Billboard Phase 2 Predictions?

Here are predictions from me.

1) The jury will choose within images with 250 and more votes. There would be no additional rule changes.
2) There would be 2 or 3 images from painters and 3 or 2 images from photographers.
3) None of vertical images (from a pool of images with 250 and more votes) would be chosen.
4) None of political images (from a pool of images with 250 and more votes) would be chosen.
5) None of portrait images (from a pool of images with 250 and more votes) would be chosen.
6) None of black&white images (from a pool of images with 250 and more votes) would be chosen.
7) Among winners would be images which would fill up (a) a whole billboard and (b) just part of billboard.

8) None of scary or unhappy images (from a pool of images with 250 and more votes) would be chosen.

while i didn't see all the winners, i predict:

anything with an actors face will be removed.
anything that has disney or something like that, adios
anything that can't be printed as a normal poster, bye felicia
anything that is way too small, blurred or can't be enlarged to a bill board size without it looking bad, see ya

from there the battlefield will be smaller.

the image will have to be neutral, no politics or religion.
something easy on the eyes, not too confusing. it will be a simple looking image with some color.

my guess is, whatever is removed, there will probably be a small number to choose from.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

There are about 320 images that got the 250 votes. More than half, in my opinion, won't be considered for the reasons noted above by Yuri and Mike.

Along with what Mike and Yuri said, my opinion is that they will want bright, colorful images that quickly catch your eye. Cluttered images or ones that are too "busy" will not be chosen. They will want ones that leave open space for advertising (think book covers). They will also want images that might get people talking - "Did you see that billboard?"

I think one or two of my three images that qualified may be in the running. The third one, probably not as it fails the "too busy" criteria. Wish I had thought that out better before I submitted it.

Then again, we could be wrong. It will be fun to see what they choose.

i went with colorful and odd. i don't think i have anything simple, but i wanted generic. nothing that someone can say that i violated something. like shooting a building or something with a person in it.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

And the winners are: So that's round 1

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=leaderboard

I think that for round 1 winners were chosen just by biggest vote count and not taking into account billboard requirements. I may be wrong.

at this point the votes won't make any sense. from here they would have to remove things on how i listed them. there are some in high spots that i know for a fact won't print. they would have to remove things first.

at a glance i can see which ones will make the cut, and there are many that never will. i see specific faces, those will go. some of them would make the billboard confusing because of a statement. some have terrible crops. i do wonder if they will be told to fix that before its judged, or if they will just remove it.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

My prediction would be that the images chosen will have to be immediately recognizable as to what they are. Assuming these billboards are to be seen from cars going 60 miles an hour there can be no question of what you are looking at.

Now I am curious...I'll have to go look.

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=16040682

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=27511080

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=27669660

I don't think the billboards are going to be on the freeway. More likely in downtown retail areas, where the speed limit is 25mph. They try to not have too many distractions on the freeways because people go really fast (when it's possible) on those 6-8 lane freeways.

Joy if that's the case I might choose differently.

Val, you'd have to ask, but I would be very surprised if any of the billboards are going on the freeway. On a 6-8 lane, there really isn't anyplace for them except maybe on the two lanes furthest out. Traffic in L.A. is absolutely mind-numbing, every day, all the time. Theoretically, people could be looking at a billboard for 10+ minutes in some areas :)

Billboard images, probably, should have a universal appeal. Still there could be 1-2 images which are more appealing to male or female viewers.

As a trollish joke, I was about to predict that the winning image would be of a moonlit night, with a barn and the shuttle spacecraft.

Not only isn't that image submitted, the artist apparently isn't even one of us.

is this the first billboard contest the site has run?

Charlie,

I think that this the first billboard contest the site has run.

Next time we all will be much smarter :-)

Here are 5 from the winners (not voting for my own) that I believe would make good billboards. Note that none of the top 3 vote-getters is on my list.

https://pixels.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=20315405

https://pixels.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=21111175

https://pixels.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=27623951

https://pixels.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=27222995

https://pixels.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=26890399

And then, these two of mine I believe are solid contenders. But what do I know?

https://pixels.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=27332827

https://pixels.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=23068092

I think that Billboard project goals are to attract to FAA/Pixels (a) more viewers, (b) more buyers, and (c.) more sellers.

To attract more sellers - Most of winning images should be perceived by the audience as doable ones. With that an images with a crazy stuff, too exotic locations or animals, or done with non-average use of technique (like tripod) should be excluded.

Here are 5 from the winners (not voting for my own), which, I think, are appropriate for billboards.

Along with restrictions and requirements (discussed in this discussion thread) I was looking also for a diversification.

Painting, Landscape - https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=27651444

Digital Art, Cat, For women - https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=24917194

Photo, Conceptual, Patriotic - https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=21111175

Photo, Domestic animal - https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=27436423

Photo, Nature - https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=27222995


Also, my entry could be a contender as it covers areas not covered by the above five works - (Flowers, Still Life, For women - https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=17435029)


.

If you used a tripod your image should be eliminated?

According to the criteria listed by Mike and others above, which I pretty much agree with, my guess is that would be about 70-80% of the ones with 250 votes will not even be considered.

As far as technical aspects of the image, I would guess that the requirements for printing on FAA vs a Billboard are such that the people actually doing the Billboard, will be working with the artist to make sure they get the best quality image. I doubt they will just use the exact same file that is already uploaded to FAA. But I really don't know.

I sold an image one time that was going to on on the wall of a restaurant at a golf course. It was not quite billboard size but it was huge, well over 30 feet high and long. They had me send them all of the original files straight out of my camera and they tweaked it the way they wanted it, with my approval, of course. They did not pick the file I had uploaded to FAA even though that is where they saw the image and how they contacted me.

They never used the image because at the last minute the owner insisted that a picture that was taken by his wife be used!

The had already paid me and they did not ask for their money back so I didn't care other than losing the bragging rights! I was so much wanting to have my picture taken of me and my wife standing in front of that wall with my photo on it.

Correction to my choice of possible 5 winners.

Photo, Conceptual, Patriotic - https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest.html?tab=vote&artworkid=21111175 - That image is, probably, a no go because a flag reflection in drops is too small for viewers looking at it from distance.

Edward,

I don't know what are the jury guidelines. Therefore I'm guessing. If the jury desire to attract more sellers is as strong as to attract more buyers - than, I think, they will limit or exclude from 5 winners an images with a clear use of tripod.

I think that pictures with still water, waterfalls, etc (where a tripod use is obvious) among winners would be limited to 1 or 0 images.

I think art is so subjective, that I don't think that I can predict who will be the winners. My favorites (excluding my own) differ from some of the choices above. I do agree that anything that may turn off potential customers or could result in a lawsuit for using someone famous in an advertisement will be ruled out. The jurors will choose the images that they feel represent Pixels best in their billboard advertising campaign. After reading some of the comments ruling out certain images because their resolution is not high enough, I did some research to find out if my photographs would fall into that category. I was very surprised to learn that for billboards, the resolution required is less than you would think because they are being viewed from a distance. It will be interesting to see which five will be chosen. Of course, any of us will be thrilled it it happens to be our images. However, even if we aren't the lucky ones, we still are being rewarded for our efforts with canvases and t shirts.

Suzanne Luft said, "However, even if we aren't the lucky ones, we still are being rewarded for our efforts with canvases and t shirts. "

I agree! I very much liked and like the fact that the parameters of this contest did NOT pit us one against the other. There was no reason not to help someone else, no reason not to wish everyone else well. The "slate" was wiped clean once the voting deadline arrived, and everyone who managed to get to 250 votes is a winner.

About 20 years ago I was hired to photograph entrants for a contest run by a menswear chain. They invited so called "average guys" to come to a couple of stores and meet a sports figure, be photographed and the winner was to appear in an ad and win some other prizes.

I ended up getting a call to come back and shoot just 1 person at one of the stores. Apparently the store wasn't taking any chances and some of the contestants were actors brought in by various talent agencies. I only found out because one of them neglected to get his photo taken by me at the event he attended and he had been their first choice.

As a part of strategy to attract new sellers to FAA/Pixels the jury could also have a guideline to include into 5 winners one or more newcomers, which joined FAA specifically to participate in Billboard contest. The important fact is that top 3 images on Phase 1 of Billboard contest are from such newcomers.

10 out of top 15 (by vote counter) images from Phase 1 Billboard contest are from newcomers.

I think that you are overthinking this thing. No doubt the jury will be people with design and marketing skills and they will select the 5 images they think will have the greatest impact on the observing public and lead to the greatest number of sales. Factors such as whether or not a tripod was used are totally irrelevant. It is all about marketing.

May be. We will see.

After 5 winners will be announced - I will post in this thread a list of predictions which appear to hold.

Two days to go for final results in Billboard contest ...

Nicely said, Robert. Totally on track also

Well ... It could be a simple as to choose only images from the best selling on FAA categories ... and we don't know what those categories are :-)

Congratulations to five winners!

Now it is a good time to check if any of predictions (from many contributors in this thread) hold.

Here is a summary.

1) The jury will choose within images with 250 and more votes. There would be no additional rule changes. - Yes
2) There would be 2 or 3 images from painters and 3 or 2 images from photographers. - No (Not a single image from photographers)
3) None of vertical images (from a pool of images with 250 and more votes) would be chosen. - Yes
4) None of political images (from a pool of images with 250 and more votes) would be chosen. - Yes
5) None of portrait images (from a pool of images with 250 and more votes) would be chosen. - Yes
6) None of black&white images (from a pool of images with 250 and more votes) would be chosen. - Yes
7) Among winners would be images which would fill up (a) a whole billboard and (b) just part of billboard. - Yes
8) None of scary or unhappy images (from a pool of images with 250 and more votes) would be chosen. - Yes

anything with an actors face will be removed. - Yes
anything that has disney or something like that, adios - Yes
anything that can't be printed as a normal poster, bye felicia - Yes
anything that is way too small, blurred or can't be enlarged to a bill board size without it looking bad, - Yes
the image will have to be neutral, no politics or religion. - Yes
something [have to be] easy on the eyes, not too confusing. - Yes
it will be a simple looking image with some color. - Yes

they will want bright, colorful images that quickly catch your eye - Yes (But not all 5 winners are bright)
Cluttered images or ones that are too "busy" will not be chosen. - Yes
They will want ones that leave open space for advertising - No
They will also want images that might get people talking - "Did you see that billboard?" - Yes

My prediction would be that the images chosen will have to be immediately recognizable as to what they are. - Yes

Billboard images, probably, should have a universal appeal. - Yes
Still there could be 1-2 images which are more appealing to male or female viewers. - Yes

Most of winning images should be perceived by the audience as doable ones. - Yes (for painters and digital artists)
an images with a crazy stuff, too exotic locations or animals,
or done with non-average use of technique (like tripod) should be excluded. - Yes (for crazy stuff)
- No (For exotic animals); All photos were excluded

It could be as simple as to choose only images from the best selling on FAA categories ... - We don't know what those categories are

Specific predictions of winners did not hold.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I wonder if this summary is helpful for those who will want to participate in future Billboard contests (if there would be such ones)?