Due to the diminishing number of artists participating in the monthly Photography Forum Challenge, we had to consider options. I would therefore like to open this topic for discussion.

Here are some ideas:

1. We continue with the Challenge monthly and write the low participation numbers off against the fact that it was holiday months.

2. We open a thread where members can give ideas and examples for monthly topics and the staff just choose a topic every month.

3. We suspend the Challenge for a couple of months.

I would like to encourage all members to give your opinions and to suggest anything else that might be fun that we can bring in to replace the Challenge if the majority of members feel we should suspend it in the current format.

Waiting in anticipation for your creative suggestions!

Carin

Wonderful options and I can see them all working.  I like getting feedback for challenge themes from members, but only if everyone wants to continue the monthly challenges. If not, I'd love suggestions with what to substitute in it's place. 

Even the giant TV neworks only film new shows of part of the year and then they take a few months off to build some tension and anticipation before beginning anew.

Dear Carin, and all friends here :),

Thanks for your post.
I would appreciate the challenge remains as fine as it is.
If it is difficult to choose new items, I would do my best to do a proposal in that respect. (don't know if I'm good at that, LOL)

To answer your question about diminished interest or something (my english is not good enough to interpret your post correctly enough).
But for the month of January, I had taken pictures, especially for the challenge.

However I had an accident, my physical pain (which I always suffer because PTSD) was so intense that I could no longer around to placing my images.

I hope everyone will enthusiastically continue to participate in the challenge.

Thank you Carin for all the effort you do, as well I thank the whole team :)

Hugs,
Mies/Jacomina ;-)

PS
I forgot to mention that because of that accident can not make pictures for about a month, I guess.

Thanks Jacomina for your input! I hope you will heal quickly so we can see you back!!

Hi Carin,

I would really like the challenge to remain as a source of inspiration. When I belonged to a photographic club we used to have a 'set subject' i.e. 'action' or 'leaves' etc.  The idea was that we had to go out that month (good old days of film and slide) and shoot something appropriate to the subject. Much like the Forum Challenge does.

That said I have found that the Forum Challenge link in the Photographic Gallery does not always get updated (still pointing to the December 2011 Challenge). This could be part of the reason that people have stopped finding it easily, without drilling into the forum topics, hence the reduced participation. I found this thread looking for the Feb challenge!!

Then again I do not always participate in the challenges but would miss not being able to do so - when I remember!!

You guys do a stering job and I really feel privilaged to be part of this community,

Clive

The links are my fault. If that's the problem and keeping people away, I will buckle down on it. :-)  Sometimes I am pressed for time and then forget to come back and update them.

Thank you Clive! This is very valuable feedback.

We are privileged to have you grace us with your wonderful art!

I have enjoyed the challenges in the past and have found great inspiration there. Due to various reasons, my time and energy have been very curtailed of late and I have concentrated on commenting when I have been here. I hope that changes, but I don't see it in the immediate future. Perhaps you could try extending the challenge to two months so that those who are busier could get images in and raise the number each could enter to six for those that wanted to enter more images. Many thanks to you and your team for the great work you do.

Carin

I would love this challenge to continue.

It is always a pleasure to see everyones uploads for a different challenge every month.

Be it that only a few participate i vote for the challenge to stay.

It is just a matter of people also having other commitments that they are not always able to post and upload on the forum challenge.

I thank all Renderosity staff members for all their hard work and commiment keeping this site going 24/7 year in,year out.

God Bless.

Quote - I have enjoyed the challenges in the past and have found great inspiration there. Due to various reasons, my time and energy have been very curtailed of late and I have concentrated on commenting when I have been here. I hope that changes, but I don't see it in the immediate future. Perhaps you could try extending the challenge to two months so that those who are busier could get images in and raise the number each could enter to six for those that wanted to enter more images. Many thanks to you and your team for the great work you do.

Myrtle i second your suggestion.

God Bless.

Suggestion Two is also a valid suggestion Carin.

I vote for number 2 as well and i stand with what I posted.

The challenge must continue.

Be it every month or for a two month period.

God Bless.

Thank you both Christo and myrrhluz for your valued opinions.

I like the change of subject every second month. Great idea!

Auch my typing and spelling.

I agree on the idea of every other month changing the challenge. And I also agree that the banner links need more of my attention. 

I love the challenge, and have participated in many of them, and enjoy seeing a new one every month!  (Quite honestly, by the time we've been doing it for 30 days, I'm bored and want to move to the next one!)  January's challenge was tough for me.  I guess my brain just didn't click in to "New Beginnings."  I thought about it a lot, but never came up with any ideas about what to shoot.  There's nothing new going on here!  LOL! 

If I had to come up with a new challenge every month I think my brain would explode.  I love the idea of asking for suggestions.  In addition to opening a thread, perhaps when you put up the next challenge, you could put out a request for ideas, and then once a week (four times during the challenge period) remind people that you're looking for ideas.  You'll be targeting the people who enjoy playing and have an interest in continuing, as well as hitting the general population.

Everybody has subjects to which they return over and over again, and everyone has their pet themes.  I would love to see a challenge on architectural detail, for example, because I would enjoy seeing how other people address the subject.  Heck --- you could go through the genre list and do one a month (skipping the ones that don't pertain to photography, of course) and keep the challenge going for two years!  That might seem boring, but it really isn't.  We're all here taking pictures, excited about what we're doing, and posting in those very categories every day.  I wouldn't have to think twice about architecture, but insects would be a huge challenge for me!  Someone who takes a lot of insect macros might be really challenged by landscapes.  We can all use more experience in those areas in which we typically don't work! 

I like Clive's reference to action shots and leaves.  (Just examples, I know, but good ones.)  You could think about the "Flowers/Plants" genre and have a challenge on one specific thing.  Leaves, for example.  Or flowers.  Trees.  Flowers/Plants growing within one mile of your home and photographed within the last week.  Whatever.

Apparently I'm just a font of ideas, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.  Heck ... this is a creative community!  That's what we're here for!  Anybody here who says they can't come up with one or two ideas probably just thinks their ideas aren't good enough.  Maybe you could tell people they can send you ideas in private.

DON'T GIVE UP! 

I know it's easy to get burned out being a coordinator or a moderator, and to run out of ideas.  (Why do you think I'm not doing it?  LOL!)  But there are things we can do as members to help out without signing up as a coordinator.  You can have all the ideas you want! 

Abstract themes are fun, but concrete themes are easier.  If you tell me to take a picture that illustrates "New Beginnings," I'm dead in the water for 30 days if I can't come up with a way to show that.  If you tell me to take a picture of a tree, I can go out every day for the whole month and take pictures of trees without any trouble!  The challenge in that would be to take GOOD pictures of trees in the middle of winter.  That's why it's a challenge!! 

Okay ... I could go on forever, but I'll stop.  You get the idea!  :D

My two cents for what it is worth.

Let's keep the challenge as it is. I haven't participated for the past 2-3 months but promise to get my act back in gear:)

I find that I categorize my uploaded images in about 15 of the genres listed on the upload page. However there are at least another 15 genres that I do not use.

If I was challenged to come up with an abstract or photograph my next restaurant meal or make a still life out of something in my home, or take a formal portrait, or shoot live action at a sporting event...these are all outside my comfort zone but are things that could motivate me to learn something new.

I know there are other photographic genres but I probably am not going to get into glamour, religious/spiritual, wierd, or world/social events. lol.

Bottom line is I am interested in keeping the monthly challenge going with a new challenge every month.

Bill

P.S. Opening a thread asking for suggestions is a good way to tap into new thoughts and subjects.

How about Clives suggestion for the next challenge - reflections.

Any opinions and suggestions from  other members.

God Bless.

Thank you Clive, Christo, Tara and Bill - awesome feedback.

Tara - you have motivated me again and just reading through all the feedback in this thread, I have a myriad of ideas!

You guys are ALL awesome!

If I may say: "big news, dear Carin".
Let go with those beautiful feet of you.
Hugs. :)

Oh goodie!  :)  I'm ready!

Bring it on...!!

Dear Carin, I see that in this period, the participation of many artists is not very active! Also DITI  is off for no reason! I cannot understand why all of this! I would prefer that the forum is to remain as it is now, although it would be interesting to open a thread where we can drop all suggestions about topics to be addressed!

Best regards! :-)

Thanks Maria! I really value your input! :)

Check out Jeroni's new game in the Photography Forum.  It's a new version of the old game, The Picture Below Me...  Lot's of fun!

Hi friends!

I agree with Tara, that sometimes we might just need more simple challenges, such as insects, trees, leaves, fruits, stillife, landscapes, profiiles, skies, deep macros and so on. I would LUV to be part of such challenges.  I would gladly send alot of shots in, instead of only 3 per month :) Anyway there is no price for the best result, so why limited number of posts?

Helle

Helle, I think I can answer this for you because I was around when the limit for posting was created.  At that time, there was one very dynamic and professional photographer who was much loved and admired here. She spent every day wandering around photographing things.  Her files must have been massive.

When the Challenge was posted each month, we found that she might post as many as 36 photos. Other photographers got discouraged. Her quality and quantity put just about all her admirers off and people started complaining that they were buried in her "second gallery." At one point we only had 4 participating members hanging on but even they were showing up less and less.

After looking at the average number of posts by most members, the number 3 became the standard for posts to each challenge.

It is interesting to note that once that was initiated in the Challenge, the loved and professional photographer was mostly absent in it and the number of participating members increased.

There does need to be a limit placed so this does not happen again, however, there is a possibility that number could be adjusted if the number of participants picks up.

Yeah, I see the point... From one edge to another,  But three?  ;)

Ahhhh ... the limit of three per thread makes perfect sense.  It's not a problem that goes away with a single "offender."  If you take away the limits, I'm sure there are current members who would take over the challenge and bury everybody else with sheer quantity. 

However, Helle makes a good point.  Sometimes there's a challenge that is so compelling, three doesn't seem adequate.  Perhaps spacing it out over the month?  If the challenge runs four weeks, maybe you could limit it to two or three per week per person.  That way if somebody has a lot to say, artistically speaking, they can come back later.  That might keep interest high throughout the entire month, too. 

Just an idea ... it might be too complicated in practice, but it's yours, for what it's worth!  :P

Thanks for your valued comment Helle!

:-)

I also think that upping the limit is a good thing. Maybe not per week but total for the challenge. If it runs 1 month, maybe 6 and if it runs 2 months, 12?

Once upon a time, I tried a "genre" challenge here..There is enuff choices to run with it for sometime..(Gallery Genre's) It is a challenge to come up with ideas..in my experience, challenge participation had always had an ebb and flow..Don't be afraid to try different things Carin..

Thanks Bruce for the encouragement! You of all people will know! :)

Don't really know much about the challenge-But some of the problems seem to be time based?

Why not get people to send in their ideas for subject's and then post all the best subject's in advance---eg-Jan car's---Feb-space---Mrch-flowers  etc etc.

Everyone would have anything from one month to twelve month's to get their entries ready...

Just another silly idea.......

I'd rather see the opposite encouraged - one image per member, but the post may be edited at any time during the month to submit a better entry.

I'd also like to see a requirement that submissions are shot after the contest commences, not recycled from the archives.

Finally, I've never understood why the contests stand seperately from the gallery - I think it would encourage participation if members could simply link to gallery submissions instead of preparing a smaller version for the forums.

(As a side note: on one forum I participate in, there is a simple non-material prize for winning the monthly contest - the winner chooses the theme for the following month)

I like the idea of the winner choosing the next theme...

Though I guess that adds a more work of selecting a winner each month.

Clive

There is no winner in the Challenge. It is not a contest. It is a chance to try something new or work on skills already known but need more practice.  It is not something that a connects to the gallery. Its open to anyone and is something fun to do. 

Sure, that's how it is, and how it has been for a long time.

Can't see anyone forcing you to keep it that way. If you have a winner, you give people a reason to participate, and by displaying the winner, you improve the visiblity of the challenge.

Anyhow, it was just a thought.

Another: if the challenge is to be kept non-competitive, why does it run so long? If it's just a fun "shoot some images on this theme and show them here", why run it longer than a week? As it is, a person can check the challenge, think "nah, not interested this month", and then it's a whole month before there's something new to consider.

Quote - Sure, that's how it is, and how it has been for a long time.

Can't see anyone forcing you to keep it that way. If you have a winner, you give people a reason to participate, and by displaying the winner, you improve the visiblity of the challenge.

Anyhow, it was just a thought.

Another: if the challenge is to be kept non-competitive, why does it run so long? If it's just a fun "shoot some images on this theme and show them here", why run it longer than a week? As it is, a person can check the challenge, think "nah, not interested this month", and then it's a whole month before there's something new to consider.

I am honest with you a week is to short for me. I have commitments during the day and do work different shifts every week. So if the challenge is a week i will not be able to participate. I am happy with a month or even two months. I do not see a problem with the winner choosing the next theme but PK do also have valid points that it is a challenge to improve ones photography and not a competition.God Bless.

Quote -
I am honest with you a week is to short for me. I have commitments during the day and do work different shifts every week. So if the challenge is a week i will not be able to participate. I am happy with a month or even two months. I do not see a problem with the winner choosing the next theme but PK do also have valid points that it is a challenge to improve ones photography and not a competition.God Bless.

I must admit that I don't entirely understand this view - maybe someone else can chime in?

I mean, I understand being busy! - but the way I see the challenges is as a source of inspiration if you have time to shoot but no ideas.

So if you've no time to shoot, no big deal - you probably don't have time to look at the challenge either. If you do have time to shoot, but no inspiration, you check out the challenge to see if it stirs some creativity.

Perhaps others see the challenge differently?

Ideas and inspiration do not just come from a selected idea chosen at random.

I get a great deal of inspiration from the work of some of the great artists here.

I don't play the challenge yet i am here reading about it and am responding to it.

When i read the title of these page's it said opinion's needed and i tried to give an opinion although as i said i do not play.

We do not need to agree with someone else's opinion/s nor do they have to agree with our's.

I at this time do not have time to shoot but i do have time to look at the challenge???? ( this did confuse me ? )

I understand what kgb224 is saying and i also understand clearly what you are saying but what yourselves and other's like myself are saying is-This is my opinion! It is only an opinion put forward as asked for.

If other's do not like my opinion on the ideas that i may have presented that is ok with me but i know that would not drive me to disliking their ideas or opinion/s.

Opinion's are being put forward to see if the challenge can be helped and made more fun possibly with the hope of attracting more user's

I don't have the answer's and i doubt than anyone else has but that is why we are given opinion's-From those opinion's hopefully would spring new ideas to be implemented.

We may not agree with someone's opinion's or idea's but we should all agree to disagree.

Dear all

I would like to thank everyone for your opinions and ideas posted in this thread. I really value your input! I think we have a good idea of where to go from here with the Forum Challenge and I will post the "new" decision soon. We will obviously not be able to satisfy everyone's needs 100%, but we will try as best we can.

PK - you can close the thread.

Kind regards

Carin

with the genre challenge, we voted and the winner selected the next genre..tiered voting process.(pick three)...No reason one can't place images in the gallery, some don't want to loose an upload..IDK..Could be done on a challenge page..But nobody uses them anymore..