# Is it a good idea to pre-release contest entry photos?



## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

Suppose you have a tank that you just did a contest photo shoot on. The next ADA entry is a year away and the next AGA is 4 months (I am refering to when the judges will all be through, not the entry dates). With all the dead time from now till then, DOES IT HURT OR HELP you to post photos of your tank ahead of time?

...there really is no "it does neither" because the very action has some sort of affect.

PLease consider this from the judges perspective since we all know that they too tend to read the forums which a photo may be posted on. If you have ever been a judge, please feel free to indicate this


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

I think preposting is fine, you have a good amount of time to work on your tank if things aren't look good. With the option for us to critique your tank, gives you more motivation to look better, thats the only way to go.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Is this "supposed" tank yours? I had to laugh at the "my friend has this tank" style of your writing Tony. 

I say to wait. If I were a judge I'd want to see all the tanks for the same amount of time to make the fairest decision possible.


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

well, when I first wrote that post, it said :

Suppose you have a tank (well, I have a tank, but this really applies to everyone) that you just did a contest photo shoot on.


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## gnatster (Mar 6, 2004)

3 replies and 2 votes at this time, odd. 

I would think if it's fairly unique that you sit on the photos. Why tip your hand when there is still plenty of time for others to copy it.


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

I would think it takes away from the "WOW" factor.


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

Pre-posting can surely be positive; people can help you improve something before you finally enter it into the contest.


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## antreasgr (Nov 28, 2004)

*.......*

i say post.whats the deal with the whole mystery??i agree with raul-7 you can redone something you havent seen before the contest.as for the wow i believe that if your tank is really nice and deserves to win the wow wont be necessary.and about copying the scape i think is very difficult for somebody to achieve the same result and i dont think sb will want to enter the same scape like you.i believe everybody have their own ideas.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I think it can only help you, for the reasons the others have said.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

I never understood the reason people hide their contest tanks. If you have a great layout in progress every step is interesting and every new stage is anticipated with more interest. I could even say that the beauty of a great layout is in the way it comes to the finished stage.

As I've mentioned before photographing a tank in progress helps a great deal to finely adjust the details. This is very subjective of course - what to adjust is up to the indivudual. Comments from other people can actually reassure your personal view.

--Nikolay


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

I'm generally hesitant to show my competition tanks pre-submission just to keep the judges from seeing it beforehand. It's easier for them to objectively judge a tank if they don't know whose it is. 

On the other hand, witholding the tank and info doesn't do anything to enhance the hobby. All in all, it's a balancing act and the hobby generally wins out in the end. 

Best,
Phil


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## Norbert Sabat (Jun 26, 2004)

Phil Edwards said:


> I'm generally hesitant to show my competition tanks pre-submission just to keep the judges from seeing it beforehand. It's easier for them to objectively judge a tank if they don't know whose it is.


I do the same . I show first stadium of layout but if i want start in contest i don't show final photo before contest is closed. I shot final photo of my 180l tank in december 2004 but i show it other people in end of april 2005.
In other (no contest) case i show as much of my work as possible  to help aquascapers.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

You can also still keep a photo journal to release later on after you've entered the contest so people can see how you got to that point. 

I didn't vote in the poll. Neither choice suits me. I vote that pre-posting MOSTLY hurts you.


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## SCMurphy (Jan 28, 2004)

'I have a friend' who almost never posts his tanks, he is 'getting them ready for a contest', but for some funny reason he never seems to actually enter the contests. I think that it might be a loss for everyone involved then.

I have no answer for the poll.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

I voted that it helps you, but I have reservations. I think if you really know what you're doing, and have a real good sense of design, it can hurt you because, as they say, something is only original once. OTOH, if you're like me, and dare I say, the majority of people on this board, you stand to benefit a lot from other's input. 

As I recall, when Hoftiezer won, he carried on quite a log on AB showing his step by step evolution of his prizewinning tank, and got a lot of input from members of AB.

My 2 cents worth.


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## S (Oct 1, 2004)

Phil Edwards said:


> It's easier for them to objectively judge a tank if they don't know whose it is.


My only problem with "pre-submission" is that, as I understand it, in a contest the judges are not supposed to know who's tank is who's. If tanks are posted before a contest it is quite possible that a judge will see it and obviously know who put it together.


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

SCMurphy said:


> 'I have a friend' who almost never posts his tanks, he is 'getting them ready for a contest', but for some funny reason he never seems to actually enter the contests.


Is he the one that uses soil under his gravel and grows amazing Cryptocorines? if yes, tell him to just do it!
Luis


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Hm come to think of it I'd like to hear from the people that believe that showing your tank can "HURT" you.

How exactly can that hurt? Maybe someone will see my tank as ugly and tell me so and hurt my feelings. If we overlook such a childish reason then what would be some other "painful" options?

--Nikolay


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## Fosty (Jun 6, 2004)

It can probably swing both ways. If I had a tank that I thought had a chance of winning, I wouldn't want to post pictures before a contest. But for the people (like me) who know that their tank isn't going to have a shot at winning, posting pictures can only help and it can really get some good suggestions. It can't hurt to post earlier if you are only entering the contest to get the judges opinions on your tank so you can improve it for next year (or am I the only one with this plan  ).


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