Announcing the 5th annual DG Photo Contest!

UF means 'unusual form'. Spiders have a set ratio to determine their status....anything that does not fall into the spider guidelines is termed UF. They are similar, but not that same.
I'm no daylily expert, but have lurked enough to give this basic description...anyone else with more advanced knowlege, feel free to elaborate...(or correct me)

How long is the judging open? I think it may take me a while to go through all the great shots posted!

Thanks so much Melody - now back to the contest :)

Stacy - it took me three days. I'd go back and forth, up and down and then, often, return to the same subject matter to check again. I'd do it for about two to three hours at a time.

I'm still reviewing my choices.

Dave, please have an entire snow category next year.
Best view
Best tree
Best plant
Best Garden Art
Best snowy pet photo

It would be a fair trade off to those of us not living in the desert and not capable of growing those beautiful cacti.

Some of the photos just grabbed me, so it was difficult to decide if I was attracted to the quality of the photo or the subject matter. I guess part of photography is the ability to chose a subject that will grab the viewer.

Am I correct to consider colorful moths as butterflies, or are they bugs?
Andy P

I had the same problem with catepillars... are they an almost butterfly, a bug??

I believe moths and caterpillars are in the butterfly class: lepidoptra. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Hi guys ...

Tis surely mind bogglin’ to sit, view, sift, and pilfer through soooo many wonderful photo images!! I’m not too sure that I’ll be able to tackle viewing all of them in every category. Should I fail to do so .. it will most assuredly be my horrific loss, no doubt!
( .. Ohhh, perish the thought .. )

Most everyone should proudly wear a badge of honor along with a rather lip-curling grand ol smile of accomplishment - - - no matter whom may accumulate the voted recognitions in each of the categories.

ALL that I’ve viewed thus far .. display some truly great and admirably varied shots!! I ‘heartily’ applaud EVERYONE !!

I too, would like to suggest some changes for future ‘fun & friendly’ photo contests:

(1) The removal of the page header when 'clicking' to view the individual submissions in FULL SIZE .. which would provide relatively uninterrupted viewing of each of the photos! Frankly, the removal of the page header would be most beneficial when viewing all photos in the forums ... with exception given to PlantFiles, etc.

(2) Am certainly hoping that one day, young master Dave will be able to implement the removal of all capability of disclosing the user name of the entry submitter - but, naturally, ‘ear-marked’ in some special way that such is accessible only to vital DG administration. Of course, there have been several folks that have posted their user names in their respective photo 'descriptions' …

(3) Also .. that all categories and all respective sub-categories (for voting) .. be fully discussed, decided upon, and arranged .. long prior to the 'opening' of the contest. With no submissions allowed/accepted - until the preparation and presentation of categories is decided and finalized. Such, may would aid in avoiding some confusion …

(4) While I'm in such a strong 'suggestive' mode ….
I, for one .. would certainly be most thrilled to see some 'friendly competition' .. associated specifically to the graphics, illustrations and designs .. that are found on many of the seed packets used!!! If such could not be implemented within the ‘photo’ contest - perhaps, a separate contest -?- With the submitter of the 'winning illustration/graphic' bestowed a grand honor that I'm sure the young webmaster and his cohorts could easily formulate.

Once more .. I heartily applaud all of you on your photo entries !!! Ahhh, truly such d’lishus eye candy that I am most pleasurably feastin’ upon …

- Magpye

I also need to know when voting closes... this thread is so long now, I don't have time to sift it for that info, and hope to get through some entries, too! :)

Sarah

Dave said at least two weeks, perhaps longer.

Thanks :)

Just my two cents for what it is worth...There has to be a faster way to look through soo many photos! I have spent hours so far. I am fortunate to have hours to spend, but think about those who don't!

Dave...Do you think that for next year we could come up with a faster way to view and vote. I for one don't want to miss viewing even one photo, but with the format it is on now....and with it being just before the holidays...and don't know if I am going to beable to make it!

Another suggestion....maybe having the voting in the quieter months of Jan. and Feb. when many are snowed or rained in and are looking for something pleasant to keep there minds and hands busy when they cannot garden outdoors!

BTW....Here is a link to an on-going photo contest...maybe the way they do it could help with planning for a change in format... http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGall2.asp?catID=560
This is a really nice photo site for anyone interested in photography!

Thank you for listening!

Margie

Pirl, Are you saying that that 'lovely' Tomato Hornworm in BBB&B should be judged as a butterfly?
Margie has a good idea, the judging should be held in January or February.
I'm very happy with the way it is now, but seeing this is such an open discussion I thought I'd put my 2 cents in.
Andy P

Yes, i too would be happy to have the judging in Jan. or Feb. Better than looking at catalogs. DonnaS

If we could have them set up w/ a next photo link it would help..
My computer and connections a very fast so for me it's not a problem.
I can see where w/ dial-up or a slow connection looking thru hundreds of photos could be a long process.

Someone above mentioned a photo grabbing them.
If for whatever reason it grabs you it's done it (and the photographers) job.
Subject, skills, luck, whatever, it's a winner.
You can pick several winners in every category.
Try to picking the better ones not the best one.

It's a fun contest.
Don't try to over think it.

Ric

I'm with picture lady above in my sentiments. I've got dial-up, only 70 hours a month and I'm definitely not going to be able to view all the pictures in the enlarged format. Maybe I'll see if I can grab them and copy them to my computer to view off-line.

Ann

My PC is so slow that I cannot view, and judge when I am timed out.

I have reluctantly decided that I will have to leave it to others to vote.
I tried opening one category, closing the internet connection and saving the individual pictures, numbering and naming them carefully so as to keep them in order. but they are so pixellated that I cannot successfully view them in any of the photo programs I have on my computer. I can look at the thumbnails, but cannot see them clearly enough to make a decision, and as carrjohn said above, my Internet is simply too slow to open each one to a higher res.

So, I'll view, but not vote.

Ann

I must say that even when you internet is fast, it just takes a lot of time.
I don't think I will be able to check all the categories, but i have voted on ten of the categories and the pictures are amazing, very hard decitions to make, so I voted for a few pictures in each, because I thought they are all great.
Josephine.

If they could load in pages of 20 thumbnails, it might help - especially if the checkmarks on the previous pages are remembered as the voter progresses through the choices.

So when is the contest over and how will we know who wins?

Dave said he would everyone plenty of time to judge and I'm sure he will announce the winners here or over in the judging thread.

I have very fast internet and my frustration comes from the fact that I keep getting kicked out and back to the contest page before I finish a group. Then I'm not sure if my votes were counted or not. So I started checking the "register votes" after every 20 or 30 pictures, but then if I get kicked out, do those count twice? Also I think we need more definition on the pictures themselves. In the roses for instance, what if you don't know if it's an old rose, a shrub or a tea rose? And where do you count the minis? I'm continuing to plug along through the categories, but can only get one per day completed. The miscellaneous category is going to take a week. I'm loving all the pictures and have a hard time deciding who should be voted best overall, because so many are so good. I think you got more entries than you expected, didn't you? All in all, I'm loving the contest, but didn't expect to have to spend so much time just getting to each picture.

Diane

You can register your votes at any point...and change them at any point. The final vote count will only be official when the contest ends.

Has Dave set a date for the contest to end? I maybe missing where he has stated so. TIA

Let's say I am in the Daylily category and I get through the first half of the pictures before I have to get off the computer. I submit those votes I checked for the first half. The next day I go through the second half and check off the ones I am voting for. I then register those votes. Does the contest look at the second day's votes and say "Hmmmm. Apparently she has changed her mind. Today she isn't choosing anything from the first half since all those boxes are blank. So I will erase all those checkmarks she submitted yesterday and just count the ones she chose today, which are all in the second half of the list." (Don't laugh; I think Dave is perfectly capable of writing a program that talks to itself. LOL) Or does it keep the first day's submission and add subsequent submissions to them?

I was just wondering the same thing......
Thanks for posting that!
Ric

Hi,
just to clarify your above question NoH2O, the way I see it is whenever you go back and check boxes, or uncheck previously checked boxes, and then register this, then that new registration will be the new voting.

If a box was previously checked and remained checked, then that would remain.

If a box was previously unchecked and you checked it, then that would register a new vote.

If a box was previously checked, and you UNchecked it, then that would be taken OUT of the voting.

If I am wrong here please anyone correct me, for I see no other way it can work!

I am wondering about the people who can't complete the whole category before being timed out or closed out of the contest before they finish judging. If they go back in and try to vote in segments so they don't get timed out, it changes all their previous attempts. I had been getting closed out because of 'virtual memory low' problems. I think I have solved that problem but I won't know for sure until I try voting in the really large categories. Some of the huge categories may take hours to review and vote. If it can be done in segments that would really help. However if only the latest submission in a category is counted and all previous submissions to that category are erased, people may not realize their votes are not getting registered as they had intended.

I see your point, but I think if you do a single category in segments, as long as the previously ticked boxes are not changed, and I have checked they do remain ticked, then no problem. If this for any reason changes the selections, i.e. they are not still ticked when you go back, because of being timed out, then yes there could be a problem.

I am lucky to have got a new more powerful Dell computer a few months ago, and don't have broadband, but unless there is a download or upload that doesn't matter as I have HT Pentium4, 3GB processor, and broadband at the lowest level increases download speed by up to 10x, highest to 40x. Otherwise it is quite quick, the new SATA as opposed to the eide connection, and dual channel 512MB RAM also helps.

The traffic has increased so much in the last year my old computer just wouldn't have worked at all! I figured it was better to spend money on a good computer rather than broadband, which here the lower level is now only £17.99 a month. I wonder how many people know that if on AOL there is a 12 month commitment plan for unlimited access, for £12.99 a month here as opposed to the standard £15.99 a month. It's even cheaper than if you pay 12 months in advance! I found it by looking at the 'less popular options' at the bottom of the 'popular options'.

The only other suggestion I can make is to develop a selective eye for the ones you think are worth looking at, and only enlarge those. I know it is tempting to get a better look at all, but if it can't be done in the first place then do the selective bit first, and if still have time then go back and look at a few others.

Hi Wallaby1,

Do you mean if you work through a category in segments, checking boxes in each segment as you go but not registering the votes, the boxes will stay checked until you finally submit the votes, even if you leave the photo contest and come back later? That would certainly help. I was trying to submit the votes as I completed a segment but when I opened it up again later all the votes were gone. Duh!

I haven't been timed out, Mine are still there when I return, but AFTER submitting the vote. If you just did a couple and submitted them, they should still be there, and can continue to do more voting further down, adding to the voting by submitting them. Each time you submit more they should just be added or deleted by unchecking, whichever you decide.

I hope this is clearer, it is easy to scroll to the bottom in a hurry by putting the pointer above the arrow at the side, in the blank bit. It may be quicker to do that than lose your votes and have to start over.

I went back to the categories where I had already voted and you are right, the checkmarks are still there. Thank you so much for that clarification. I have been avoiding doing the categories with really large entries; it is good to know I can do it them in segments and not mess up my votes.

If I understand even a little bit of what I read from the last few posts, because I live in an area that I cannot get DSL or any of the other fast internet connections, then I could never cast a vote that counts. I guess when I vote I am supposed to take for granted that it was counted. I really doubt it . Because most of the time I have been timed out!!! John

John,
have you tried just voting 1 or 2 at a time, scrolling quickly to the bottom and registering them? If you do that you won't lose them. Your votes will be counted only if the box remained checked, and registered before you were timed out.

really the way I comprehend the contest is that if you live in an area that willnot accept your photos as they are taken , ie you have to decrease the quality for your photo to be published, then how can one that lives so far out, but, pays the same dues, compete with one that has the avalliabilty of DSL,Cable ect. Just a question. John

I hope I have not been taken wrong. I have never been one to complain about anything. But I have never been more frusterated. I love this site of DG and I want to do the right thing.

John, they all show up at 72 dpi, computer screen resolution, regardless of the quality in the original photo.

darius, thanks, I really thought I had a disadvantage. Thank you again. I am very very new Thank you thank thank you John