St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

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lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

Blue Sun?

tljensen Loc: SE Iowa

It's the one with the tree and the sunset behind it! LOL (WHICH ONE?!?!) :roll:

Thanks, Racmanaz! 8-)

Racmanaz Loc: Sunny Tucson!

Awww well shucks ma'am, you are welcome :)

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

I limit myself to 4. I go through and pick ones that the thumb nail that I think the composition is good on. Then I vote for ALL the ones I like from those. Then I go to my list that I voted on and pick the top 4 of those. It was a tough one this time but I did get it down to 4. :)

Nosaj Loc: Sarasota, Florida

I hear ya! These photo contests need to be better monitored. I've seen images submitted in many contests that just don't belong (and should not) for a variety of reasons: obvious heavy HDR, extensive "post-processing," picture of a picture, irrelevant subject matter, all of the above, etc. Perhaps there should be a separate series of contests for images taken with software applicatons (instead of a camera)!

ifurnish Loc: Katy, TX

I only voted for one photo - yours!!! Love it!

KJ Smith Loc: Kansas City

I agree with you both! Those pictures were fantastic! I'm thinking I'm now good enough to maybe enter some of these contests -- boy, am I wrong! It does, however, give me a greater goal so there's nothing wrong with that! All those pictures were absolutely beautiful! That'll be me one day!

tljensen Loc: SE Iowa

Hi KJ. I joined the group very recently and am a newbie compared to these fine, awesome folks, but I started with the contests my first week and look forward to every challenge. I'd jump right in if I were you! My last one got a whopping zero votes, but I was happy because it was practically at the top of the zeros. ;)
I've noticed, perhaps wrongly, that the winners mainly come from the "top of the stack", meaning most people make their vote by the time they've scrolled through the first 50-100, which is understandable. When there are 239 photos, by average, that will be the way the ball bounces. I never get mine entered until there are already more than 175, basically expecting to nab zero votes, but it's still a fun way to have your photo seen without always starting a new thread and it's fun to think about the challenge.
I, too, have noticed plenty of photos that don't belong at all if the rules are to be taken seriously, but this isn't a national contest for prizes and a pretty laid back group in general. I've come to overlook the "HEY!" feeling I'd get when I saw them and am just be glad to be hanging around all these nice peeps who love photography as much as I do.

Enter the next one for sure! :thumbup:

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Hey tljensen, I love your attitude and thank you for your comments. You are right of course, you should jump right in. Like the start page says this should be more about challenging yourself than worrying about others. It is sort of like jogging when you start out. You may be slow, but eventually you will get better. Along the way you may even find a partner that helps you cross the finish line before the clock runs out. Not the best analogy, but the point is you can't win if you don't try.

As for the number of entries, that is a hard one. ADMIN would like to keep it to 150, but that means I turn away 100 people to make it easier to vote...

And as you and others have mentioned I do allow some entries to slip through the cracks that maybe shouldn't be there. I pull a lot too, but what matters is I hear the complaints.

The first year I did this it was really about getting everyone to participate and have fun with it leaving the rules a little lax. The main reason was I saw over and over the ones who violated the rules were new users or those who do not participate on the forum very much. I did not want to turn them away because they missed something so I left them although I am picky on the Untitleds. (URG)

Lately though it has been thread after thread about how this photo doesn't belong, etc. and always after the judging starts. (If you see something you don't like PM me before voting starts and I will evaluate it). SO...this year I have begun to be more strict with the entries and have been challenging the ones I feel do not qualify. I removed ten or so this round and will be more aggressive with future challenges.

To be honest, I have a full-time consulting career, fly more than I am home, have a son and am trying to get my girlfriend to marry me (by being home) so I may miss a few, but like you said there are no prizes here so if you want my advice, Play On and Have Fun With It!

Thank you again and thank everyone for making this fun! Steve

tljensen Loc: SE Iowa

To your girlfriend: "Go for it!!! I know from being with my dear husband, once you find somebody who is very caring about OTHERS, he will be V-E-R-Y caring about his WIFE! There's no greater LIFE :)."

Thanks, Steve, for all your efforts to keep us happy. Cheers! :O)

Theresa

Bushpilot Loc: Minnesota

I noticed that too, plus some images that were obviously archival, (although it is just encouraged they be taken during the contest).
I must have misunderstood the the rules, I thought the subject was to be backlit, but many of the photos submitted were of sunsets, sunrises, or images where the lighting itself was the subject.

tljensen Loc: SE Iowa

I don't think YOU misunderstood the rules, I think others did. For the ones who got it, there were some great ones entered, and they were very appreciated! Personally, I scroll past the ones who ignore the rules.

gatega1958

As a good girl Norwegian Lutheran, I tend to follow rules more often than not. Sometimes I climb too far out on the limb and bend them substantially, but try not to utterly break them. I just wanted to say that since we have the chance to vote on what appeals to us within the contest, we either encourage further naughty behavior, or support the folks who are staying within the intent of the contest. I love that each week's contest gets me thinking about my environment differently, and therefore I'm okay with a certain amount of wiggle room...it keeps things interesting. And, as noted, there are some spectacular shots. And, to the issue of when to submit, I promise that I always look at each photograph even if there are hundreds.

tljensen Loc: SE Iowa

I like wiggle room, too. :) I'm talking about those that just have nothing at all to do with the challenge. I stop and look at them for a while scratching my head, trying to find what they might have been thinking, then scroll on by. Love your profile pic!