EPs that you want to improve/resubmit! (apologies, I don't know how to embed links here!) http://www.betterphoto.com/forms/QnAdetail.php?threadID=35967
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lesliemorrisphotography.com - Leslie J. Morris Contact Leslie J. Morris Leslie J. Morris's Gallery |
OK guys here is another anomaly in the judging system. If you look up in this thread I put in my little gosling as being passed over in April. It WAS passed over as it is my first entry for May's contest as a re-submit. It did get a May EFP - but low and behold it also got a finalist for April. It DID NOT get its EFP until May. Go figure.
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- Martha R. Mazon Contact Martha R. Mazon Martha R. Mazon's Gallery |
Leslie - the judges were still awarding April EFPs long into May, during the time when the EFP page was empty. Probably yours was among those.
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