Welcome to the February 2025 Critique the Community Contest! For this contest and critique we wanted to switch up the theme a bit by asking you to submit the most difficult and challenging images you've ever taken. Maybe the shoot was difficult because of the time constraint or because of the talent was high maintenance. Perhaps you decided to build an elaborate set from scratch or it required a specific weather or lighting event that doesn't happen often. No matter what the reason, we want to see and HEAR about your most complicated, nearly disastrous, but successful photo sessions you've ever been a part of capturing.
Rules
- This contest is 100% free to join
- Each photographer may submit up to 3 images
- Each photograph must include a description that includes details about how the photograph was taken, what post processing was done to it, where it was taken, and what challenges you faced taking the image. Simply writing a single sentence that doesn't explain much of anything will disqualify you from being chosen!
- Each image MUST explain why the image was difficult to capture and why you consider it one of your most challenging shoots ever.
Because this theme is based on how difficult the photo was to capture, you can submit images from any genre of photography whether that be landscapes, product and commercial, portraits, composite work, or conceptual and fine art photography. Any type of photography is allowed in this contest.
Prizes
For this contest, each of our 3 favorite photographs will receive a free Fstoppers Photography Tutorial from Fstoppers.com/store.
We are excited to see your most "complicated" photographs and look forward to viewing all your submissions!
Featured image taken by the incredible Jan Gonzales
Oh… the paradox of a “most difficult and challenging” competition theme, coupled with the large majority of scores typically in the “number 2 - needs work” range. I can already hear the community outrage: "You mean, I spent all that time on a really difficult photograph, overcoming unprecedented obstacles, only for you to tell me it needs more work? You can’t be serious!"
It'll be interesting to see what the community thinks is a snapshot in this challenge.
Yeah this is one where we are asking you not to post your best images but instead your most difficult images...so I suspect there will be much lower ratings than usual. My most difficult photographs are rarely my favorites so this should be interesting.
Hey Patrick, unrelated but how the heck do I delete images from my gallery. Only see option to rearrange them. Literally can’t figure this out for the life of me!
The fstoppers community: Well I've found is the most 'brutal' of communities for judging your photo. But at the same time, I think I've learned from it, so I wouldn't change it or stop it. At the same time, there are times, that I don't quite understand why a photo is being rated so highly.. that was rated by 8-people as 4-stars?! It's all over-saturated and distorted... But hey, I guess that's maybe what some people like. Or maybe they have 8-different fstoppers personas and rated themselves over and over again. hahaha. There are photos of mine, that I thought were going to go over better, and they get slapped with the 2-star 'needs work' too, or worse. But I'm afraid it's not just 'needing work' that might bring it down to that category. It might also be 'boring' right? So your subject might 'need work' too. Or the composition. That's what I find, when I rate photos.
I prefer not to judge a picture on the basis of whether I like the subject or not. That seems terribly subjective. Although I'm sure you're correct that people's perception of boring will kill the score. But I would not chase after a more popular subject just for public approval. I prefer the challenge of photographing a mundane subject in a manner that is more interesting. That's what photography is for me: seeing something unique and different from within the ordinary daily routine of life. Easier said than done, and no matter how interesting I think I make it, the image will undoubtedly speak to some people and not to others. I won't lose any sleep over a competition score.
How can the subject not affect your score? If you take a picture of your backyard trashcan.. well that was your backyard trashcan. It could be the best composed awesome 'Backyard Trashcan' there was, and for this contest, maybe it was challenging to shoot for some reason, cause maybe the smell was bad or you had to fight the raccoons. But in the end, it was still just 'trash'.... 'Snapshot'.
Edit: Now that I said that your going to go try to make your 'trash can' really interesting. haha.
"Now that I said that your going to go try to make your 'trash can' really interesting."
I will accept your challenge. I'm inspired by the photos and words of Edward Weston, who famously photographed a toilet bowl and tried to convince anyone who cared to listen that it was art.
My mind goes to the Andy Warhol Campbells soup-can Art here, but I never got that, especially when it comes to photography.
I agree. I know mine aren't great because I'm not a professional, but I was expecting a bit more than 1 and 2 star ratings.
I gave two of your shots 3-stars. Just personal taste, but I'm just not always into the black & white landscapes. So sometimes B&W helps with ratings for some people, others not. The vertical shot, is for me the weakest: Looks like it has some white-balance and contrast issues regardless in the snow at the top. Then if your adjust the contrast you may have trouble elsewhere. Could the perspective be slightly adjusted? That's just a thought, because there is not much going on in the sky. The wider shot is much better. Maybe I should have given that 4-stars... but probably much prettier in color. Some may complain about the angles. I wouldn't. The stars swirl... well I've seen that a lot. You did well, but I've seen better.
That's fair, thank you for the feedback. It was pretty hazy and post sunrise so there weren't many colors to begin with so that's why I chose black and white.
Best comment I read anywhere today. So true. Thanks for making me smile.
You're welcome... happy to have brightened someone's day. I've thoroughly enjoyed browsing the images on your website. The only memory I have of Michigan is sitting through my son's outdoor graduation at Interlochen in Traverse City, and freezing half to death... in May.
Thanks, I appreciate the kind words. And ya, you never know what you will get for weather in northern Michigan in May :)
According to the title of the contest, I understand that photos must have been challenging in terms of edition with PS. Or is it a difficult photo in any aspect including arriving to the location, setting correct parameters, resolving light conditions or composition, etc.?
--- "According to the title of the contest"
Don't just read the title. Read the entire article. The answer to your questions are there.
Always your kind and sympathetic responses. I wanted to delete my comment after a better reading of the contest description but I couldnt do it and then I just forgot. I was at work. I am deeply sorry for any harm I could cause you. I promise you next time I will cut my finger before commenting something that may disturb you.
No need to cut off any of your appendages. I was simply advising you where and how to find your answers.
HTH
Yeah I wouldn't say it should be difficult in Photoshop but more difficult for a number of other reasons. Of course if you have some crazy elaborate photoshop image then submit that too but it needs a lot of explanation on why it was difficult.
Of all the genres of photography I have ever done, none have been more challenging than getting a picture of my kids all smiling for a basic family photo. That feat alone would get a 5 from me.
haha 4 stars if they stay in frame!
I have been doing this for almost 50 years. Contests like this can be very rough on many, as some artists and photographers are extremely jealous by nature. Just like when photo dot net did contests. Most would give others 1s and 2s no matter how good the image was. I see a lot of angry replies here about just that.. Don't let it get to you. It means nothing!
hmm. Basically a back-stab-vote. Do you think that is really a major-factor? It would seem to me, a bigger factor is 'taste', and just generally being overly critical, as critics tend to get. I always refer to an episode of the Simpsons where a guy wants to hire Homer as a Food-Critic. In interviewing Homer he asks: "You know, Homer, we need someone like you. Someone who doesn't immediately 'poo-poo' everything he eats. Homer: Nah, usually takes me a few hours." That might be funny, but the point I'm making is that once you get in the critical mode, you may tend to see things in a negative light like other critics do. Some times it takes 'fresh' eyes to point out something positive.
I have to agree. When I was in PPA I avidly participated in their print judgings and what I learned is that as long as you conform to their requirements your photographs could get high scores, and people made photographs (I confess, I did) just to please the print judges, and not to make personal statements or to express their photographic voices. As a consequence what happened was print rack after print rack of basically formula photographs... and God forbid anyone stuck their finger in the eye of the rules of composition. I did get my masters based on print scores only in five years, so Iearned to play by the rules. About the time that I got the degree I realized that none of it meant anything, and I began looking for my own voice. At that time, and in that moment I began becoming a photographer. So good writing. And you are spot on about the jealousy.
I've noticed its the same with photography exhibition calls for entry and whomever the curator/juror is. There's personal preferences, as well as politics involved with selections and there's not much an artist can do about that. I've done research into who is making selections for certain shows I have prints I might want to submit, but then I see their specialty is something way off brand for me, I tend not to bother wasting my money.
Exactly. When the show is called "Nue, the Human Form Revealed", or something like that, there's no need to waste money or time. Just say no.