Just wanted to know what is the minimal amount of source you can use on here? some seem to rely heavily on outside pics? Makes the competition about who can gather the best outside pics. rather than what can be done with the source.

There is no minimal limit to how much sauce you use.
When using outside pics, it's all about how you've integrated them. If you just get a nice ready-made wallpaper and fit the source into it somewhere, you should be called out for it, as you didn't do all the work.

This is the problem? just blending a minimal amount of source around...say a model? constitutes good chopping???? I thought the main focus of the competition is the source, if not why have it?

I've wondered the same thing when viewing certain entries. I just don't vote for those, and then stare at the screen, baffled by over the top complimentary comments. You're brand new here and already scratching your head, so it is only going to get worse for you, and very quickly.

Glad someone else noticed votes for minimal chopping.....what you mean get worse????

The original source is your reference for the contest, whether you use only pixels from the source itself to create an entry, a mix of the source and externals, or even minimal to, in some rare cases, no actual source manipulation, where external sources creatively reference the source. The critical component across all of these approaches is to chop cleanly and consistently within your style. Creating something with all source material can be very powerful, but it shouldn't be used as an excuse to fall back on for shoddy chopping practices (i.e. blurry manipulations, jagged edges, poor cutouts, poor shadows, etc). Integrating outside sources to enhance the original source and achieve a great result often requires a lot of technical prowess in making sources from a variety of places blend together for a positive effect. I've actually had a couple of very successful entries myself that used nearly no source pixels, but simply referenced the original source and I consider them to be some of the most creative and rewarding chops I ever did on the site. The key that anfa got at is that you need to "do work" and not try to find an easy way out. That work may be manipulating only the original source or very little of it at all, but as long as the work shows, is done well, and is yours, you should be rewarded by observant voters.

Yep, that's a pretty good way to view things. I also like to take the thought that went into the chop into consideration. If it looks like minimal thought was put into it, I'm more likely to not vote for it.

Just a thought, finding the right additional source photos to integrate into a chop is not quite as easy a you seem to think. Many damned good chops don't win because added photos don't have exactly the right light angle or color balance or resolution or sharpness to be a believable part of the overall image. Understanding this and paying more attention to it might up your overall score here.

I said "If you just get a nice ready-made wallpaper and fit the source into it somewhere, you should be called out for it, as you didn't do all the work.".
I did NOT say it was good chopping. It is the opposite of good chopping. Are you mental?

You said Sauce

Apply generously. Your chop's may not get any better, but you will have something to reflect upon while sitting on the porcelain throne the next morning.

A great deal depends on what you are looking for by participating here. It's a great place to learn. I constantly say to myself "how did they DO that?" when I see an amazing chop. Then I start thinking about how I would try to duplicate it, and the grey matter gets a workout and maybe I get a good idea for trying something new. If you do good work the folks here will notice. So if you wanna improve your skills, have fun. If you are looking for votes, remember the site has friendly people, crabby people, crazy people, wonderful people, etc...so don't try to figure out the voting. And the day will come when you get a crazy-good idea as soon as you see the source pic, but your idea will only use a little bit of source. Ahhhh. Full circle, grasshopper.

And this is pretty obvious with Anfa! He's usually pretty sauced when he chops!

I make one mistake EVER in my life and everybody jumps on it.
I'll not be a dick and edit because it will make your jokes irrelevant.

Cartoon Contractor's was the funniest btw!

^This!

Is there a source