Thank you all!
I was really surprised by my placements this year! I am humbled!
There were so many beautiful photos in the contest... I honestly never dreamed I would even place much less win a category.
I give God the thanks and glory for the talent, and for letting me share it.
Photo contest thoughts
Not knowing who was behind the lens, I voted for your Fuchsia, chilly Cardinal, and Phalaenopsis. Each one was equally breathtaking. Those were mentioned off the top of my head, so forgive me if you entered more. If you did, I probably voted for them too :)
I tend to avoid entries taken at public sites like Botanical Gardens and Parks. Most photos with people in them are a turn off. Blurred photos, those submitted out of category, and repeats from previous years are automatically skipped. That being said, there were so many awesome unique photos this year it was difficult to pick favorites. One stand out was that thundering White Horse. The landscape and Sun / Moon photos were the best ever to my eyes.
Congrats to all the Winners!
Karen thats wonderful!!!!!
No surprise to me re our Karen - LOVE her photography (humble sweet spirit award as well)!!!
Thank you all!
:o)
Hey everybody, Karen has started a new Bird thread for us here
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1288659/
This will keep me happy for the Winter! Thanks, Karen.
The picture that Coleup posted is the same sort of Blackberry Lily that John shared with some of you. The ones in Gita's photo are not the Blackberry Lily that I am accustomed to and I would think of it as most likely being of the Tiger Lily sort. I took a picture a few weeks ago of the stalk of one of our blackberry liles and will try to pot it later. It look identical to the one that Cole posted from Plant File. It looks identical to Blackberry.
Congratulations on the wins Karen. I didn't see the entries, but I am sure that you did some amazing work. Yes, thank God for such a wonderful talent. I am always in envy of those talented as you are.
Ruby
This was my second time voting. HUGE increase in photos and categories, HUGE increase in Overdosing by me, of course. I found myself totally overwhelmed by the amount. Could barely get through it, and I just jammed in my favorites without looking at all of the photos, honestly.
I was surprised to see non-home gardening entries, like parks and vacations and animals. I happen to be a horse lover, so this category is totally okay! But, dogs and cats? Come on now, isn't this Dave's GARDEN?
I feel strongly that there should be a set amount per category and filled by "First Come, FIrst Serve." It seemed most unfair to the voters to have such a deluge from which to choose!
Next time, if the set-up this year is what it is, I will abstain from voting. I don't know personally any of you, and so please do not take this position as anything other than my reaction to such overload.
My formula is simple:
--If you are off category----GONE! DAH! Read the title!!!
--IF you insist on sprinkling water on all your Roses--and then post-"after a morning shower"---Gone!
--If you have included your cute 3yr. old in the picture---GONE!
--If your pet is, obviously, posed in some way--NOT natural to that pet--GONE!
--If your hand is in the picture--GONE!
--If your focus is on a 2 acre lot--and the category item is a small part of it--GONE!
--If you have a nice photo, of a bloom, say--but it it not in the picture in its entirety--GONE!
--If your photo is out of focus--GONE!
--If it has obvious enhancements (photo-shopping--framing...outlining..etc.)--Gone!
--If you insist of posting macro, macro innards of a bloom--Gone!
OK. That's enough. I am sure there are others I cannot remember.
Gita
Gracye, I found myself getting cranky about some of the pictures too.
But since the prizes are pretty minor, and its not trying to be anything more than amateur (despite a number of wonderful pro quality entries, like our Karen's) I decided to chill out. I only viewed a few categories, and at that, I also did not take time to view every photo. I just picked out the best three of the first maybe half the entrants.
It's really truly about getting lots of clicks for the site I believe. If there are way too many pics to view and 'we' get tired of it and stop viewing, then it'll change.
Gita- . I have absolutely no quarrel with you having any of those rules for your voting. After all our vote is our opinion! I agree with every one of your rules, to some level or entirely.