Apug Conference Competition

[Richard Boutwell]

Is the competition no longer taking place? It seems odd that everything involved with the competition disappeared with out some post about why it disappeared.

 

[gr82bart]

Hey! Good eye! What happened to the 5k print competition?

Art.

 

[colivet]

The info seems to be big and bold on the apug home page.

 

[Richard Boutwell]

There is plenty of information about the conference itself, but there was going to be something called the "5k print Competition". The info about it is no longer around. There was even a thread about "calls for work" there were comments that Alex Hawley was going to take all the prize money----all that is gone!

 

[c6h6o3]

I sure hope that I haven't turned into a cockroach when I wake up tomorrow.

 

[gr82bart]

The info seems to be big and bold on the apug home page.

You're confusing the conference with the competition.

Art.

 

[c6h6o3]

I sure hope that I haven't turned into a cockroach when I wake up tomorrow.

Whew! I'm still in human form, but APUG seems to have gone through some sort of Metamorphosis.

 

[photomc]

You're confusing the conference with the competition.

Art.

Actually, if you guys would look over on the conference website, you can find that there is still information on the competition.....just got moved it looks like

 

[c6h6o3]

Actually, if you guys would look over on the conference website, you can find that there is still information on the competition.....just got moved it looks like

Actually, if you are referring to (there was a url link here which no longer exists), no we can't. There's not a single word about the competition. If you're referring to another url, please post it here.

 

[photomc]

Look (there was a url link here which no longer exists), but will agree something is goind on. When I linked to main page for the conference this morning it was there....now it is not.

Perhaps someone in the know will come forward or they may just be working on the site and things are getting moved around.

 

[c6h6o3]

Thank you

 

[jd callow]

Sorry guys, but I was about to make the announcemnt (and will still shortly) that we are dumping the 5k Competition for an APUG Show/Swap/Sell (and possibly an auction). Interest in the competition was not high enough amongst apuggers for us to keep an APUG only endeavor. This would have required us to seek out outside entries. This in itself would not be bad, but would have required more resources (time and money) then we are willing to commit -- we couldn't rely simply on the forum for information and answers and we would have had to pay for fliers, posters, display ads and banners on web sites.

Meanwhile, we also received many requests for a non competition sale, swap, and show or something similar to the print exchange. We also got some complaints about the competition being, well a competition.

As soon we have worked out the details for the show/swap/sell and maybe auction we/I will post something. I'm thinking the name may be the first thing on the agenda

 

[jovo]

Meanwhile, we also received many requests for a non competition sale, swap, and show or something similar to the print exchange. We also got some complaints about the competition being, well a competition.

Good for you! These sound like much better and more inclusive ideas.

I have several books of photographs by groups of well known photographers. To have to choose a heirarchy of "best" to "least" among them would be impossible for me and rather ridiculous as well. Yes...people do form opinions of what's better and what's worse, (and there are obvious standards of competence that most would agree on) but with 'fine art' photographs, it's like trying to rank styles of music. This is a much better way to go IMHO.

 

[Richard Boutwell]

How did you come to the conclusion that not enough people were interested. I was planning on entering, but I did not publicly say so (and why should I have to?). Because people didn't email you right away telling you it was a smashing good idea doesn't mean there was not interest.

I personally think the competion was the way to go. The logistics of an open show could be a nightmare. Especially if it is going to be free.

What could take place, even with the competition, is a "print sharing" similar to what was done at the 2004 View Camera Conference in Monterey. There were rows of tables that photographers could lay out a dozen prints (or a box/bin) and people could walk through and look at their leasure (I even sold a few, so I know it works). What is not advised is something like a show and thattook pleace at the '05 VC Conference in Springfield. No one could see the work, and even if they could, it would have only been for ten seconds.

 

[Jorge]

I agree with Richard, I think you guys jumped the gun. I was also planning to participate, but lets face it, the entry deadline was about 6 months away, why rush sending a print now?

I thought the price was pretty generous and something worth while competing for, but I saw no reason to choose a few prints now when I could get something better down the line.

OTOH I realize an all analog print competition is going to appeal less to most people and the possibility of recovering the prize money from entry fees is very low. Why dont you adjust the prizes counting in possible entries. For example, I think you can count on 40 entries from this forum, at 35 Ca each that is 1400 Ca. Why dont you guys make the price 500, 300 and 200 which would most likely leave you with some money to buy the jurors dinner...

 

[roteague]

It probably also has to do with how many people have actually signed up - that is paid - for the conference. That is the only real way the organizers can judge how much interest there is.

 

[Jorge]

It probably also has to do with how many people have actually signed up - that is paid - for the conference. That is the only real way the organizers can judge how much interest there is.

Once again, this is almost a year away, I know few people who have the luxury of planning 1 year in advance their trips like this. That said, I guess I better hold off on buying my ticket now.....

 

[lee]

I am with Jorge and Richard on this too...I dont get around to thinking about the contest until about a month ahead of time. this thing is a long way away. There is even less chance of me attending now without a contest.

lee\c

 

[jd callow]

Richard,
We can only go by, the interaction we get from people (PM, emails, thread views, entries, etc...). It was early, but the low (relative to the conference or even the t-shirt thread) response, meant that if we were to continue we would need to publicize the competition in the toronto area, ask members to print copies of the PDF and distribute them, as well as manage non member questions via phone and email.

The alternative is to keep it strictly to APUG and take our chances that there are 100 plus members like your self gearing up to enter the competition.

The former was more than Bob, Eric or I have time for and the latter was too big a chance.

The bottom line is we don't have the time. I am truly sorry if no print competition means you won't come, but I am hard pressed to believe that it was that important to anyone. I have had to purg my PM box 3 times in the last couple months almost all of the PM's were conference related. Absolutly none of them were related to the competition.

 

[Jeremy]

Once again, this is almost a year away, I know few people who have the luxury of planning 1 year in advance their trips like this. That said, I guess I better hold off on buying my ticket now.....

Yep, it comes right during the week of finals for me during the spring semester. Because of this I may not be able to attend at all, but was planning on mailing in prints for the competition regardless. I won't know if I can attend or not until the spring semester has started (January), but I am hoping to attend if possible.

 

[jd callow]

Hey!!!
February 29 is NOT a year away. Man oh man did any of you read the fricken rules?!?

As much as you guys were paying attention if I kept it going you would've sent your checks to Satinsnow, mailed your prints to Ole -- a month after the conference -- and have been pissed at Aggie when she didn't anounce the winners.

 

[Jorge]

Hey!!!
February 29 is NOT a year away. Man oh man did any of you read the fricken rules?!?

As much as you guys were paying attention if I kept it going you would've sent your checks to Satinsnow, mailed your prints to Ole -- a month after the conference -- and have been pissed at Aggie when she didn't anounce the winners.

John, I said the print contest deadline was about 6 months away, that the conference was about a year away. I dont know about anybody else, but when I enter a contest (which I rarely do) I wait until about 3 or 4 weeks before the deadline to ship the entries. As I said, why ship to you something now so that you can keep it in storage for 6 months? I understand if you guys are nervous, maybe a contest with smaller prices to start would be the thing to do instead of nixing it all together. Is up to you guys just a suggestion.

 

[photomc]

John, I said the print contest deadline was about 6 months away, that the conference was about a year away. I dont know about anybody else, but when I enter a contest (which I rarely do) I wait until about 3 or 4 weeks before the deadline to ship the entries. As I said, why ship to you something now so that you can keep it in storage for 6 months? I understand if you guys are nervous, maybe a contest with smaller prices to start would be the thing to do instead of nixing it all together. Is up to you guys just a suggestion.

Glad to see you post this Jorge, was going to add a comment about how much work these guys are doing and the contest might have been just to much...plus they might not have had good input about how many were interested. Thought it would be nice if someone offered some suggestions and there you are doing just that....Cool! Thanks....

 

[Kobin]

Don't recall the rules stated "enroll by the third week in August." I have more to learn than to say in regards to this users group, but I must say I'm disappointed. Nevertheless, I still hope to attend a workshop, even though I'll have to miss the August 31st reduced rate deadline to register due to the fact that I'm chained to a job and at the whims of fate regarding the future. I hope the fact that my employer won't accept PTO requests eight months in advance won't cause the Conference to be cancelled.

K.

 

[Jon Shiu]

I had planned on sending 4 to 6 prints in January '06. It wouldn't really matter to me if the prizes were $100, rather than $1000. It would just be fun to participate. Perhaps a cheaper/simpler version of the contest could be held with lower fees and prizes?

Jon