Should be fun.

Your photo deserved the win. I have no ideas for this theme, but hope I can find something. I know that I have nothing now that fits. Hmmmmm.

If you need any help with the contest, I am sure that you saw the pinned thread for first time winners on how to do this. Also pinned is a list of people willing to be a substitute host, and they are the ones who are also willing to help new winners work their way through this.....just reach out to them. (I can't help you because I so much don't want to win first place that I actually changed my vote once when I was within one vote of taking the contest...took my vote off of myself and gave it to the winner. So you can see that I don't know how to do it either!)

I might be able to come up with something I like better than what's in my archives.

As is true 95 percent of the time, I have no idea what I'll do or find. I lost most of my archives in a tragic fall of my photo hard drive when it hit the floor. Too hard.

What I like so much about the onset of a contest is the thinking, the shooting, the ideas, the pondering. It's rare the first thought gets to be my entry, but it was true for the last contest, the one you won with your ethereal inverted lilies, when I stood on the toilet and photographed my shower companions over the shower wall.

You'll do fine, thanks for the 2 weeks shooting time. We like that. And just ask for help if anything is feeling funny.
When I won the first time, I've told this before, I spent a sleepless night fearing the hosting of the contest, and if I was able to do it so can you!!!

But I am surrounded by water.

I also remembered to grant you your host powers for the contest. You can now pin these to the top to make them easy to find.

You should get quite a few entries with this topic.

but I like the theme and have an idea!

I got lucky on my first try, as well. It's been a while, now.

You're going to force me into my archives with this month's theme. We used to have a seafood restaurant here in Cortez, but they are now a Ute diner...

How come we never have a sagebrush theme?

I'm looking and so far I have TWO entries

I think I've settled on mine.

Today I took my husband to the Jacksonville airport so he could fly to Atlanta for what will--hopefully--be his last annual academy meetings. Last year in Toronto was supposed
to be the last, but one of his colleagues talked him into doing a panel presentation this year. In January, the colleague went to take a Sunday afternoon nap and never woke up.
Then, several weeks ago, the colleague/friend he roomed with in Toronto last year had a fatal stroke. It's been rough. He has health issues, too.

Anyway, driving to the airport we noticed a very good possible subject for a photo. I did not have my camera in the car--I did have Snowy--and hadn't planned on stopping
to take photos. I may go back. I may not and just go with what I have. I'm here until Sunday so plenty of time to change my mind.

We used to - at times - post pre submission queries: Here are my potentials, give me feedback!

Either the feedback would be verbal, or in a poll of what we think you ought to post. Good conversation happened at those times, and sometimes the person asking did not even use any of the photos or any of the advice.
Also, of course, there is the competition angle, so some of us did not wholly trust the advice. But it was always fun, and that is, after all, what our contests are.

Since I have 2, I may do it myself if you do it. LOL.
Besides, I remembered a whole other possibility, so there may be more than two.

Enjoy your time with the ocean and with Snowy. You can add a photo with him/her on a yacht. A good focal point never hurts.

Last edited Sun May 15, 2016, 02:58 PM - Edit history (1)

I have three and I can't decide.

I almost always wait for entries to trickle in to get my bearings for how the theme is being interpreted. And to not post one too much like others. In this case - as you are stating - each has a story and good focal point and interest. But for the theme my favorite is the first one. It is simply rich in presentation and emotion.
NOW:
What I was talking about though is not a lineup in a thread, but a separate thread presenting possibilities, to everyone. And the discussion or votes can be very interesting.

Also: Whenever there is a pup involved, most folks just vote for it out of sentimentality. I remember once, Miss Honeychurch posted a photo of a homeless man sleeping seated at a post with his German Shepherd (I think I remember this correctly) being tight at his side and vigilant. That photo won first place by about 75 brazillion votes. Which means your last photo may well TRUMP my favorite.

I'm not ready to post a thread like I'm talking about, I have not whittled down my choices yet. But I will as soon as I know when the submissions start, just for the heck of it and to see if we can get a little interaction going.

I love how much and how thoughtfully and competently you participate. I'm so glad to have you here.

Last edited Sun May 15, 2016, 02:56 PM - Edit history (1)

I think it would be fun to see what other options people are considering when they choose one for an entry.

I am not above shamelessly entering the photo with Mack! but if there were other photos with dogs or kitties as crew, I probably
wouldn't enter it, or might pull it and put something else.

I suspect there will be lots of photos of boats, and that's the reason I hesitate to do the Miss Gwendolyn.

OK. Looking forward to your thread! I'd like to see us all have some discussion about choices for entries.

Driving home today.




On edit: I'm home and I'm going to delete the photos I posted so we can wait for the separate thread.