Nov 2023 POTM voting Poll

[maroun.c]

The subject for Nov 2023 POTM contest was Frag
It is now Time to choose the winner!

The poll allows multiple choices so choose the ones you like from the numbered entries below. The voting thread will closed on 15Th Jan 2024 at 11:59 pm EST.

As always, we thank Avast Marine for sponsoring our POTM contest. Visit their website HERE and be sure to take a look at the great products they have to offer.

Winner will be determined by this R2R Member voting by poll. In order to be eligible to have votes counted in the poll, voting members must have at least 25 meaningful posts and have been a member of R2R for at least 1 month by the time the poll ends (votes that do not meet this criteria may show in the poll but will be disregarded in the final count). In case of a tie, Team R2R will assist in picking a winner. Rules, deadlines and terms are subject to change at staff discretion at anytime.

PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU HAVE TO ENTER YOUR VOTES IN THE POLL, NOT VIA COMMENT IN THIS THREAD. IT'S GREAT TO COMMENT, BUT PLEASE USE THE POLL TO VOTE. YOU'LL NEED TO BE ON THE WEB VERSION OF THE SITE IN ORDER TO SEE THE POLL.
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So let's vote for the winner of XXXXX
#MODS #RS #POTM #POTMWinners

 

[Fish Styx]

Bump... vote early, vote often!

 

[Fish Styx]

Bumpity bump bump...

 

[ESABOE]

Voted!
Bump!

 

[AKL1950]

Really liking the color of #6. Thats a beauty

 

[ESABOE]

Really liking the color of #6. Thats a beauty

Agreed! #6 is hot!

 

[exnisstech]

Really liking the color of #6. Thats a beauty

Agreed! #6 is hot!

No offence to you two that I quoted. Your quotes just sparked some thought to fire that have I have been keeping suppressed.
This is exactly what I told my Gal would happen (because it normally does here) As soon as I saw the shot (#6) early in the thread I predicted that shot would win.
Why? Because it is the most beautiful coral in the thread. Problem is these contest are supposed to be about photographing things in our tank. The contest is supposed to be about photography not who has the coolest coral.
No offence meant to the member who posted #6 but IMO it is a beautiful coral but it's not a great photo. There are too many distractions in the image. All the light green accross the top and the branch in the upper right draw attention away from the subject. The light pink colored piece to the left is also a distraction. If the subject were an average looking coral instead of the beautiful piece it is I suspect most people would not even look twice at it much less comment on how great a photograph it is. Which I don't think anyone has even done, all I've seen is comments on is the coral not the photograph.

Disclaimer : I'm not a sore looser. I never expected to win because I know the mentality is about the coral not the photograph. Well that and my entry is mediocre at best. I still struggle shooting through glass. I entered to try and at least get the entry count up enough to make it a contest.
I do have some experience in photography and a good photographer (which I am not) can take average subject matter and with proper composition along with the editing software make it a stunning photo (which is allowed).
I guess should expect no less since this isn't a photography board but maybe my thoughts make sense to some maybe not.

@Dannyboy402 #10 gets my vote as the best photograph though maybe you could have pulled a little detail out of the blacks on the lower front of the subject?

 

[Fish Styx]

^ This! I even sent a PM to @Dannyboy402 echoing the exact sentiment.

 

[billyocean]

No offence to you two that I quoted. Your quotes just sparked some thought to fire that have I have been keeping suppressed.
This is exactly what I told my Gal would happen (because it normally does here) As soon as I saw the shot (#6) early in the thread I predicted that shot would win.
Why? Because it is the most beautiful coral in the thread. Problem is these contest are supposed to be about photographing things in our tank. The contest is supposed to be about photography not who has the coolest coral.
No offence meant to the member who posted #6 but IMO it is a beautiful coral but it's not a great photo. There are too many distractions in the image. All the light green accross the top and the branch in the upper right draw attention away from the subject. The light pink colored piece to the left is also a distraction. If the subject were an average looking coral instead of the beautiful piece it is I suspect most people would not even look twice at it much less comment on how great a photograph it is. Which I don't think anyone has even done, all I've seen is comments on is the coral not the photograph.

Disclaimer : I'm not a sore looser. I never expected to win because I know the mentality is about the coral not the photograph. Well that and my entry is mediocre at best. I still struggle shooting through glass. I entered to try and at least get the entry count up enough to make it a contest.
I do have some experience in photography and a good photographer (which I am not) can take average subject matter and with proper composition along with the editing software make it a stunning photo (which is allowed).
I guess should expect no less since this isn't a photography board but maybe my thoughts make sense to some maybe not.

@Dannyboy402 #10 gets my vote as the best photograph though maybe you could have pulled a little detail out of the blacks on the lower front of the subject?

No offense taken...I like #10 as well. In my pictures case it was just posted how it was taken with galaxy s21 pro mode and orange filter. The only edit was a little crop. For me...I prefer the look of how it is in pictures without the 'nothing but black' background but it does make the coral pop for sure. My favorite about it is the definition of the polyps. If everyone agreed on everything...the world would be pretty boring. I thought #12 was excellent too.

 

[Fish Styx]

No offense taken...I like #10 as well. In my pictures case it was just posted how it was taken with galaxy s21 pro mode and orange filter. The only edit was a little crop. For me...I prefer the look of how it is in pictures without the 'nothing but black' background but it does make the coral pop for sure. My favorite about it is the definition of the polyps. If everyone agreed on everything...the world would be pretty boring. I thought #12 was excellent too.

Yours is absolutely gorgeous, too. No offence on my part either. Angry Birds, yes?

 

[ESABOE]

No offence to you two that I quoted. Your quotes just sparked some thought to fire that have I have been keeping suppressed.
This is exactly what I told my Gal would happen (because it normally does here) As soon as I saw the shot (#6) early in the thread I predicted that shot would win.
Why? Because it is the most beautiful coral in the thread. Problem is these contest are supposed to be about photographing things in our tank. The contest is supposed to be about photography not who has the coolest coral.
No offence meant to the member who posted #6 but IMO it is a beautiful coral but it's not a great photo. There are too many distractions in the image. All the light green accross the top and the branch in the upper right draw attention away from the subject. The light pink colored piece to the left is also a distraction. If the subject were an average looking coral instead of the beautiful piece it is I suspect most people would not even look twice at it much less comment on how great a photograph it is. Which I don't think anyone has even done, all I've seen is comments on is the coral not the photograph.

Disclaimer : I'm not a sore looser. I never expected to win because I know the mentality is about the coral not the photograph. Well that and my entry is mediocre at best. I still struggle shooting through glass. I entered to try and at least get the entry count up enough to make it a contest.
I do have some experience in photography and a good photographer (which I am not) can take average subject matter and with proper composition along with the editing software make it a stunning photo (which is allowed).
I guess should expect no less since this isn't a photography board but maybe my thoughts make sense to some maybe not.

@Dannyboy402 #10 gets my vote as the best photograph though maybe you could have pulled a little detail out of the blacks on the lower front of the subject?

no offense taken; however you made some assumptions. I did think #6 was hot, but my votes went to #8 and #10 and really wanted to include #9 as my votes went to photography, not the coral itself.

 

[billyocean]

Yours is absolutely gorgeous, too. No offence on my part either. Angry Birds, yes?

None taken..for real...I'm no photographer. It is a no name I got from SBB Corals

 

[Fish Styx]

None taken..for real...I'm no photographer. It is a no name I got from SBB Corals

Hrmmm... those yellow corallites are pretty unmistakable. Either way, you've got yourself one heck of a stick there. Enjoy!

 

[exnisstech]

no offense taken; however you made some assumptions. I did think #6 was hot, but my votes went to #8 and #10 and really wanted to include #9 as my votes went to photography, not the coral itself.

I don't think I made any assumptions. Just commenting on a photo and it receiving more votes because of the content vs the photographic creativity which is what I think the contest is meant to be about. But we all know what they say about oppinions

 

[ESABOE]

I don't think I made any assumptions. Just commenting on a photo and it receiving more votes because of the content vs the photographic creativity which is what I think the contest is meant to be about. But we all know what they say about oppinions

You did more than comment on a photo receiving votes; you specifically called out my and another’s post about thinking the coral itself was great and assuming I voted for it, which I did not.

This is why I don’t do social media; R2R was the first place I felt safe enough to express some actual benign thoughts about fish tanks. Like who cares why people voted the way they did?!? It’s a hobby! Something to get us all outside of our heads and have some peace.

I think I’ll stick to being a viewer of content here to continue to learn and have success with my tank.

 

[maroun.c]

Great discussion indeed, a while back we had a thread after the voting was done to constructively criticise the 5 first shots after each vote . We stopped it due to lack of participation, might be good to have it back.
I'll refrain from criticising any of the pictures till voting is done and a winner is chosen, yet I'll share my thoughts about better photo vs better subject. That is always a hot debate in photography forum to the point that criticising the subject of the model in people photography is mostly not accepted and can be thought of as bad manners.
Yes its a reefing forum and yes it's a photography subforum, yes there are distracting elements in that picture and yes the photographer cleverly or maybe by chance got them blurred to reduce the distraction, he could have photoshopped them as well which would have been preferred by some and frowned upon by others. This is photography its one of the most subjective hobbies and we can argue for hours without reaching an agreement. Guess to each his own and the vote will shown what the majority thinks every time.
Finally appreciate that the comments and the discussion went in a constrictive and civil way which is always appreciated bit will ask you all to hold the discussion till after the vote is done.
Good luck to all and indeed a diversified set of finalist pics and a tough choice for sure. I normally try to chose a single preferred shot and chose it as a single vote but must admit its not an easy thing and I ended up voting for 4 pics .

 

[exnisstech]

and assuming I voted for it, which I did not.

You are totally wrong. I never assumed anyone would vote for their own entry. I'm not sure what I said that made you think that but what ever it was I apologize.

EDIT: Apologies @maroun.c I responded before I saw your request to hold the discussion.

 

[Dannyboy402]

@Dannyboy402 #10 gets my vote as the best photograph though maybe you could have pulled a little detail out of the blacks on the lower front of the subject?

I agree haha my style of photography is usually pretty dark. Maybe that's just a reflection of my personality . My favorite out of this bunch is #16. The clarity at the center of the picture is great. The slight chromatic aberration at the edges of the picture could be better! If corrected i'd give it a perfect score!

 

[danimal1211]

I voted 10 as well. Close second to 16, but I think the entire frag could have been more in focus with only the background blurred. I’m by no means an expert or even intermediate photographer so don’t take my word for it.

 

[maroun.c]

I agree haha my style of photography is usually pretty dark. Maybe that's just a reflection of my personality . My favorite out of this bunch is #16. The clarity at the center of the picture is great. The slight chromatic aberration at the edges of the picture could be better! If corrected i'd give it a perfect score!

Low key photography is afterall a recognised style and a challenging one.