*** SEASONAL CONTESTS -- Important Announcement (Rules Change) ***

When these contests first started, five years ago this November (hard to believe it's been that long), it was agreed that blueraven95 and I would run them on a regular basis. At one point or another, we added the provision that the winner of the prior contest would agree to help us if asked, but that was never consistently spelled out; even though I thought it had become part of the rules, I guess I was wrong.

Now, due to her work and graduate-school responsibilities, blueraven95 has informed me that she will be unable to co-host the contests for the foreseeable future. That leaves me, and I am also unable to keep doing this over and over, particularly when, as happened again this month, I find myself hosting a monthly contest directly before or after the seasonal.

Accordingly, the rules for seasonal contests are now changing to more closely match those of our regular monthly contests. I will be hosting the Summer Seasonal Contest starting next week. In that contest, the portion of the rules regarding hosting will be changed to the following: "The winner of the contest agrees to host the next seasonal contest (or recruit someone else to host that contest). Typically, the winner has not been able to enter a photograph in the next contest." I will be available to assist the winner with running the next contest, as long as "assist" doesn't mean "run the contest myself." ;-)

I am hoping that members here want the seasonals to continue, but it's really up to you. If you find them valuable enough to want to put in the effort to serve as host after winning the prior contest, they'll survive. Otherwise, they'll disappear. It's been an interesting five years, but it's now time for the seasonal contests to stand on their own.

have shouldered so ably. I suspect we will agree to continue the Seasonals. I also suspect that the new rules aren't going to be a problem. Everyone knows, and I think I see it happening, that if they don't want to host or suspect they may win and cannot host, that they don't enter that contest.

Do we have set months/times in which the Seasonals are held? Maybe in the rules it could be spelled out that the winner will agree to host the next one and then give them the dates so he/she will know what is expected.

Thank you regnaDkciN, your work is appreciated.

It is pretty hard to know one's schedule three months in advance, but even so I think it will work out in the end.

Thanks for shouldering the burden all this time.

It certainly seems fair.

It will be his first time, so there will be quite a bit of interaction with the group when it comes to theme suggestions, voting on a theme, timing of how long from choosing the theme to starting submissions, then the submission period, then the dreaded posting of the three preliminary threads, then the posting of the thread of 10 finals, and at the end the announcement of the winners.

Then you can also watch the contest for "Summer" that begins next week, run by veteran regnaDkciN, who makes it look completely smooth and easy and can do it with both hands tied behind his back.
Except for the choice of theme, the process is pretty much the same.

Does that give you a start of an answer?

If not, dig back a few pages in the Photo Forum, and follow a month's contest from start to finish.

It's just to much work to take on constantly. Much better to share the burden. I'm sure the group will want to continue with the seasonal contests.

And thanks so much for your past contributions, as well as the well run contest just ended. Very smoothly done.:thumbsup: