Feedback wanted for judges.

[Betty White]

God knows we aren't perfect judges, but we want to make your playing experience as fun, but educational as possible. We are looking to receive feedback on our judging squads - Both male and female cycles - in order for each of us to improve our judging.

You may post in this thread, or PM Taecyeon (or me) directly if you wish to remain anonymous, and we will forward your critique on to the other judges.

The critique may be on one judge (Taecyeon, Betty, David or Zach), or our team as a whole. Any if you have ideas you have to make Taecyeon's competition better, let her know.

So just to go through that.
Post here, or PM Taecyeon (or me if you feel comfortable), if you wish to remain anonymous, for your critique on our judging.

[Elijah Wood]

There are really only two basic criticisms that really get under my skin that I have overall because other than that I think ya'll are doing a bang up job!

1. "I don't see a model here." - This is probably the most irritating thing to see in a critique. By far. I feel like it's completely unhelpful because all models have a different way of expressing themselves, wither be through pose, expression, fashion, etc. So it's really unhelpful to me for someone to say I don't see a model because it's like saying "I don't see a particular model here."

2. "I wish this photo was stronger/more passionate/edgier/just had more." - I know, me too. Unfortunately, what I submit is really what I find is the most BAM! thing that I believe I could find and if I could make that photo more than what it was, I would totally do that. Unfortunately, again, I suck at photo shop and have really horrible photographic/celebrity contacts in order to ask that the photo be redone, so I do what I can. So saying "I wish this had more umph" is really doing nothing but discouraging me.


And that's all! Thanks for your time!

[Jensen Ackles]

I just go with the flow. Everyone has their opinions but the only ones that matter are the judges. If you like something you like it, if you don't, then you don't. Nothing anyone can do about it.
I personally hate that photoshopping is allowed, but that's your choice to allow it. Only because some people are great at it and some people suck at it lol
I just like my judges to be consistent. If a judge doesn't like something with one model it should be the same throughout the whole game. *shrugs*
Can't think of anything else lol It's your game and I just play for fun. Feel free to ask me to judge any time for either board though lol

[Ryan Kwanten]

I guess the most frustrating thing for me is:

1. When we actually find the theme we seem to be punished for not being model enough, and if we go too model we get punished for not doing the theme at all. For instance, Jensen's shot this week was totally Romance Cover from a model perspective, but he wasn't literal to the theme. When I did fire, I was told I was too literal to the theme and not model enough. There doesn't seem to be any consistency or how it works.

2. The only other things is that sometimes it is very clear that judges put no time or thought into their critiques, or sometimes just don't even show up for rounds and rounds - or worst yet submit a score/ranking for you but not even post in your journal.

[Betty White]

What I actually look for is a balance, if that makes sense. When it comes to theme vs modelling, that is. You can't have a bad modelling photo that fits perfect for the theme, and you can't have a good modelling photo that fits poorly for the theme. The best thing to do is find a happy-medium. And if you're unsure, just BS it in a description, if I may direct you to Here for an example. Good modelling photo, not so much on the theme part, but won the judges over with a convincing description. Does this make sense?

Also, to clear things up. "I don't see model." I understand where you're coming from. From me, it's more coming directly from a Tyra quote. There's the noun, and there's the verb. You need to look like the noun, while doing the verb. I don't see model could mean that's a bad angle, or it looks like a high school photo. Does that make sense?

Also photoshop - Don't use it to photoshop your head onto someone else's body. Use it to remove unwanted text, or enhance quality or colour. pixlr.com and GIMP are two free alternatives to photoshop. Or you could illegally download it.... GIMP, however, is basically poor man's photoshop. and works in a very similar way to photoshop.

[Zach McGowan]

Also Ryan... Judges do have lives outside of this game. Being a theater major i'm constantly working on shows. Sometimes i dont have time to criticize everyone's photos so i just send in rankings, they would still be the same rankings if i commented or not, so if someone is busy rankings do help.

[Jensen Ackles]

I understand your point Zach about being busy but with Ryan's comment, no critique means we can't learn for you. If you don't tell us what you hate and what you like, we have no way of ever improving in your eyes.

Betty, thank you for clearing up the photoshop issue. I thought that people were allowed to literally take like a studio shot and impose it onto the correct scene and whatnot, which IMO would be cheating. I have photoshop, but I'm more a blender/poster maker lol I don't know how to remove text without erasing it and the background lol

Also, your example of Gemma, while I get what you're saying, to us models, we don't get it, because you guys don't post explanations with the photos. So the other models are sitting here thinking WTF? Because we don't get to see the explanations to understand why it was so well received.

[Betty White]

Yes, don't get me wrong, I do play occasionally (As Gemma and Ayumi in female cycle, Zach Q in male cycle), and sometimes, especially when I was waiting through Cycle 6, I was just confused on their high placement. What really hit me hard in the female cycles was bias. One or two judges showed their bias towards other players, and to me. This happened both times I played in female, and it will happen again when I play next (Which is the main reason I judge over compete. Also because I have a lot of knowledge on fashion and modelling), in fact it's happening in females right now (pretty sure you all know who). But anyway, I digress..

In the end, though, the boards are all unlocked, so you can see what the others said in their descriptions and such. In the end, you not only need to post a good picture, you also need to sell it. As long as you sell it, and the judges are convinced, who cares what your competitors think? If you see a picture and think "That didn't fit the theme very well, why was it placed so high?" Just put it down to they have a good description.

When it comes to descriptions, my advice would be to research and experiment. Put yourself in a judges shoes and this "Would this convince me that this photo is worthy?" If you notice when I play, I always write a description. Whether it be my thoughts on the photo, how it connects to the theme, or how I came to choosing the photo.

Just remember, we judge only on what is in your judging threads, and the main panel thread. That includes descriptions. However, if you write a bad description, you won't be penalised for it.

Also, there's a few great tutorials on youtube for changing colours, and removing text in photoshop. Check them out.