I Hate People

I have said it before (although maybe not here), but I hate people. Not everybody, and not all the time; but most people, and a good part of the time. People, in general, are idiots; and worse than that, self centered, self absorbed, self important idiots (I guess I can't claim to be any different, except, of course, that I really am that important).

On a slightly related subject, I have been looking over some web sites with photography contests of one sort or another, including http://www.monsterphoto.com (with a $10,000 grand prize), and http://www.jonessoda.com/gallery (where your picture could be features on the label of one of their sodas). On these sites, you can view the photos that others have submitted, and I am amazed at the absolute CRAP that most people are submitting. Here are my basic rules for a contest entry:

1) The picture should be PROPERLY EXPOSED(or improperly exposed in an interesting way)

2) The picture should be IN FOCUS(or, once again, out of focus in an interesting way)

3) The picture should not be of any of the following:
a) a dog
b) a cat
c) your kid eating something messy, or being what you assume is "cute" (trust me, no one else cares how cute you think your kid is. Besides, they will never be as cute as my kids, so just give it up.)
d) you taking a picture of yourself taking a picture in the mirror

4) The picture should not include a DATE STAMP (learn to use your camera's functions)

5) The picture should actually feature the thing you are photographing (a tiny buffalo in the middle of the picture surrounded by acres of grass is not interesting. Invest in a telephoto lens, or get closer.)

6) The picture should not include your finger over the lens (or any other unintended obstructions)

7) The picture should not feature a car (unless it is an old rusting car covered in overgrowth)

8) Just because a picture is in black and white does not make it good.

If you want to see what I mean about awful pictures, got to jonessoda.com and look for picture by Alana from Lacey, Washington. She has managed to put together a truly amazing collection of the absolute worst picture I have ever seen. Now to be fair, we all take bad pictures, but we don't enter them all into contests. She seems to have no ability to edit what she is posting. One or two of her pictures are fairly good, but they are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of CRAP she is throwing up on the site. If I were running the contest, I would disqualify all of her pictures for that very reason...