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April 2006 theme challenge – voting booth - 'Birds and Water' (1 Viewer)

Select your favourite 'Birds and Water' photo!

  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/89337/sort/2/cat/533/page/1]Taking off[

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/89336/sort/2/cat/533/page/1]Split secon

    Votes: 14 8.9%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/89270/sort/2/cat/533/page/1]Birds and W

    Votes: 7 4.5%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/89269/sort/2/cat/533/page/1]making a sp

    Votes: 5 3.2%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/89260/sort/2/cat/533/page/1]Gotcha![/ur

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/89115/sort/2/cat/533/page/1]Common Guil

    Votes: 2 1.3%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/88981/sort/2/cat/533/page/1]morning bat

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/88880/sort/2/cat/533/page/1]purple gall

    Votes: 1 0.6%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/88829/sort/2/cat/533/page/1]I Got It[/u

    Votes: 1 0.6%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/88782/sort/2/cat/533/page/2]Excuse me..

    Votes: 18 11.5%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/88753/sort/2/cat/533/page/2]resting[/ur

    Votes: 2 1.3%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/88742/sort/2/cat/533/page/2]Mandarin Du

    Votes: 1 0.6%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/88600/sort/2/cat/533/page/2]Pink all ov

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/88472/sort/2/cat/533/page/2]Feeding[/ur

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/88293/sort/2/cat/533/page/2]"Come on in

    Votes: 2 1.3%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/88292/sort/2/cat/533/page/2]So much wat

    Votes: 2 1.3%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/88092/sort/2/cat/533/page/2]Egret Fishi

    Votes: 4 2.5%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php?photo=87961&nocache=1]Reflection[/url]

    Votes: 5 3.2%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/87947/sort/2/cat/533/page/2]Dinner on t

    Votes: 2 1.3%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/87804/sort/2/cat/533/page/3]Coming home

    Votes: 8 5.1%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/87509/sort/2/cat/533/page/3]Egret Fishi

    Votes: 17 10.8%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/87417/sort/2/cat/533/page/3]Rock sparro

    Votes: 2 1.3%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/87408/sort/2/cat/533/page/3]Fishing[/ur

    Votes: 15 9.6%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/87405/sort/2/cat/533/page/3]Kentish plo

    Votes: 1 0.6%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/87392/sort/2/cat/533/page/3]What waterf

    Votes: 10 6.4%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/87389/sort/2/cat/533/page/3]Atacama Lun

    Votes: 1 0.6%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/87374/sort/2/cat/533/page/3]Cinnamon Te

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/87364/sort/2/cat/533/page/3]Mallard Juv

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/87224/sort/2/cat/533/page/3]American Av

    Votes: 1 0.6%
  • [url=http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/86944/sort/2/cat/533/page/3]Fresh Catch

    Votes: 36 22.9%

  • Total voters
    157
  • Poll closed .
Just want to jump the gun and say a hearty congratulations to suleesia, a well deserved victory in a good field.

It is worth pointing out that even though the shot was taken with a 300/2.8 on one of those cursed DSLR's, this type of shot lends itself perfectly to Digiscoping.

The slower shutter speed of 1/60th of a second to create the rain trails, and quite shallow depth of field.

This shot could easily have been captured through a scope. In fact, the person with the most vocal objections to DSLR's and Digi-scoping being in the same comp has a shot of this species in his gallery: http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/83190/sort/1/cat/500/page/1

See, all he needed was some rain and a fish; and the rest of the tail...

The best shot one....congratulations..
 
Wasn't Suleesia's "Fresh Catch" marvelous? I'm awed by it and several others, but only going to mention what got my vote, for space and time purposes; and I'm sorry we detract from the glory of the April comp to debate future comps here, but it's a good thread, and it's HERE.

Like I wrote earlier, things are changing. BF now has 42,000+ Members (big congrats - this speaks to how great a site it is). When I had the good luck of a day's shoot, had recently registered, and entered my best shot, which tied for first, I recollect we were still short of 10,000 Members. The Comps discussions then centered on how to get more folks to enter the comps, and how to get Members to support the comps by voting. Two photos per entrant were allowed and ALL entries were displayed for voting!! Can you believe it? Over the same period affordable DSLR's came onto the market. It's kind of like the proverbial frog placed in cold water on stovetop and brought to boil. When change happens gradually, we tend to get stuck in the past, don't we?

I think there's little doubt, and this is just my opinion (and others') that serving Members well requires changing formats and services over time in ways that keep up with users' needs, and are responsive to users interests and wants. Also, it's just part of growing with the Member base.

I'm not advocating any one particular change to the comps.. I've learned that the staff's ultimate decisions always bested my own super-specific suggestions, and a lot more folks' opinions count than just mine. I gave one general idea for an occassional secondary comp in my first post. I even think it would be fair to disqualify anyone from entering a "limited class" who's placed first before, or placed in top three or two in an "Open event" thereby eliminating myself. (Let's give Ann Cook one crack at it only!!) After all, if one manages to compete with digiscoped or compact camera shot successfully in an "open" format, they have no gripe.

I don't know much about photo contests. But in sports, I've yet to learn of any that don't have separate "ability-level" or sometimes just "age-level" comps. If BF had say 2,000 Members under age 18, I'd advocate having several comps/year just for youth. You win once, you're bumped up to "open" comp only. That's all. Personally, I don't see why we'd separate digiscoping from compacts until we had some entrant-by-equipment counts and winnings demographic data under our belts. Growth happens in steps. Let's grow a little at a time. That's all I'm suggesting. And I do agree with Robert that a separate thread under comps, Moderaters willing, would be the way to sample Members' thoughts and feelings about where the comps' growth might best be directed.
 
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That's a bit naughty Alister, my photo has nothing to do with this debate and to be honest digiscoping would not have caught the rain like that in the comp winner? Also my photo as published was straight from the memory card, absolutely no adjustments for light, contrast, sharpening or colour touching up! The tail is a bit short alas the difficulties of catching the bird when handholding the camera, not like with a DSLR and big lens with AF. Have you tried say digscoping a wren flitting through twigs?

All things must evolve rather than standing still and this forum is no exception.

I have said enough now in this debate and will leave it that.

Robert
 
Robert L Jarvis said:
That's a bit naughty Alister, my photo has nothing to do with this debate and to be honest digiscoping would not have caught the rain like that in the comp winner? Also my photo as published was straight from the memory card, absolutely no adjustments for light, contrast, sharpening or colour touching up! The tail is a bit short alas the difficulties of catching the bird when handholding the camera, not like with a DSLR and big lens with AF. Have you tried say digscoping a wren flitting through twigs?

All things must evolve rather than standing still and this forum is no exception.

I have said enough now in this debate and will leave it that.

Robert

I was only trying to lighten the tone Robert!!! I have digiscoped pix of Dollarbird in the rain, and it's exactly like the winning shot...(without the fish)

I am well aware of digiscopings limitations, flitting Wrens are one thing, a static Kingfisher is another, Like I said, the winning shot is a digiscoping reality..

Anyway, it's been entertaining chatting with you, I hope the mods decide in your favour,..

I'm off to Tibet for the next three weeks and will thankfully not have internet access....

Cheers,
Alister
 
Thank you for your comment Alister I see what you mean. I'm Learning the limits of digiscoping and any shot that is in focus is a bonus for me.

Paul
 
From the 76 entries this month 30 were selected for the voting booth. The second month in a row we had run away winner.

Congratulations to Suleesia with his entry Fresh Catch clearly led the way from the outset. In the end it attracted 36/157 votes cast. A well deserved winner.

The placing after that were all pretty close, but on the close of voting -

2nd Marise with Excuse me.....can't a bird get a bit of privacy! with 18/157 votes.

just to say pipping

3rd alibenn with Egret Fishing which attracted 17/157 votes.

A very high standard of entry this month.

The entries will remain in place until the end of the month after whihc they will be moved to their respective forums. Details of next months theme will then follow.







 
Hard to say if anyone but those debating future competition formats, will return here anymore... (there's now a separate April winners thread) which is why it'd be nice to have a thread to discuss the future.. a "sticky thread" as it's a subject that should be kept alive and ongoing.

I had some further ideas that BF might reduce themed "open" comps to ten per year instead of 12. You know how the posting and voting deadlines and then posting the next month's Theme and Rules have been a demanding schedule for BF. Or even to as few as eight "opens" per year.

Then to replace the "lost" service level: add four "special, limited" comps per year. So the total could actually remain at 12 or increase to 14 comps per year. By having four "specials" we could poll Members to determine what the four specials should be. Some ideas are: age 18 and under; digiscoping only; compacts only (combine if not enough individual interest expressed); artwork and graphic work only; we already have one sort of special comp: Holiday themed; what else?

If you feel like reducing the number of comps by a few is a big hardship on Members, consider that not long ago (see Jan. 2004 Comp announcement - this forum), Members had to rush out and take their entry photos within the same one month timeframe as the competition! None of this pouring over your archived collection to see what fits in nicely. It's no wonder the standard has been raised, is it?

I know some will be tempted to add a bevy of sarcastic, highly restrictive categories! While I'm fine with dissention too, I'm hoping we can be respectful of each others' opinions in a way that advances the discussion and welcomes NEW ideas.
 
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