Theme for the January contest

[mogster]

OK. This is a thread to do a quick vote for the January theme.
Sorry for the late start - I sometimes do things a bit half way and

I had an earlier thread - duly hijacked from someone - where the option'ed choices were suggested.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=280x10846#10875

Feel free to discuss and build on the options, the more comments, the merrier ;-)

The options are from that thread + some of my own suggestions.

I'll close the vote on January 10th, we'll have a 10 day action time until 20th, then - when the month comes to a close, and people are so financially meager from the January bills that they have nothing better to do anyway - we'll keep DU enthralled with a steamin' week of three lead-up threads, and one Final Contest To Settle It All.

---- snip from Blue_In_AK's post -------

BASIC CONTEST/CHALLENGE RULES:

Only one entry per person. You need to post your entry in the submission thread started by the Host of a contest/challenge. Please be sure to include a "Title" for your photograph in the Subject line of your post. The submission thread is for photo entries only, no comments. The Host will usually start a separate thread just for comments.

Please try to keep your photograph entry no larger than 800 pixels in its longest dimension and under 200K in file size. If you need help posting a photograph or with image sizing just ask.

The winner of the contest agrees to host the next months contest (or recruit someone else to host the contest), and pick the next month's theme. Typically the winners have not been able to enter a photograph in the next contest. Be sure to read the following before you enter a photograph.

---- snip from Blue_In_AK's post -------

I'll put the copyright notice in the submmission thread.

The timeline is like this:
8. January: Vote on theme for contest
10. January: Start photographing
17. January: Two threads will be made for submissions/comments, to be closed the 20. January (30 submissions max)
20. January: Polls are made in three threads in the Lounge
25. January: Final thread is posted with the ten candidates
31. January: The Winner is Proclaimed by Me

If you have any suggestions/opinions regarding the timeline, feel free to discuss. But let's settle it by the 10th.

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Any of these would be quite challenging and fun

but I'm going to hold off voting until I see what other people are going for. (I know, I'm just a sheep.) Some caveats -- there's not too much moving water up here this time of year except for the big bodies of water, in which motion is hard to capture; what is a shadow portrait; and famous work of art? I ain't got no culture. :evilgrin:

[mogster]

2. Chop through the ice and

No I'm kidding :+

The shadow portrait is a portrait in shadows, or a portrait of a shadow - depends on how you see it ;-)
I ain't got culture either, but I've heard of Leonardo da Vichy. He painted the roof of the Sixtine Chapel, used sixstine years to finish it too, if what I hear is correct. That's pretty lousy by any modern standard! :spank:

:beer:

[NV Whino]

3. I voted for shadow portrait...

Which could go beyond just an animate object. Could be trees, flowers, rocks... whatever as long as the shadow adequately paints a portrait of the subject.

[Ms. Toad]

4. I voted for macro

I've spent days waiting for the sun to finally break through so that there was enough light to a decent macro shot of the gorgeous poinsettias in my office - I want a chance to show them off.
:D

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

5. I am macrobiotic here too

I figure that is something you can do anywhere, no matter your winter status.

[intheflow]

6. The May '05 contest was "Light & Shadow."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=280&topic_id=3628

That's just too close to the "Shadow Portrait" idea for me. Not that I wouldn't enter in another shadow-themed contest, I'm just sayin'...

I'm up for any of the other themes here. They're all good, challenging topics. :)

[Carla in Ca]

7. Macro photo?

Most of the pictures entered here are so professional. I am inspired by all of you, truly. I hope this is something I can do with a simple camera.
I don't get a lot of votes, but I sure love entering the contest. I use my camera more now, thanks to this group. :hi:

[RagingInMiami]

8. Don't be intimidated about joining the contest

It's all in fun anyway. Besides, if you win the contest then you'll be required to host the following month's contest.

[FM Arouet666]

9. Churches

Because I don't own a macro lens. But, judging from all the interest and great close up shots I have seen in this group I may invest in one real soon.

Great, I can see it now, my wife yelling at me because I am on the ground shooting a tarantula. I am beginning to like this hobby..... ;)

[regnaD kciN]

10. My fear about churches...

...is that the Lounge threads for the polls will deteriorate into flame wars pro/con religion.

(Also, on the one hand, it would seem fair that it not just be "churches," but any houses of worship -- synagogues, mosques, temples, etc. But, on the other hand, that could easily lead to voting on the basis, not of the quality of the image, but the voter's feelings about the particular religion being depicted.)

[Blue_In_AK]

11. I voted for churches anyway

just so I can go out and check out the (relatively) new Russian Orthodox church here which looks beautiful from the artist renderings I've seen on the internet. It's in a different part of town than I am, and I haven't been by it yet. Also, there's a very old Athabascan Russian Orthodox church out in Eklutna that has a very cool graveyard with spirit houses, that I've wanted to photograph. ... But these can wait, if everyone wants macro.

[GOPFighter]

12. I voted for churches even though I'm...

...a devout atheist! (go figure) Churches are great subjects and they're fun to shoot.

Even better, you can't use one of those fancy-shmancy macro lenses to shoot one!! :evilgrin:

[lakemonster11]

13. Sure you can.

You'd just be shooting a detail.

[Blue_In_AK]

14. About macro...

This just means something relatively close up, right? I mean, you don't have to be within an inch of whatever you're shooting. My closest lens says something like 1.5 feet.

[lakemonster11]

15. For our purposes, I would say yeah - anything close up.

[GOPFighter]

16. Good point

If macro is the theme, we probably need to define where wide angle ends and macro begins. On my camera the macro setting is used for photos like this:




(This daggone fly has been on our windowsill for months! I'll have to speak to the maid...)

[Blue_In_AK]

17. It reminds me of a practice photo I was taking last night

of my desk lamp. Jesus Christ, do I ever need to dust in here!

[Rabrrrrrr]

18. Anything but macro. That should be it's own category, since it needs

special equipment.

The photo contest should be doable by normal people with regular cameras and equipment.

I have many lenses, but no macro lens yet.

[lakemonster11]

19. That's why I didn't vote for it at first,

but I don't really want to take pictures of churches. :shrug:

[Blue_In_AK]

20. Maybe if we just expand it to what I said...

"close up." (That is, assuming that 'macro' wins.) That would level the playing field a little.

[lakemonster11]

21. That would be fine with me.

I mean, I would call these pictures "close up" but I didn't take them with a macro lens:











:shrug:

[Blue_In_AK]

22. Egg-zactly.

There's that beautiful glass again. I really love that shot.

[RagingInMiami]

26. I love the ape's face

Such a pensive expression.

[Rabrrrrrr]

23. Close up is good and fine - people don't do enough close-up shots,

especially your Joe Average photograher on vacation who wide fields everything and thinks the best portrait is a picture of the person's entire body in the middle 1/6 of the frame.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

24. technically, macro is any image rendered larger

than reality.

Any telephoto lens can do it. Most normal lenes do a fine job too.

But, I agree with the close-up...

maybe even call it "Extreme close up" or something like that.

[Blue_In_AK]

25. Oh, you mean like that picture of HullBoss's eyebrows

I was taking with the 70-300? :rofl: I wonder if THAT would win any prizes. Hahaha.

[F.Gordon]

27. The theme I like has "0" votes

Do I "waste" my vote to stroke my own selfish impulse :eyes:, or do I join the secular vs. non-secular battle.
:dilemma:

Church: I suppose the "symbol" could be offensive to some... but IMO even a Satan Worshipper can appreciate the architecture, the "history", the (fill in the blank)

Macro: Tough. I can see how people might be intimidated by trying something that they've never done or they don't feel they have the proper "equipment"... but even point & shoots usually have a macro mode and I don't "think" the nature of this group is going to allow crying foul if someone doesn't submit a true 1:1 shot.

It's late. Long day. Just rambling....

[ET Awful]

28. I live in Massachusetts, if there's one thing we have in huge quantities

the vast majority of which are highly photogenic, it's churches :P

[mogster]

29. It looks like we have a theme

I'll keep the vote open until 5 p.m. Eastern time (that's in about two hours).

:-)

[alkaline9]

30. i just (10 mins ago) found out about the photo group...

...can anyone enter these contests? I have a few shots (especially in the macro category) that I've taken in the past... should they be images we take in the next 10 days? or as long as they are new to DU they are ok? I might go try to re-shoot some of my macro shots if that's the winner :D I voted for shadow portrait... it sounded fun and I don't have much experience with it.

[mogster]

31. Come right in, alkaline9

Welcome to the group :-)

[mogster]

32. OK, that's it!

This poll is closed! :-)

[OKNancy]

33. Voting is now closed

Thank You