zuzu said:If you don't think they belong in the category, don't vote for them.

That's besides the point. I don't think they qualify for the category. The category stated on (touching) a plant and not on (touching) something that isn't a plant.

The category didn't state post your bugs and birds pics, either flying in the air or sitting on wood.

As usual Dave you outdid yourself!!! You make a nearly impossible task closer to possible!

So very many great photos! And I've just looked at one category so far! Good thing it is rainy and cold out and my inside chores don't require immediate attention. I'm gonna be at this for a long time.

When the contest is over and names revealed will we be able to make comments on photos?? I felt compelled to share some thoughts as I went through the pics.

What is clear in these pictures is they are taken with love of the subject!

jvdubb said:When the contest is over and names revealed will we be able to make comments on photos?? I felt compelled to share some thoughts as I went through the pics.

It's a good idea. Many of the photos will be imported into the database (or already are) and can be discussed there. For the others, I may have to come up with a solution.

Thank you Dave. Since there are only going to be a limited number of official winners I just want to share with the photographers what their pictures made me feel. I did not submit any photos but if I had I know I would like to know how something I captured moved some one. For me that would be bigger than winning any material prize.

Wow! Only two categories done! This is going to take all day!

Very good thing Dave added an extra day for judging.

EVERYONE has submitted amazing photos! If I could frame them my walls would be covered. And I keep thinking "That would make a lovely card/post card". What a talented group of gardeners.

That's a good idea, Jennifer. As I was flipping through the photos, there were some that just made me stop in awe of their sheer beauty. As Rositoes said, you can feel the love for nature (and photography) behind the photos.

Oh, and one more thing. I love that the rules were not too strict. For instance, I am particularly happy that just because a photo has a bug or bird in it that it did not automatically get moved to the Bugs and Birds on plants category. Or something that happens to grow from a bulb did not get moved from Perennials to Bulb. Etc....

jvdubb said:Oh, and one more thing. I love that the rules were not too strict. For instance, I am particularly happy that just because a photo has a bug or bird in it that it did not automatically get moved to the Bugs and Birds on plants category. Or something that happens to grow from a bulb did not get moved from Perennials to Bulb. Etc....

I think that a lot of photos were suitable for multiple categories. The member submitted to the categories that they thought was the best fit. There were also cases where they had more than the maximum allowed for a categories so they submitted their best, then placed the other in the next best fit.

Great contest. I was not going to look at the bugs etc but caught up with them and then had a really hard time deciding. I have a couple of categories I did not look at because I do not know anything about them as a group but now am thinking, what the heck "Beauty in the eye of the beholder" so I may just go back again.

Thanks Dave, I echo the kudos for making it easy to narrow down choices. However Three per category is not enough .. I hope we can keep going back to these pictures and revisiting them. I love many, many, many for which I could not vote. Some I just wanted to scoop up and hang on my walls .... Others I could just stare at and get lost in on screen. GREAT GREAT GREAT!!!

I agree, the way this is set up is really a masterpiece of user-friendly code. I'm impressed! Someone said they didn't think they'd vote for categories where they don't know much; well, I don't feel I know much in most of them! But I can tell, as Rositoes said, that these photos were done with love of the subjects, it just shines through. I also didn't enter anything but I did vote in all categories. I had to get quite arbitrary about it in every category, in order to narrow it down to three. Everyone deserves to win, in my opinion.

abhege said:I don't see why you couldn't vote for yourself.

@dave I hope after the contest we get to see who submitted each photo because there are some I would like to inquire about.

I don't think we should vote for ourselves, not much of a contest if we do that, in my humble opinion.

mcash70 said:

I don't think we should vote for ourselves, not much of a contest if we do that, in my humble opinion.

I posted pictures, but I won't vote for myself. Will vote for good pictures others made

I must admit that I had voted for some of mine but began to feel guilty and just deleted all of those votes......... I feel better now.

If your photo is one of the 3 best photos in the category you should vote for it. If you were running for a position that is voted one, wouldn't you vote for yourself?
The hard part is being objective. If you are looking for the best photos with content, lighting, clarity of the subject, that should help in making a decision.

Well put Lynn.....it is hard not to be prejudiced.....Are my Grandchildren the smartest or the best looking? I think so but others probably feel that way about theirs. There are probably lots of other examples. I bet I'm not the only one here that finds pleasure in trying to take good photos......We'll see the results soon. Not every young woman can be Miss America.....I've heard it said that every man doesn't want to marry the same woman....probably a good thing. Now I'll stop trying to sound profound

Love your explanation Paul.
So you use all of the above criteria, after those are met, choose the one that appeals to you the most.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I just finished voting. I REALLY needed 5 votes for the bugs & birds on plant category. I hate to say it but that one really came down to flipping a coin to eliminate 2 of the 5.

I agree Ann, that one was a tough one for me.

Paul, this may be premature, but your photos outside of the contest are some of the best I've seen and if you don't win in one of the categories I will be surprised. I don't think voting for oneself is a bad thing, especially if the entry is truly good and worthy of winning.