Dave I don't think you saw this in the other thread

I replied to one of the threads about the photo contest, but since I never got a response from you or Terry, I thought I'd repeat it here (along with 2 subsequent and relevent posts).

Thanks!

-Julie

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salvia_lover
Modi'in (Israel)
Nov 4, 2004
7:06 PM

Dave, can I make a few requests for next year's photo contest? I think that there should be an enhancement of the categories.

A) I really think there should be a separate spider category within the butterfly/bee/bird/bug contest.

B) I also think that birds should be separate from butterfly/bee/bug/spider. I mean, at least in very vague common speech, many people lump the other four together as "bugs" or "insects". No one can say that of birds.

C) I also really protest that wildlife gets crammed in with misc. So many people posted their wonderful wildlife shots in the butterfly/bee/bird/bug category not knowing where to put them. I'd have voted for some of them without a doubt if I could have. But I can't very well vote for a lizard in the best bee category. There definitely should be a separate wildlife category.

Thanks for considering this :-)

-Julie

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langbr
Olathe, KS
Zone 6a
Nov 5, 2004
4:08 AM

I'd like to see a Vines/Climbers in lieu of Morning Glory individually, but then again I'm not a MG grower but do grow clematis. :-D

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Magpye
Deer, AR
Zone 6a
Nov 5, 2004
2:46 PM

Julie ..

I totally agree ...
Some excellent wording there!

For the limited choices 'allowed' .. placed a most significantly horrific and unfair prejudice on every one of the members!

The limitations placed even within the Miscellaneous catagory .. sure seems that it could have been expanded upon.
Wildlife does indeed need to have its own category. With some sub-division attributed to, such as .. best domestic pet pic, best wild animal pic, and perhaps a best overall option. Gosh doggit, even a distinction between best small crawly critter and larger walking critter is some ideas that fall right off the top of my head ... Anything to lend somewhat of clearer distinction within its vast realm.

Yes, no doubt .. this is merely a wonderful lil opportunity for any of our pics that any of us have submitted, to be judged by our DG peers. However .. it still needs/ed to be enable rendering somewhat proper clarification!

Just as Julie has explained in her prior post - I too, would certainly prefer to be able to give some of these beautiful photos an opportunity of the most fair and equitable judgement. And it is obviously not feasibe, with the current subdivised options!!

Dave and administrators .. I hope that you will give this greater consideration for any continuing photo contests.

- Magpye

That'll be Dave's call. I know we batted around some ideas when this year's contest began, and I'm sure Dave will be open to tweaks when contest time comes around again next year ;o)

My only concern about expanding the miscellaneous category is that it can detract from a garden photo contest to have a slew of animal/pets/insects/arachnids categories. We get some gorgeous photos of those things, but I'd like to see the focus remain on garden categories. The "rub" comes in when we try to balance the need for specific categories against people's willingness to trudge through dozens of categories to cast their ballots ;o)

When I first learned of the contest, I did check it out and I think it is a neat idea. I have only voted thus far in some of the smaller categories though because wading through a thread with a hundred entries and clicking to open each thumbnail is very time consuming, not to mention by the time I get towards the end of it, I've forgotten what I have already looked at. From that standpoint I think having more categories (e.g. breaking down the miscellaneous more even if it is not garden related), would be better than fewer categories but with dozens and hundreds of photos in each category. That way, those interested in wildlife photography could go to those specific categories and those more interested in specific garden categories could spend their time on those. I think over all, it would give all the categories better visibility and better considered judging from those voting in any given category. Alternately, if the focus is to remain on garden photography than perhaps the instructions should just state that non-garden photographs will not be included or that only first however many submitted will be included.