Hello all! I am going to make this a sticky post in hopes that I can get all of you who have submitted pictures to the Pentax Photo Gallery (PPG) and have had them accepted please post a couple of them here and please link back to your gallery so we can see your work. We have so many incredible photogs on this site I am curious to see what Pentax considers your best work.

Thanks!

[zombieCat]

- Want to Play ?
- Flyby
- Small yet beautiful

and

- Ghosts, shadows of the past

I really like #1 & #4 (remember voting for this one). I really like the non-standard fare. You have a really nice gallery, congrats.

[stevebrot]

...Thanks Steve for standing up for it....and I agree Lighten up!

No problem! Alfisti is actually a pretty good guy and very talented as well. I have found that his critiques usually are pretty accurate, if a little hard on the stomach sometimes!

Thumbs up on the "correct" landscape image. Much better!

Steve

[stevebrot]

I really like #1 & #4 (remember voting for this one). I really like the non-standard fare. You have a really nice gallery, congrats.

1+ on the non-standard fare.

If anyone wants a real treat, browse PPG for the abstract category. That should restore your faith in quality offerings!

PENTAX Photo Gallery

Steve

[stevebrot]

Can you point us the link to your PPG saving some time for looking ?

Denny's work may be seen here:

PENTAX Photo Gallery

Steve

[basso4735]

1+ on the non-standard fare.

If anyone wants a real treat, browse PPG for the abstract category. That should restore your faith in quality offerings!

PENTAX Photo Gallery

Steve

A lot of those are wonderful.

[Alfisti]

No problem! Alfisti is actually a pretty good guy and very talented as well. I have found that his critiques usually are pretty accurate, if a little hard on the stomach sometimes!

Ha! Talented! Now i've heard everything but i'll take it. I think I have a few half decent images but none are the result of genuine talent, they are too static.

[axl]

We have more voters now (more pentaxians ), so, sometimes some "not so technical images" get in. Nevertheless I believe they got in because they have some merit, for instance, reading the "Pentax Voting Criteria":



Sometimes I also think PPG is getting "easier" but I believe it's more the case of being open to more people and of course more diverse and unique images etc...

I give you an example using Montoyas's image (Montoya, please don't take my example the wrong way), I voted no for the image.
Why ? Because apart from being an image that, for me, tells a story and trigged an emotional response/perpective I could not accept that such a beautifull girl had her feet cut since it was not a fast image. He could hat the time to compose properly. So I voted no due to technical "error" but hey, I like her at the same, even being a "not so technical image" that got in so, congrats to all and specially to Montoyas because he now also have a boost on motivation to improve more

Again, my post is not to flame or start a "war". I'm just exposing/justifying my voting criteria because I believe our common gold is not to only get images IN the gallery for kudos but to get images in that show our improvement in this never ending road that is photography that also show the pentax gear possibilities.

And let's all remember like someone else already said, this thread is to announce new images and not for critique. So let's all have fun.

And like we say, those are just my 2 european cents

My two northern european cents, even though this might be the wrong place. (If moderators feel so, move this to another place, thanks...)

I'd also say it's easier to get in, but only with certain type of photos. Which are IMO not like in the bolded line. Actually, I'd say it's the opposite. It's the same thing in PPG as it is in Flickr and everywhere. With more and more people joining the wonderful world of photography, the level of the photos start to go steadily down. It's not a matter of just "bad photography" per se, but also a matter of ability to value the shots.

What I mean it's that the people that are new to photography are usually the ones that are the most enthusiastic (especially in the webforums) and almost everything that's better than their work looks "amazing" to their eye. It's quite easy to tell that just by checking the "Post photos"-section in the Pentax-forums. And if they don't want to get any criticism or if they don't want to learn and become better photographers they're likely to stay at the same level for ages and just think buying more gear will make them better photographers.

Also, the easiest way to learn for most people is by imitating. People have a tendency to try to recapture shots they have seen and which are often getting compliments. For example sunsets and seascapes. Sure there are great shots of stunning landscapes, but if there's plenty of them to be viewed and voted, like in ppg, they eventually lose their wow-effect. (Especially as the artistic value on those often relies on the nature itself than on the skills of the photographer). Same goes with macros, pretty girlfriends, kids, birds and everything. There are shots in each genre that deserve all compliments, but still most of the shots are/become dull. Or definitely not filling any of the voting criterias that netuser posted before.

The motocross picture mentioned before is a nice example though. It is probably not going to get published in any motocross/freestylemotorcrossmagazine as there are too many flaws, but it was technically good enough and definitely different from most of the shots there and thus getting enough yes-votes, which it truly deserves just because of the originality compared to the usual ppg-shots. (Have you seen lot of action shots in ppg? I haven't. I guess those are for brands that can make a working af-system...)

Sorry about the long rant... I don't know if it's all because I'm writing a longish (read: annoying ) essay about a subject like this. Anyway, I'd still rather be overly critical than passive and give empty compliments (and yesvotes) to shots that don't really deserve those. Like alfisti said, letting sub par images in devalues the entire idea of showcasing the obvious talent of Pentax shooters.

Interesting reading here.
If I can, just few reactions:
Truth is we have more voters, but as mentioned it's sword with two blades. A lot of beginners is just ooooh and aaaah on just about every other shot that gets in, and that may lower the standards. If they learn and improve, it's good for us because the standards will be improving with the skills of their (our) skills.

As for PPG voting criteria, I'm trying to be critical, especially with well established categories. F.E. Landscapes, there is just too many boring shots getting through IMO (I'm not pointing any single one shot or person here). While it takes skills, patience, eye, good gear and good PPing to make great landscape shot, there is a lot which are good, but not that good IMO.
On the other side there are shots like birds. Which again is quite popular topic too, but I think it takes much more to nail good bird shot than good landscape, so I try to be less critical about those.
And then there are categories which is just hard to find or get them through.
For example the motocross shot. While not perfect (though I'd still have it as keeper if mine [possibly in B&W ]) deserved the thumbs up IMO, simply because you don't get many good shots like that in there. It's different, it's good moment... and definitely good enough

---
anyway, let's move on!
There's no point bickering about things like this, there's 6bn people, and there will be 6bn opinions (even if some will be similar).
This thread was crated with good intentions, for all users to proudly (rightfully so) display their accepted pictures.
So let's not spoil anybody's day and as Nuno said:

let's all have fun

[m8o]

If anyone wants a real treat, browse PPG for the abstract category. That should restore your faith in quality offerings!

That is a great category... tho my faith didn't need restoration.
...otherwise in regards to that category, "still life" is "abstract"?

[Montoya]

I give you an example using Montoyas's image (Montoya, please don't take my example the wrong way), I voted no for the image.
Why ? Because apart from being an image that, for me, tells a story and trigged an emotional response/perpective I could not accept that such a beautifull girl had her feet cut since it was not a fast image. He could hat the time to compose properly. So I voted no due to technical "error" but hey, I like her at the same, even being a "not so technical image" that got in so, congrats to all and specially to Montoyas because he now also have a boost on motivation to improve more

Totally correct on the cut off feet. Thats the one one part of the photo that has bothered me since I took it. (In other words I have been kicking myself) But I can't go back and fix it especially since the subject is not even in the same state as me anymore. hehe I don't know why I missed them, but thats life, and I'll get them next time (the feet that is). Live and learn. :-) I did love everything else about the photo which is why I originally posted it to the Kit Lens thread. Thanks for the feedback.

-Adam

[m8o]

Totally correct on the cut off feet. Thats the one one part of the photo that has bothered me since I took it. (In other words I have been kicking myself) But I can't go back and fix it especially since the subject is not even in the same state as me anymore. hehe I don't know why I missed them, but thats life, and I'll get them next time (the feet that is). Live and learn. :-) I did love everything else about the photo which is why I originally posted it to the Kit Lens thread. Thanks for the feedback.
-Adam

See now, what's funny about all this is, I like that the feet are cut off... Given the height the picture was taken, had her feet been in it, it might have accentuated the size of her feet/shoes. And that, would have turned me off.

I often currently see "hi fashion"/"pop art" shots using a wide angle lens of a unusually/radically made-up woman, sitting/laying down with legs and feet-up on a couch or other, with her feet being the closets body-part to the camera's wide angle lens... and thus un-naturally accentuating the model's foot size. That always ruins a shot .... for me.

...so, I say all this just to provide a little insight into some of the thinking that goes into voter's minds when they see a photo, using this one as an example. I haven't been voting in the PPG for a while. But had I been, I would have voted for that photo.

[stevebrot]

That is a great category... tho my faith didn't need restoration.
...otherwise in regards to that category, "still life" is "abstract"?

Apparently to Pentax!

Steve

[stevebrot]

Totally correct on the cut off feet...

Feet? What feet? She has feet? All I saw was her smile!

Steve

(Well, almost...)

[Jimbo]

Interesting reading through these recent posts where some feel the quality has gone down. On average I think they are getting better [on average!] There are also a lot more photos getting posted. Way to go Pentax on selling more equipment. I feel that most, including me, treat this as a hobby and as some have grown in talent, they post fewer on PPG or anywhere on this site. There are days where I vote yes on 75% then other days I bearly say yes to 25%. I have to say most of the accepted ones deserve the be in the PPG Gallery. Now off to take more pictures. Cheers JIM

[rustynail925]

Im glad this one was accepted.. Thx for the votes

[netuser]

Im glad this one was accepted.. Thx for the votes

Nice one

Like the colours and perspective.

Congrats