I would agree except that until the Advantage pic is posted we have no clue which of our pictures got accepted or even what order they'll come up.



Precisely the point I was trying to express (and apparently failed miserably) in putting this thread out there in the first place.



I did recall QLT's thread before posting this. But, as I recall, her post was about the ethics of chopping the pic period. If I remember correctly (too lazy to go look) it was the community feeling that this was fine as long as the chopper was up-front about their "extra" sources (as TheShaman was with the "Wall Rose" chop).

Azionite brings up an excellent point about object photos. If there's other pictures of the same object on the web then it's all fair game right?

I guess I was just wondering about Feral's point of having a higher quality picture to work with from the outset. Personally I think that there's no way any mortal being would know if I used my higher-res shot. After all the pictures not that good.

As to the shot in question I took 98 different shots at the event where the submitted shot was taken. So I guess you could say I have several different angles to work with.

that must have been some fun event, or you just crazy about taking pictures

I don't care if you use the hi-res version. That's a perk for taking a good enough photo to be used. I don't like it when people use pictures from the same location, then pretend like its all from the original, and its just perspective work.

If you exploit an edge over everyone else, you're cheating.
If it prompted you to clear your conscience by telling everyone, then you know you're cheating.
Bottom line is that you're using a different image than everyone else.
Just my opinion.

Good point except I'm not "clearing my conscience". I haven't done anything with the pic at all. I just wanted to know what others thought of the issue of using the higher quality shot of the same pic.

I think a worse sin would be to recreate a shot of an object to get a different angle or higher res shot. Now that would definitely be bad.

This has got to be one of the most obsurd topics that I have seen in awhile. If I have a 10mb image and optimize it to the required specs for use aa a contest image for this site, it would be virtually impossible for anyone to tell that a chop that I did from the original was anything better than the actual image that anyone else would be using. The end result is still going to be limited to 125k.

What makes an image better or worse than anyone elses image in terms of optimized quality has directly to do with the knowlege and skill of the chopper. There are all sorts of things that can be done to improve the quality of an image. Starting from a a larger version of an image is definately not one of them. I specialize in turning mundane and sometimes very pathetic originals into something that is actually of much greater quality than where it started. I am a master of it.

My point is this: There is no way that anyone on this planet could tell with certainty that a larger version of the original was used to create a chop unless the original image submited was not optimized properly to begin with...and even then I doubt that anyone would ever be able to notice it. If you have the original and wish to use it, it would be foolish not to...and it would be foolish to not already have an idea in mind if you intend to enter the day it is used... and it would be foolish to not already have it done by the time it is used. Who's going to really know anyway.

Jerry

Don't think you're getting the finer points, here, Jerry

What would the finer points be eve?

The absolute worst thing that could ever happen as a result is a guilty concious from the so called "perpetrator" because know one would ever know unless the perp blabbed.

...but it would also be quite obvious to anyone viewing the image...there is not anyone here who has the ability to create photographic perfection in changing the view or perspective of an image. It would most definately stick out like a sore thumb. Anyone stupid enough to try it would certainly be called out as already pointed out in my first post in this thread.

Just my 2 cents
Jerry

I have lucked up and found starting images through google before, and they were much higher res, so I didn't see any problem using them, but when you are the photographer, and the larger images aren't available to everyone, it kinda changes things. I'm not sure on the different angles though......it would be really cheap if somebody tride to pass a different angle photo off as an actual chop....

Ha Wes...I've been lucky too. I once found a whole website filled with images of the object that was used for the contest. Including a higher res version of the original. Well actually that has happened several times

I think crediting the creator of the image of the source photo would give us all a head's up that would explain all the amazing angle or perspective changes (if done). I have no problem with the creator using a raw image if that is what floats his boat. It still has to be sized before submission anyways.. and my vision is so bad, it's lost on me anyways.

What do you think, jmh, and everyone else?

I don't think people should be allowed to chop their own pictures.

Is it such a hardship for them to have to sit out one contest?

well 9 of the last 11 have been mine, and I have only entered 3 of them, but saying that, I would have entered them all if I had had the time.

I see nothing wrong with it, however, I do see a bit of a problem in deciet if not informed of using similar images to create a 'ehat seems to be' mind blowing angle change

apart from that, why not?

all is fair really

Damn, Marco. Give some of use a chance too! >_>;;