And how many of those voters are you aliases Holly9000??
It's the same people that vote for your crap over and over again. Thanks for proving my point more

Don't they understand how that kind of voting does the exact opposite of encouragement for new members? Isn't that what we are all here for? to encourage people to get better? How does the newbie feel when they make an honest effort at a chop and they get 2 votes and then see your crap getting a dozen? Where's that user gonna be next week?? not here.

Aaaaaand he did. Hey, SOT-- you won!

Seriously... get a room you guys

It's quite embarrassing really EJH. He wants to be like me. I think he's infatuated with me..
He's following me around like a lost little puppy dog looking for some love.

and no one took the bet. darn it!
he's just too predictable I guess.

yup SOT you won--just pm the addy of where you want that years supply of kitty litter sent

oh and ejh--from what i hear it'd be way more fun to get a room with you--just lemme pack my tequila and a paper bag ok?

hmmm... judging from your av, I don't think you're my type.

probly 4 the best ejh--you'd never want to leave and there's no way i could afford that much liquor

btw just to clear things up--of the 80 or so people that post everyday.. i'm usually around 65 of them or so--so be careful who's post you comment on

??? When I leave comments on posts, I'm commenting on the work I'm looking at. I'm not concerned with whose they are.

ejh i was joking-i'm not really 65 different people

i'm only maybe 40 or 41( on a good day )

Geesh people, I can't believe this is an issue. First off Sword, everyone has earned their right to vote and do so as the choose. Let it go, not everyone will agree with your criteria on a vote worthy post (I voted disagree, and stated why in an earlier post in this thread). It's a worthwhile subject to discuss but it does seem like you're on some sort of crusade to change peoples views(just my opinion). Newsflash ... everyone will not always agree with you.

Secondly, no need for name calling or nasty replies to posters (many posts and users I'm referring to here). Some of the stuff that has been typed in this thread is childish at best, and downright mean at it's worst.

Lastly, I still can't fathom why this voting thing means so much to everyone. I know this is just my viewpoint and people derive pleasure in different ways, but aren't there more important things to worry about in your lives? Maybe I'm in the minority, but if I came here all knotted up and combative all the time I would cease to do so. This site is totally about fun for me (until I read this thread ... lol).

Let me get in a 'reply' premptive strike ... if I don't like it, don't read it, right?

Wrong. Contrary to what the same few are saying, I am looking for additional views on this. You are also wrong in your assumptions that this is of some great importance to my life outside of PSC. I don't concern myself with votes or contests when I'm not participating in a contest site.

Lastly, I appreciate you taking the time to comment (both times) and I see your point of view. I believe I also respected your point of view. No one is willing to examine my point of view, however, because I am an alias bent on starting wars and far too sarcastic for any one adult to be able to handle. Thats unfortunate and leads me to believe that I am NOT the one that is discussing with a closed mind.

This thread was about stock images vs photoshopped images and how they were degrading the competition side of PSC. Not about Photoshop Techniques, not some personal endeavor of mine to get more votes (Anyone can find a good stock image), not an attempt to raise an outcry, it was about raising awareness about an alarming trend I thought I had noticed and I wanted to see if others did. Others do. I am satisfied.

Now I'd like people to consider how this practice of relying on a good stock image to present there entry is degrading the competition. By voting for entries like this, we are only encouraging new users to do like wise and also to encourage a contestant to continue with the same practice. My encouragement to these type of images and their owners are to try using the daily image as a starting point, not an ending point.

For further clarifaction:
Stock Image entry is using a stock image that provides the eye catching concept/atmosphere of the entire entry even before the daily image is added. No supporting details are needed in an entry like this and minimal effort is required to paste some portion of the daily image.

A photoshopped image might be one that starts with an idea "centered" around the daily image. Many sources might be used or just one but if the daily image was removed from the entry, the entry would not make sense. The concept, lighting, composition all center around the daily image.

When too many people rely on the beauty of a stock image for their contest entry, it begins to degrade the number of quality, original chops we see around here. Should we really be "encouraging" this type of entry? When we do that, more and more people using them and more and more of them are getting lots of votes. There is no motivation, no need to get better, no need to encourage when someone else is doing other the work for them. It only creates an environment where finding the best stock image is what makes the difference. BOO!

disclaimer, understand that I know there are expections day to day on what a daily image can be used for and what is a good idea but for the most part, on an average day, I don't think I'm being outrageous in my expectations.

I'm new here, so take my insight with that in mind. From a philosophical standpoint, I believe that art takes on a life of its own after a certain point, and the original artist has to expect that his/her creation will grow and evolve after it is...released into the wild, for lack of better phrasing. I think a good example is sampling in music. Mariah Carey once used elements of "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club...she made the song "Rollercoaster" I think it was called. That song made me mad, because she didn't change the sample at all, and without the sample her song was crap (my opinion). Then again, the Beasties used a bit of "Who's that Lady?" in Paul's Boutique, and the sample enhances what was a great original idea. So, in a way, it's like a nod to the original artist if you manipulate a bit of his/her work to make something new...but if you just put it there to make your image look better than you are...then that makes you a biter! It's a pretty fine line, methinks. Since joining, I've used outside source on some images, and no outside source on others. Well, that's my muddled reasoning, anyhow. The unity and overall impact of the final product should allow the trained eye to figure out the difference between junk and funk. Ahem.

Queen, thanks for you comment. Its always interesting to hear what a newbie thinks.
I agree that some days, more sources are good and some days, one source can bring an entry what it needs, still other days, no sources are needed for a good idea and a show of skill.

What I have been preaching relates to your closing statement regarding the "trained eye".
The collective eye of PSC is being blinded by too many comments that praise one entry or another with grotesque exaggeration. I'm convinced that a newbie will show up and think its ok to rely on a stock image created by someone else to provide the "winning" qualities of their entry.

This is not what should be happening.
If you listen, I will help you. one user at a time.

to much to read on this post things making my mind go funny , what you all on about. A lesson ive learnt is to just try and make a better pic if this doesnt make sence i only read the first page, a lesson i learnt the other day from a post was to just make your pic slides onto the floor, looks at tele in background

BTW Sword, I personally liked your comments when you made them. Thought they were right on for the most part, and feel free to critique an entry of mine without ever worrying about hurting my feelings. My main beef was reading the inane, childish degeneration of this thread ... and what seemed as mean spirited attacks on members. One more comment on the oroginal thread subject however;

If you don't start with a good source pic to integrate the contest source with, then you are left with PS technique and skills exclusively, no? Following this line of reasoning it can be interpretted as a skills based argument ... just my opinion. I am not the best chopper here by any means, probably middle of the roadish and I have submitted chops of both kinds discussed here. I still maintain that a great pic is a great pic, and ideas have always been as big a seller as a super PS constructed masterpiece.

My feeling is that this site is not the 'hardcore' Photoshop site that others are. But those others don't cater to the beginner as this one does, and allow a future great chopper to develop, that otherwise would have bailed out at other more critical sites. Again, just my opinion.

Peace