HMS' Photo Contest... anyone following?

I dunno if anyone started a thread about this yet, but this photo contest seems kinda crazy so far... I don't get how "amazing ukulele" has 430 votes so far, and is above "Date by the Lake," which seems better in my opinion.
Guy must have a lot of friends haha... general thoughts?
http://www.theukulelesite.com/photo-contest-2015

You got it mate. With these kinds of contests, Lennon and McCartney knew what they was talkin bout.

Hippie Dribble said:

You got it mate. With these kinds of contests, Lennon and McCartney knew what they was talkin bout.

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Hippie Dribble gives the sad reality. But the top spots have been regularly disqualified in our contests. We have yet to analyze the votes and their sources on this one. If it were me I would just go for one of the top 10 $100 GC choices because the votes is just a ridiculous campaign. I feel a little gross every time we do it. And even with the chosen 10, let me apologize in advance. I already downloaded 30 I really like. But uploading is till the 27th. I think...It's great to see cool photos. That I love!

For sure Andrew, there are some really beautiful ones this year. As there are every year. I have no probs with the way these things work at all. It's life. I think it's a great promo for the business and the worldwide uke community. Everyone wins really. Eye candy is eye candy and there's nothing more us uke nuts love than looking at awesome uke pictures! Cheers mate.

Please help Max and me win our first photo contest. Vote here Max and his first Uke!

I've entered the contest the last three years and it is fun to see all of the other entries but I know I have absolutely no chance of winning. My 5 Facebook friends and my 9 coworkers do their best but it never seems to be enough. LOL

I also entered this year, more for the fun of it as well.

I mostly wanted my little uke picture up there in the gallery. It came from HMS, so now it is going to be archived there.

I have about the same amount of FB friends and even less coworkers so I knew I had no chance. Still, I appreciate the contest.

I entered a couple years back and garnered a lot of votes. It was far more about leveraging your social network than just having a great picture. Honestly, it's a real chore constant reminding and chasing your twitter and fb followers to keep a near-top vote and they are only voting for you because you ask them, not because they actually think your photo is the best. So yea... a bit of false affirmation there. How you feel about that is up to you.

I know the HMS crew is on top of fake votes and stuff as well. You can trust them to run an honest contest.

Like Andrew said, focus on putting up a great picture and try to hit that Top 10 list, it's far more reflective of your photos merit.

I see some photos that I think are really well done, so it is a bit of a shame to see some rather ordinary photos get more votes, as the grand prize winner is no longer about having a real nice photo, but just who can get the most people to vote for their photo.

And then with the voting starting before the photo entries are closed, then those that join late are at a huge disadvantage. Probably to do it more fairly, the voting should not start until the entries are frozen, so all entries begin from an equal starting point But, even then, that does not matter so much, as it is still becomes how many people you can rally to put in a vote.

Agree that at least the 10 chosen by judging are more about having creative and quality photos. So, what would be a better solution for the grand prize winner? I dont know, but thinking out loud...... maybe voting picks the top 30 or X # or top X% of photo finalists, with maybe an additional wildcard pick or two into the finals on option of judges. Then from the finalists, the winner is decided by judging, so even if someone gets their photo in by leveraging their social network, beyond that is a voting from a panel of judges chosen by HMS. Or just do it all by voting from judges, although maybe that negates some traffic to the site and awareness about HMS.

Maybe I will still try to enter a photo, just to have a fun time with friends to take some shots. Still think it is a nice idea and fun event that HMS puts on. So, thanks to HMS.

l3uffer said:

I dunno if anyone started a thread about this yet, but this photo contest seems kinda crazy so far... I don't get how "amazing ukulele" has 430 votes so far, and is above "Date by the Lake," which seems better in my opinion.
Guy must have a lot of friends haha... general thoughts?
http://www.theukulelesite.com/photo-contest-2015

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likely people networking votes, "people who need people (for votes) are the whateverest people in the world".

I voted for HAPPY.

The photo contest is always a lot of fun, but unfortunately there are so many "buy votes" and "trade for votes" sites on the internet now, that it has taken away the meaning of the top winners, as many of the "top votes" have unfortunately learned how to "work the system" or at the very least, take advantage of the system. This new reality continues to remove the meaning of most online contests, and so, kind of, take the fun out of the contests. Today, the contests are rarely even about who has the most "friends", as it has gone beyond that with all the vote trading online sites.......however, that being said, I do enjoy looking at the photos and am happy that Andrew does the top ten, which helps to actually award some of the better photos.

What a shame but I can understand the lust for a great uke. Especially if you don't have a lot of cash. But considering what I've read here I think it would be worthwhile to brainstorm on other ways of judging these pics. I think buying or selling votes just kills it for me. I would have no interest in being a part of that nonsense.

UkeInTW said:

I see some photos that I think are really well done, so it is a bit of a shame to see some rather ordinary photos get more votes, as the grand prize winner is no longer about having a real nice photo, but just who can get the most people to vote for their photo.

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Its much like the sites that vote tattoo pictures everything becomes mediocre when the best and worst tattoos are voted middle of the road.

I have no facebook or whatever account. Isn't the simple answer for Andrew to judge the winner, judge's decision is final.
That way winner is selected on photo quality, not how many people can be pestered/bought to vote.
H

Come on guys post better pictures for the contest....you've got to be kidding me
this is not a popularity contest....

It appears it is a popularity contest.

I agree that there are not a lot of exceptional pics to choose from. (yet)

Hms said:

I have no facebook or whatever account. Isn't the simple answer for Andrew to judge the winner, judge's decision is final.
That way winner is selected on photo quality, not how many people can be pestered/bought to vote.
H

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Well that or the HMS crew. That would make sense to me.

LOL, hard to beat the folks with a lot of friends. But so be the nature of the contest. Still got to thank the good folks at HMS for being so generous with the prizes.

Yes HMS is generous. But it ceases to be about the quality of the photo if the winners stuff the ballot box with friends. Ah the nature of humanity. It never changes. We can't help but be this way. :cheers:

Icelander53 said:

Yes HMS is generous. But it ceases to be about the quality of the photo if the winners stuff the ballot box with friends. Ah the nature of humanity. It never changes. We can't help but be this way. :cheers:

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And... with knowing my popularity runs the negative as I keep very few friends, why bother taking what might be the best ukulele picture ever.

Funny in a world where we take more pictures a day than ever why do most of them suck? http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life...most-so-forgettable/article12754086/?page=all

Of course everyone is a photographer or whatever it is they learn how to do watching YouTube today. No longer does someone want to take pictures and need to save up for a Canon AE-1 or other "professional camera" when their phone can take video now.

I'm gonna go practice the rest of Danse Macabre. What the heck am I doing reading this.