• The shoot-in isn't a conventional competition. The first goal is entertainment, so there can be any number of winners.

• The shoot-in is 'rooted' in the usenet newsgroup rec.photo.equipment.35mm and was created by one of its former photographer participants, Ms. Lisa Horton in 2003.
  


• Anyone may be a participant, there is no entry form, no entry fee. A participant may submit three photos per mandate and may jump in at any time over the course of the round.

• Participants will endeavor to make a photo that is connected to the mandate. Interpretation, reaction, illustration, whatever. Connected.

• To fully participate in the shoot-in is to create a new photo to the mandate during the mandate period. If you're just too busy, or are on a budget, you're still welcome to post up to a few days late (administrators discretion) and of course invited to participate in the discussions at rec.photo.equipment.35mm whether you submit a photo or not.

Rounds and mandates

• At the beginning of a new round, mandator volunteers create mandates and send them to the administrator.

• The administrator announces new mandates at the beginning of the month. These are then published on r.p.e.35mm with subjects beginning with [SI] and on this page (To be updated)
  

• Submit a mandate suggestion here.

• Currently there is no mandate list ... so send in ideas.
• Overly abstract ideas have had a poor submission showing of late, so more concrete mandates are solicited.

• Photos are due to be turned in on the announced date in the turns list. Late entries are handled at the sole discretion of the administrator of the shoot-in images.
• Current cycle is monthly
  

• Any kind of still photography camera may be used (including digital). It is up to the photographer to scan and format the image for the SI.

• What's allowed? This is the hard part. Since we're focused on pictures here, extensive digital manipulation would probably not be looked upon with favor. Manipulations comparable to what those done in traditional photographic processes would be appropriate.

• Copyright: the photo shall be the intellectual property of the person sending the image to the SI.

• The photographer grants perpetual rights for display of the image wherever and whenever the SI is hosted.
• Intellectual property (IP) rights for the image remain the photographers or his assigns.
• The SI admin shall not sell or license images submitted to the SI.
• Where a photograph is in dispute with regards to IP, the owner should notify the SI admin, however the owner shall also contact www.pbase.com directly to request removal of the image.
  
• The current hosting location of the SI is www.pbase.com/shootin .
  

• As for content, this is not an "adult" specific newsgroup, PG-13 would be your guideline, more or less. The person who is currently hosting the images has final say on objectionable content.  Obscene, racist or expressly violent images (for example) will not be accepted.  The photog will be advised and he can of course submit other photos in their place.

• Images may be up to 1024 pixels wide and up to 800 pixels high.
  

• Image files should be saved to no more than 300kB.  JPG quality 6 to 8 is usually sufficient yielding images of about 150 - 200 kB.

• Image dimensions and file size will not be re-sized by the admin.  You will receive an e-mail to allow you to resubmit.

• Image submissions should follow the naming convention as follows:

• For an image taken specifically to fill the mandate, "XXX Firstname LastName.jpg" where XXX = a descriptor for the given mandate.

For instance, the Dereliction image file might be titled "DER Matt Clara.jpg" or "Dereliction Lisa Horton.jpg"

• When submitting an archived image (one shot at any time before the mandate was announced), then you should append "_old" to the file name.

For example, "DER Matt Clara_old.jpg"

• When you submit your photo, you are encouraged to add technical details about the shot (camera, lens, FL (zoom), aperture, shutter speed, film ISO, flash, tripod, etc.), as well as any brief comments about the shot. These will be added to the SI gallery.

• Okay! So where do I send my submissions?

• Submit your photos right here.
  

Posted images

• Once the photos are posted, discussion is encouraged. Explain your photo, react to or critique other photos, whatever.  It's supposed to be entertaining. (A suggestion for critiquing photos appears below).  Note that what commentors or critics post is their opinion so don't get too wrapped up in wet sheets if you don't like their opinion.  Reply with courtesy.  Don't reply to obvious (or not so obvious) trolls.

• Shoot-In related posts on the rec.photo.equipment.35mm (and other Usenet groups) should be prefixed [SI], including the brackets in the subject line. eg: "[SI] My Rock & Roll photo..."

• Posting of alternate shots (beyond the number allowed above) is encouraged for further discussion, however you must post these at the website of your choice and post the link at r.p.e.35mm. (Please use the prefix [SI] when you post SI comments). Avoid using tinylink and other URL length shorterners most people want an indication of what they're linking to. They should only be used if the link is really long.

• In some rounds the admin may post the images temporarily without the posters name.  This to encourage unbiased critique and allow photog guessing.  The photogs name will be added after a few days.
  

• Once again, these are rulz, which are similar to but different than rules. There is only one penalty for any transgressions, the reactions of your peers.

• That's it. We try it, keep what works and change what doesn't. No big deal, just for fun.

New turns lists: When it is time for a new turns list to be generated, the SI-pbase administrator (or his/her delegate) announces a call for mandators on the rec.photo.equipment.35mm newsgroup. He collects the names (via e-mail and/or the newsgroup) and conducts a random assignment**. He or she then publishes that list on the newsgroup.

Late entries to the mandator list are added to the end of the list in the order that they are received by the administrator for a reasonable period, at his or her discretion.

**The random assignment is by a method of the the admins choosing which at his/her discretion may be described on the newsgroup.

Critiquing photos

This is not part of the rulz, just something to consider.

One of the interesting aspects of the SI is the reaction of others. We all anticipate hearing good and not so good things about our photographic efforts. Honest criticism has value, but as anything of value it is not trivial to do. So please consider the following before making a critique:

• Simply saying "I don't like it" is not critique. Nor is simply saying "I like it".

• When criticizing a photo, consider and state its strong as well as its weak points.

• It is not all aesthetic and art.

• It is not all technical.

• It is not about whatever rules about photography you may be clinging to.

• Every photo is unique.

So do comment and critique the work of others remembering that you can only learn from their full, considered and honest critique, and likewise they can only learn from your full, considered and honest critique.

REV 2008.08.11 -AHB - Revised submission req't; allow more photos per mandate; re-host to aliasimages

REV 2007.04.26 -JLK - Sent up Round 7.

REV 2007.03.27 -JLK - Sent up end of Round 6.

REV 2006.09.03 -JLK- Toasted the bit about 35mm cameras.

REV 2006.02.19 -AHB- For round five (5) changed mandating rulz. Clarified other bits.

REV 2005.10.08 -AHB- Added a para regarding who may participate.

REV 2005.06.21 -AHB- Removed "AMDT" flags