**APRIL Photo Contest Information**

[mnhtnbb]

I've been thinking recently about travel, about how exciting and fun it is to encounter new places and to see things for the first time that
are so different from what we normally see: architecture is different; landscape is different; native plants and animals are different; food is different.

It makes me think of The Wizard of Oz and what should have been on TCM last night but The Wizard of Oz!?! Serendipity? Coincidence?
I don't know. But I love the juxtaposition of being blown into a full color, totally wild and new experience, and then, despite the adventure, coming to the realization that there's "no place like home".

So, our theme for April is going to give photographers an option: submit a photo of an adventure away from home that blew your mind
OR submit a photo of something when you returned home that makes you realize that "there's no place like home". If travel hasn't been an option for you, then submit a photo that makes you happy to be where you are.

Photographers are going to have lots of time to think about this one, go through your archives, or go out and shoot. I am going to be traveling myself (to France) so the schedule is going to take all that into account.

I will open submissions on April 9th (before I leave) and leave them open until April 25th. I should be able to monitor them--just in case everyone goes wild and we fill 30 slots before the closing date--and close them accordingly. When I return I will post Prelims on April 26th and run them for 48 hours and then Finals for 48 hours after that. We should be able to finish by the end of April!

Color or B&W will be acceptable.

Any questions?

[elleng]

1. Will surely follow YOUR travels,

and try to rerun some of mine!

As you know, there IS no place like home!

[mnhtnbb]

2. Really! You get spectacular shots from your cottage

and I get lucky from my back deck.

Still. France. I may not return!

[elleng]

3. Got you!

We the family with 2 young kids toured around France for a month, including a dip into Spain, when the kids were quite young, one approaching 1st grade and the younger in her father's arms most of the time, and my VERY old, now long lost camera. There was no hint of what was to come, that is my cottage! The then-kids now have LITTLE kids of their own now!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. I like your ideas a LOT!

I also greatly approve of running the contest for 48 hours for each part.

[alfredo]

5. Great idea

[a la izquierda]

6. Well, it's a good thing I just went to Bolivia.

I'm going to Peru, but not until the end of April.

[mnhtnbb]

7. I've entered photos I took in Peru when we were there in 2009

in to DU photo contests and they've been well received. Peru was a very dramatic country. We could see Bolivia across Lake Titicaca!

[mnhtnbb]

8. Bumping this up for visibility. Still planning to open submissions April 9th.