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:

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.



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

I hope you did not read my initial comments about seeing overly processed images as a complaint or criticism with how you were handling this contest St3v3M.
My main point was only that I was a bit surprised and I suppose disappointed that several contributors would disregard the stated rules.
These contests are only for fun and if a person wants to submit HDR or other heavily processed photos why not just wait for the next contest where such images are part of the theme? Why try to sneak some through now and hope you don't get DQ'd?
Just follow the rules like most everyone else who submitted a photo.
Maybe that's just my way of looking at it but again I'm not trying to criticize you on this at all St3. I know it's takes time and it's strictly volunteer work so job well done. :-)

I hope you did not read my initial comments about seeing overly processed images as a complaint or criticism with how you were handling this contest St3v3M.
My main point was only that I was a bit surprised and I suppose disappointed that several contributors would disregard the stated rules.
These contests are only for fun and if a person wants to submit HDR or other heavily processed photos why not just wait for the next contest where such images are part of the theme? Why try to sneak some through now and hope you don't get DQ'd?
Just follow the rules like most everyone else who submitted a photo.
Maybe that's just my way of looking at it but again I'm not trying to criticize you on this at all St3. I know it's takes time and it's strictly volunteer work so job well done. :-)

Swamp Gator, as much as I agree with you the fact of the mater is that some people will do anything to be number one. Whether in business, sports, school or even here at UHH just to name a few. I'm not saying it is right. All I'm saying it that is the way it is. Sayings like "Win at all cost" or "If your not winning, your not cheating" come to mind. Being a sports fan I probably notice it more there then any place else. They call it getting a edge. I call it something else.