Help me with making the calendar

I'm starting to put together the calendar, and I need some help figuring out which pictures should go with which month.

I have 14 photos to use. One for the front cover, one for the back cover, and one for each month.

Could you all go check out the first place winner in each of the categories, and make some suggestions about which ones should go with which page of the calendar? I could work it out myself but if I think we put our heads together we can make it better than I could on my own.

dave

The Bluejay (wildlife) definately is an autumn pic so that ones easy and so do the pumpkins---perfect one for November. Man, but then there is the trees and shrubs winner with all it's beautiful autumn colors.

The perennial pic says HOT summer!

I changed my mind. I think the perennial winner should be the cover. Being "Dave's GARDEN" a flower pic would be suitable for the cover and that one just pops. Course...then people are hanging the calendars up and not enjoying that pic for a whole month.

Hmmm....

This message was edited Nov 20, 2007 11:44 AM

tombaak: "Fall's Bounty" in Fruits and Vegs.
I think that is a perfect photo for October

well, of course the snow fall would fit January for me.

To help us keep them straight, here are the photos we're selecting from, correct?

Domestic pets (DebinSC's scottie dog): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=273
Insects (blue_eyes' butterfly on rudbeckia): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=274
Wildlife (Candy's bluejay): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=275
Bulbs (boojum's Canada Lilies): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=276
Annuals (DebinSC's under a zinnia): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=277
Perennials (tombaak's Peony Sword Dance): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=278
Roses (luvsgtdanes' "a good morning"): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=279
Fruits & Vegetables (tombaak's fall bounty): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=280
Scenic (SongsofJoy's bristlecone pine): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=281
Trees & Shrubs: (gardenguykin's blazing fall): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=282
Containers (kell's "going for a ride"): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=283
Garden landscapes (SongsofJoy's watergarden): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=284
Tropicals (dave67's hibiscus): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=285
Miscellaneous (gardenguykin's fungi): http://davesgarden.com/contest/2007/winners.php?catid=286

My first thought was that my favorite, Kin's fungi, should be on the cover, then I read Tir_Na_Nog's comment about not getting to look at it for a month...

Dave, I so don't envy your position!

We're selecting all 14 Calendar photo's from just the 1st place winners, is that correct?

That's my understanding - see my post with the links if you need to jog your memory on the first place images in any category.

So difficult to choose but here are my choices:

Front Cover:Bulbs - boonjums "Canada Lilies"

January: Misc. - Gardenguykin "Fungi"
February:Scenic - Songsofjoy "Bristlecone Pine"
March: Insects - Blueeyes "Butterfly on Rudbeckia"
April: Pets - Debinsc "Scotty Dog"
May: Roses - luvsgrtdanes "A Good Morning"
June: Containers - Kell "Going for a Ride"
July: Tropicals - Dave67 "Hibiscus"
August: Garden Landscapes - Songsofjoy "Water Garden"
September: Wildlife - Candy "Blue Jay in Tree"
October: Trees & Shrubs - Gardenguykin "Blazing Fall"
November: Fruits & Veggies - Tombaak "Garden Bounty"
December: Annuals - Debinsc "Under Zinnia"

Back Cover: Perrennials - Tombaak "Peony Sword Dance"


That's my final answer.

This is difficult since some are obviously seasonal pictures but not all seasons are equally portrayed in the 14 we have as winners. Also, as a global community, our seasons are different depending on our locations. So I gave it my best shot and this is the best I could come up with.

Front ... Perennials
Jan. ... Misc.
Feb. ... Tropicals & House plants
Mar. ... Garden Landscapes
Apr. ... Containers
May ... Roses
June ... Bulbs & Corms
July ... Scenic, Seasonal & Sunsets
Aug ... Insects
Sept ... Wildlife
Oct. ... Trees & Shrubs
Nov. ... Fruit & Veg.
Dec. ... Domestic Pets
Back ... Annuals

Some fit my personal impression of season and some reflect the opposite of what I expect for that season just to remind myself of bright colors and that it is always summer somewhere!

It's a shame we can't have Two Calendars! LOL .... There were so many really wonderful photo's to choose from! I would love to have some of them to frame!

Next year I would like to see the photo contest catagories changed or a seperate contest for just a calander so the entries would be the best picture chosen to represent the months. That way each month on the calander would reflect the feeling of the season.

January might end up with a great photo of Flowering tropicals with a caption of January in ___________ by _________
And July might end up a picture of a snow capped mountain July in _________ by________

It might not be January or July looking to my area but it would represent our diversity.

I like that idea!

Ok,
I feel another contest coming on! Vote for the order of the 14 winning Calendar pics! 3 day voting timeframe should be enough. Also, the front and back covers are usually given the place of highest honor, so no matter what else gets placed the two with the higest number of votes could go on the cover. Just a thought?

Other than the obviously seasonal fall ones, I don't think it matters what month they get assigned. For the fall ones, my opinion would be:

September - Blue Jays
October - Blazing Fall Color
November - Fall's Bounty

Now if we could photo shop the one of the scottie dog on the bridge by putting a santa hat on him and adding the caption "Over the river and through the woods, to Gramma's house I go..." it would be the perfect December photo. :)

Bravo!

Oh, I LOVE that idea Joan! That would be the cutest photo and perfect for December .... I can just see that little Scotty dog in a Santa hat - Perfect Caption too!!

OK this is how I see it:
(I don't know how this is going to make it easier for you Dave!! LOL)

Jan-Miscellaneous (gardenguykin's fungi)
Feb-Garden landscapes (SongsofJoy's watergarden)
Mar-Bulbs (boojum's Canada Lilies)
April-Insects (blue_eyes' butterfly on rudbeckia)
May-Annuals (DebinSC's under a zinnia)
June-Roses (luvsgtdanes' "a good morning")
July-Containers (kell's "going for a ride")
Aug-Domestic pets (DebinSC's scottie dog)
Sept-Fruits & Vegetables (tombaak's fall bounty)
Oct-Trees & Shrubs: (gardenguykin's blazing fall)
Nov-Scenic (SongsofJoy's bristlecone pine)
Dec-Wildlife (Candy's bluejay)
Front-Tropicals (dave67's hibiscus)
Back-Perennials (tombaak's Peony Sword Dance)


This message was edited Nov 20, 2007 9:48 PM

This message was edited Nov 20, 2007 9:50 PM

I thought that utilizing Photo Shop to "enhance" the pictures for the contest was a "no-no". So, I don't think it would be a good idea to start enhancing or changing the pictures for the calendar.

I think that a judging for the placement of the pictures in the calendar is a good idea. However, instead of utilizing the voting booth, I would place the judging on DG's cover page and link it to everyone's d-mail. That way it would be seen by the largest viewing audience and in return receive in put from the majority of DG subscribers.

Shirley, I know we can't enhance the photo. That was just a thought that came to me when I was pondering which photos for which months.

I knew it too ... I just meant that I thought it would be a really cute photo and caption.

It's interesting that none of the winter scenes made top choice. I was looking for some to choose for Dec and Jan. Oh well.....here's my votes.

Front ... Tropicals
Jan. ... Scenic
Feb. ... Misc
Mar. ... Garden Landscapes
Apr. ... Roses
May ... Bulbs
June ... Insects
July ... Containers
Aug ... Perennials
Sept ... Trees
Oct. ... Fruit and Veg
Nov. ... Wildlife.
Dec. ... Domestic Pets
Back ... Annuals

Dave, I too don't think we are going to make it easier for you, altho some photos seem obviously to fit certain months. I look forward to being able to obtain several calenders.''

Here are my choices:

Front cover, Daves67---hibiscus
Jan. tombaaks--peony sword dancer
Feb.--Songs of Joy--Bristlecone pine
Mar.--kell's --going for a ride
Apr. DebinSC--Under a zinnia
May blue_eyes--butterlfly on rudbeckia
June. luv'sgtdanes--A good morning
July. Songs of Joy--water garden
Aug. boojums--Canada Lilies
Sept. tombaak's fall bounty
Oct. gardenguys--blazing fall
Nov. garden guys--fungi
Dec. Candy's --blue jay
back cover DebinSC Scottie Dog

Donna

I think the only really tough decision is which pictures to put on the cover and back of the calendar. I don't think anyone would mind too much being on the cover, but the back doesn't often get looked at. I have seen a number of calendars that contain an extra month - either December of the previous year or the following January. What about adding this extra month and using the back to show a small image of all the photos instead?

Great idea Joy!!!

That is a great idea!

How about asking the winners which months they'd prefer?

Excellent idea; or if that would be too expensive w/ the thumbnails on the back maybe just a large logo of the site w/ some other information about all the sites.

That wonderful scottie dog photo needs a prime spot; not back cover,lol.

I agree the 13th month is a good idea, but it looks like it will add to the cost (I saw something that indicated it would add $4 to the price of the calendar)

I guess I'm kinda weird cause I always look at the back of the calendar too! I know a lot of calendars on the market nowadays show a small thumbnail print of each month's photo. I like the idea of a full size pic for the back. I always cut out and save pictures that I like from calendars. When my nieces and nephews were little they really liked making collages with the photo's.

Most of my wall-hanging art is calendar art. ;~} The one on the back would likely be more durable because it would probably be printed on a heavier stock.

I too save some of the lovely photos from calenders and expect to do same for this years great photo calender.

Donna

Alright! More "voting" on super pics for DG's calender. And in the end, whatever Dave finally decides on for the calender, I know it's going to be a great year with a lot of inspiration from a super photogenic calender!!!!
My choices would be as follows;

Front cover: Containers

Jan. Trees
Feb. Garden
March. Roses
April. Bulbs
May. Annuals
June. Pets
July. Perennials
Aug. Fruit
Sept. Insects
Oct. Wildlife
Nov. Misc
Dec. Scenic

The calendar is already posted for ordering. It looks great! http://www.zazzle.com/davesgarden*

Great job!

It looks wonderful!

It does look good! like the ability to order it in different sizes, too.

It's just about the most beautiful calendar I've ever seen!! Congratulations to all you winners. And to Dave...who made it all possible.