For the last 4 years, I've been entering the CanonEOS Photo5. You get this small box with everyday, or odd items, and you create something wonderful with them. A few years, I wasn't able to get all entries in (one year an eye infection sidelined me, two years later, one of the most vicious cases of the flu I'd had in years).
Last year I was able to. Last year, the individual entries were judged by professional photographers. Out of that, the judges would pick 5 of who they judged were the best in each category, and it came down to popular voite. That kind of didn't sit right, because if you don't have a few hundred relatives or internet friends, you have no chance of winning.
But this year... Not only did the boxes not arrive in time for many, they didn't extend the deadlines due to mishandling the on mailing out the boxes. I had to do a few of the briefs on my own before my box showed up (funnily enough, two showed up on one day, and then 4 days later a 3rd one showed up.)
After I entered, I found out that it's down to 'votes', not being judged by pro photographers. Photography skills, imagination and creativity right out the window, it's down to who can get the most people to vote for their images. Again, if you don't have a huge coterie of family and friends, you're shit out of luck. Not only is it voting, but the voting system is horrid! You get five random images, and you have to cycle through them, with constant repeated images, until you find the one you want to vote for. It took me 26 minutes to find one of mine.
I don't know who thought this new method was a good idea. I want to know who was handling the mailing of the Photo5 boxes? And who thought the constantly shifting images when you try to even view them was a good thing? So much fail.
Anyhooo, here are my CanonEOS Photo5 2013 Entries
Open Brief - Reflections - Matter/Anti Matter
Brief #2 Flour - Evolution to Bread
Brief #3 - Jelly (Jello) - Bugles, Bangles and Beads
Brief #4 Cartoon Eyes - Mr Coffee and Family
Brief #5 - Stencil - "The Confessional"