Mar 2025 POTM voting thread

[evilexotica]

Noise is a type of digital artifact created that is not really in the actual subject being photographed usually in dark areas. Probably not the best explanation but I didn't want to copy and paste.
I'll use #7 as an example with no disrespect meant toward the photographer. The background is just busy with all the highlights competing with the actually subject. The wide light green band directly behind the coral and the larger bright area in the lower left are especially distracting. These are things that could have been cleaned up in post processing. I have little background in photography so I tend to look at the technical aspects more than someone else might. But this is a Reefing community and #7 is a very nice looking piece.


I'm not saying any of these are bad shots and not deserving. I just think some are technically better than others explained above. Its the nicest coolest coral that is going to win not the best image. JMO Its normally how it goes but this is a reefing community not a photography board so.....

Don't forget about the solicitation for votes also, the popular votes... "Hey, I entered POTM, please vote for me"

 

[tbrown]

Nobody voted for mine yet

 

[evilexotica]

Nobody voted for mine yet

Did you enter one?

 

[maroun.c]

Will kindly ask all to refrain from.derailing the thread.
Also criticising a picture while voting is ongoing is not fair so please refrain from that. You are welcome.and encouraged to discuss and criticise any picture after the voting ends.

 

[maroun.c]

Don't forget about the solicitation for votes also, the popular votes... "Hey, I entered POTM, please vote for me"

Please do report any of those, as this is not fair play. Will add it to the rules of POTM than any solicitation for votes will cause submission to be disqualified.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

my sincere apologies. i didnt mean to de rail the thread in any way!

 

[tbrown]

Did you enter one?

No. :face-with-tears-of-joy: My macro abilities are highly lacking. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

 

[evilexotica]

No. :face-with-tears-of-joy: My macro abilities are highly lacking. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

From the votes... so are mine :thinking-face: :rolling-on-the-floor-laughing: :rolling-on-the-floor-laughing: :rolling-on-the-floor-laughing:

 

[evilexotica]

Please do report any of those, as this is not fair play. Will add it to the rules of POTM than any solicitation for votes will cause submission to be disqualified.

:rolling-on-the-floor-laughing:

 

[KrisReef]

my sincere apologies. i didnt mean to de rail the thread in any way!

They were not after you. I put a huge rock on the rail and almost caused a train wreck.

For the record, all of these images have merit and some are pretty amazing.

 

[Mschmidt]

No noise is a photographic artefact from :
Shooting at high iso with a camera that doesn't have good high iso noise performance.
Pushing exposure in post processing a dark picture over certain limits.
Lower quality lense or camera ...

Thanks!

I describe it in the photography articles stickied here with some good examples

I just haven't gotten to the part on noise yet.

I just want to take good pictures without taking up another hobby...

 

[Vested]

I'm not saying any of these are bad shots and not deserving. I just think some are technically better than others explained above. Its the nicest coolest coral that is going to win not the best image. JMO Its normally how it goes but this is a reefing community not a photography board so.....

You are inferring that though, I can take a low quality picture of the "nicest coolest coral" like your saying and its very likely not going to win vs a high quality picture of a more average coral. I think this comment is rude and just makes you seem bitter to be completely honest. Reading through a lot of these comments and can't figure out how much is joking or not lol.

And even if there is bias towards what coral is in the picture (there is) what is wrong with that? That's the entire thing that makes this specific forum and thread unique in my opinion... I'm not on a general photography forum I'm here for reefing.

Its cool how much this hobby intersects with photography especially how niche it is, we are able to see the animals we take care for in a completely different way. I'm glad that reef2reef is supporting it

 

[exnisstech]

You are inferring that though, I can take a low quality picture of the "nicest coolest coral" like your saying and its very likely not going to win vs a high quality picture of a more average coral. I think this comment is rude and just makes you seem bitter to be completely honest. Reading through a lot of these comments and can't figure out how much is joking or not lol.

And even if there is bias towards what coral is in the picture (there is) what is wrong with that? That's the entire thing that makes this specific forum and thread unique in my opinion... I'm not on a general photography forum I'm here for reefing.

Its cool how much this hobby intersects with photography especially how niche it is, we are able to see the animals we take care for in a completely different way. I'm glad that reef2reef is supporting it

Actually I was not inferring that. The mods do a great job selecting the finalists and members then tend vote for the coolest coral whether its the best photo or not. I've been watching and participating for quite a while and that's how I see it. Its a photography contest not a coolest/nicest coral contest. You see it your way and I see it mine. At the end if the day its all for fun and my opinion means nothing. I participate because I enjoy photography but im not even eligible for the prize.

 

[OrionN]

I do think that the subject must be interesting in addition to good technique. No mater how great the technique is, it it is a picture of a boring thing, it will not win, which is how it should be IMO