Changes to photo competition

[Sika]

Snakelover, this is what I see on my monitor

First image



Second image



In my opinion, the second image is just a little easier to look at. I don't have the problem of scrolling left and right, but I have to scroll up and down to view 1024 x 768 images.

I usually do what Julie does...create a 800x600 image (or somewhere thereabout) specifically for TBH and upload it to flickr.

[Michael]

My maximum resolution on my computers/monitors at the office is 1024x768. It's not only a function of monitor capabilities, but also graphics card limitations.

David, on my monitor, there is a fairly visible quality decline with each successive photo.

Michael

[bowhuntertex]

I am on a 15" laptop computer and can see all the pics posted just fine. No scrolling at all........You have to adjust your monitor settings as Gerald stated above.......

[Gerald S]

Starting to sound like this is a perfect opportunity for some of you to justify a new monitor to the spouse.

[Sika]

I'm on a laptop. My screen res. is set to 1280 x 800...and that's the highest. It's a widescreen 15.4" monitor.

[Gerald S]

Is this how you are adjusting your screen resolution?


If you are using a 15.4 in wide screen, you should be able to do this, I would think.

[Wildman]

I see what Sika sees on here screen capture.

You old timers get with the program.

[Sika]

Gerald, when I switch to Display 2 I have more resolution options. I'm not sure what the difference is between Display 1 and Display 2 but it definitely wants to default to Display 1.

Thanks

[Shane]

Whether we synchronize our displays or not, maybe we either need to change it to an "exibition" instead of a competition. Or maybe just add a 2nd thread that would be more for showing pics and comments and learning instead of competition and all.

I am very competitive, like most, and I love competition. But I think most of us are more interested in comments of others and help in learning how to take better pictures. I think that was Jason's main idea (and a great one) to begin with anyway. If some folks don't want comments and critiques, that's fine too. So maybe 2 threads would be the best solution.

One thread for no comments and straight competition (anonymous or not - doesn't matter to me).

Another thread for comments and critique on pics relating to the theme of the month (or not?).

A person could post the same pic on both threads, or either choose to post on only one or the other. Could also post different pics on each thread.

Any pic posted on the competition thread shouldn't be posted on the comment/critique thread until AFTER the competition judging ends. (Maybe comments and critiques of first attempts would lead to even better pics to be posted later on the contest thread??)

Maybe Russell and other great photogs around here would be able to offer some helpful hints for those that seek them if there was a thread for that purpose.

Of course, I guess we can all just start our own thread asking for comments on a particular pic(s) anytime we want to. Wherever the contest deal goes, I'm happy that Jason's idea has brought about the photo forum here. It's been great already! Thanks guys!

[Wildman]

Sika, the 1 and 2 are so that, as with me, I can set my default to my laptop monitor, but when I pug in at the office, it #2 will be set to my monitor on my desk.

[Convert]

In my opinion, the second image is just a little easier to look at. I don't have the problem of scrolling left and right, but I have to scroll up and down to view 1024 x 768 images.

I usually do what Julie does...create a 800x600 image (or somewhere thereabout) specifically for TBH and upload it to flickr.

This is more what I'm getting at, that even though I can see the picture at the largest size, it is easier to look at slightly reduced. I also have a laptop, a PowerBook with a 15" monitor, and changing the monitor ratio has a serious effect on my design work. Personally I think the 800 pixel prairie dog looked better, I could actually see the entire picture without scrolling, the details seemed sharper, and having it framed a bit helped me get a better feel for the shot. That is the same reason I scaled down my own photo.

I guess it really does come down to personal preference, I like to see them big but not huge, but to each his own.

[Kevin]

Time for monitor 101 for anyone interested...


CRT Monitors:
These are analog displays that can have multiple resolutions, each being close to the same quality. You will get differing refresh rates but keep it over 60 and you should be fine.

LCD/TFT Monitors:
These montiros are digital and are ONLY setup to run at a single resolution. You can force them to do other resolutions, but it looks fuzzy. Also, generally the res they are designed to run is the MAX for that monitor. You can have a 15.4" display that does 1440x900 MAX (Macbook Pro 15") or my Dell laptop that does 1920x1200 max at the same screen size.

Danny got it right on the Display 1/2 settings. Display one is by default the display on your laptop or primary monitor, and display 2 is if you are running multiple monitors.

[AtTheWall]

Pics I post here, I always size them to either 640x480 or as in the photo competition, 800x600. They lose a lot of resolution going through the conversion but it's a deal I've gotten used to. I'm thinking if I do upload at a higher resolution to Flickr, or others, meeting their maximum file size conditions, I know we all will lose some resolution. Anytime you step on a pic it's reduced.

800x600 is a pretty easy size to play with though. Just need to pray the resolution and sharpness was there from the get go before conversion.

I use a pair of wide flat panels at home. At work, I'm limited to a 17" flat panel set at 1024x768. I can change the dimensions but it loses a lot of resolution since this FP is an old Westinghouse.

I love the competition format since it puts us all into a "like" category to capture the theme. It's interesting to see the slant applied to the theme when the pics are posted. God forbid we theme "WHITETAIL IN VELVET!"

[Tommyh]

Sika,

Your specific video card and monitor drivers are what is limiting the choices for the laptop display. The mfr thinks that only the settings it chooses are the best quality settings so it doesnt give you much room for error. However, on the wide paneled monitors, they will look extremely ugly if you choose a standard display setting causing things to look squished or stretched out. And thats bad eats.


The only real way to get around is this:
hook a regular display up to your laptop and fn+f7 (for IBM/lenovo), or whatever magical keystroke for your specific hardware is, to make it appear either on both the monitor and the laptop display or the monitor alone. That will make it easier to view some things, but not the customizable view of others who really make use of the wide screen format.
OR
unload the monitor drivers and let windows load the generic drivers for monitors so that it is only a "generic plug n pray monitor" which you may not get the total usefulness out of wide screen format software and will look funny anyway. however, in doing so, your resolution options SHOULD increase dramatically.