8) Avoid obsession with minor imperfections

The "obsessive" judge has <very> different eye movements from the "lazy eye" judge in step 7. This judge appears to scan an image methodically, like the cathode ray tube in a TV.  He or she is searching for any hot spot, dust particle or other tiny irregularity that might " hopelessly mar" the photo.  Suddenly that little bright spot in the lower right becomes the center of attention, while an otherwise great main subject gets ignored.  Needless to say, the final score is obsessively lower as a result.  What usually strikes me with this approach is that if the judge hadn't pointed out such imperfections, I (and many others in the audience) would never have noticed them!  Or, at least, they wouldn't be such a nagging distraction.

                                                

The moral here is: A minor imperfection should not mean a major reduction in your final score!