Well, it is a competitive site, after all. It's pretty much human nature to want to do well.

" Tis better to have chopped and lost "
" Than never to have chopped at all "

Win, Loose, Draw, I feel sorry for those that dont chop, what a wonderful world they are missing out on.

javascript:emoticon('')

yes it is a wonderful world, photochopping, but maybe there should be a disclaimer that no one will ever see you again....

I do agree w some of the previous posts in regards to human nature and we all have egos and are by nature competitive people.....and that most (as did I ) people when 1st they get into this PSC its like stop the world if i dont get my best post in on time and damned if i deserve only xxx votes.......but this all soon passes....or at least it did for me..........now my objectives here are 1)Beer oops did i say that out loud?
1a)Having fun!
2)POSSIBLY LEARNING SOMETHING ...AS i ALREADY HAVE FROM
MANY (ie Anfa the great!!!....thanks Bud)javascript:emoticon('')
Very Happy
3)Hopefully making others smile/laugh...usually when I
have no initial idea and resort to the ever growing popular
GIF's.(as the cliche goes...if i make one person laugh
..........yaddy yadda yah ya get the pic.
4)Beer.........damn it did it again.....
4a) Who knows maybe even make a friend or two across the globe

In closing .......as for egos ....i used to have one when i was very very conceited.........
...........................don't now .....................now that I'm perfect.
ba hahahahahahahjavascript:emoticon('')
Laughing
remeber he who laughs ........lasts!

and as for this rather large post .....i say what i say to all my dates.........................................Sorry about the length and it being so long!!!!!

....I slay mejavascript:emoticon('')
Laughing

couldb5150............................Am I mental?.......plz pass the lithium

trying to be the best is what made my PS skills grow ... i went from a noob when i first came here to what i can do today ... competition is good thing (this time) ...

did I mention I was drunk when I opened this topic?
did I mention I'm still waiting for nancy to pronnounce herself about pinot noirs and merlots?
did I mention I beat desh and dood at the last tourney (hmmm shouldn't have said that loud... maybe my ego did that... I didn't mean to...)
did I mention I'm definetely not the best around?
And finnally, did I mention it's 8am in here and I'm still drunk?

damn, maybe that's why I have a light saber...

did i mention that this site is the best on the web, and we are all great at what we do, and its better to share and compliment where its due than to be immature and palin rude.....well i have now

THEOREHTICALLY:If my brain itches........and i think and concentrate on sandpaper......that itche should go away?....right?

how come every time i call myself on the phone the line is busy..............just make the voices go away!!!!

I have to say that all of you are right. I do this kind of stuff for aliving and I use this site to get my creativity out because my clients have such contraints. I remeber a few weeks ago someone said ... I am not sure what you guys are wanting and not sure why my pic has not recieved more votes... or something like that. Everyone should remember that the votes are the least important thing about this. Its the creativity and learning that are so bundent here that can help you with your own work. not that I am stealing anyones ideas but looking at all of your entries gives me ideas and new technics that I can use on my clients jobs. Aside from that I think everyone me included should do my commenting wether voting or not on a pic to help each other see the things that could be done better or that really work in an entry.

Just my thoughts take them as you will.

I totally agree....and we shoould all remember how that song goes.......
..."...and if I claim to be a wise man...well ...surely means that I don't know"......
.....ergo WE ALL still can learn from each other daily !!!!....god i sound like my parents did back when i was in high school...........ya know what i mean ....as Joey stated.....votes and voting are cool..but thats not what its all about ...IMO

Countless times I have spent hrs on an image...only to barely break double digits in votes...other times Im in a total rush and just creativly throw something together...in less than 10 mins..and Bam....20....30.....votes...or I just streak by ANfa and leave him in the dust.....oops!! did I say that out loud .....all in jest mate!!!lol.....remember art is 100 % subjective....and the other 20% technique....!

couldb5150

think dyslexics have trouble with Palendroms...?????hmmmm

After reflecting on this topic for awhile, I considered that I had never really tried to be the best PSC "chopper". By that I mean, I never consciously made the decision to work to be the best "chopper" on the site. I do want to do my very best to create images that represent all of the creativity, technique and energy that is available to my personality in the present moment. I simply try to be an " in the moment" chopper. There is no past, no present, only the eternal now of the chopping experience, when I am chopping. If I focus on anything else, for example, whether the chop would be the best of the day etc., I would be distracted from the task at hand and energy would be wasted that could be more effectively applied to creating the image. So after all is said and done, if I can look back and say "I did the best with what I had", then whether I am the best chopper on PSC or not really makes no difference because I was as good as my talent and effort would let me be. And that is when "good enough is good enough"....So, in the end, for me, it is not about votes, it is not even about the quality of the image, it is about who I am and what I gave to the chopping process...

This, fellas, Im sorry to say is nonsense!! no one here is interested in anything but their vote count. (Ok, maybe Patre doesnt care but thats it) I dont care how many times people say it...if a comment is made on their image during an open contest that might, in some way, effect the vote totally, they go mental...along with everyone else.

Pointing out things about an image that could improve it has been done by one user or another in the past...usually an alias because of the backlash...and NO ONE LIKES IT!!

You know what would happen if I went to Marco's leaf image and pointed out how if he paid more attention to details like lighting and shadows (which he's awful at IMHO) his images would look much more realistic?? It would spawn a slew of PMs from him thinking I was personally attacking him and his family and that I didnt like him because I think he had a few problems with that image...Not to mention the posse that would be created to track me down and have me hung, or worse...banned. Its nonsense.

I prefer to comment while looking at the image. I just dont do it too often because of the hatred it causes. Other people do it enough to remind me why I dont bother.

I dont have time to go to view an image, then view the users profile, find the PM button, type everything out in a PM, having to return to the image a couple times to be sure Im seeing things right and then finally send the PM...then, you have to go back to the contest, find where you were and continue on.

you have learned well. The "chopping now" is not easily attained but I see you've mastered this lesson quickly. well done grasshoppa!

Showcase I can not disagree with you totaly I have seen people leave comments and then be attacked for it but (keep in mind I have only been here for a short time) the ones that I have seen have not been constructive in anyway. It is not enough to just tell someone their image is "boring" as in one of my enties recently or that they have no talent with photoshop. Instead what I meant was talking about specifics like shadowing or color management ect... I can only speak for myself when I tell you please comment on my images all you want vote or no vote and if it is constructive or points me in a new direction you will hear nothing but thanks and defense if anyone else attacks you for doing so.

on another note
Now as far as comments about someone who tries to post a pic they found on the net and says it is their own as happened today I could care less what you say to them. In my opinion it is waste of time and draws attention away from a pic someone has worked hard on.
Maybe that sounds harsh but to do that in my opinion casts doubt on all of your future work.