*** JANUARY CONTEST: THEME POLL ***

[regnaD kciN]

Here you go! This poll will be up through December 23rd.

[Mz Pip]

1. For what it's worth

we did Transportation less than 2 years ago.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=280&topic_id=43810

[regnaD kciN]

2. You're right, we did...

...in June of 2008.

See my note below.

[HappyCynic]

5. Theme list

I've been hanging around the photo group for less than a year so I didn't know about the themes from last year (or very early this year). To hopefully avoid the repeated themes in the future, I've poked around in the archives and compiled a list of the themes for 2008 and 2009. I don't know if it would be useful to go back further. We can probably carry this list forward and add to it each month. Anyways, here's the list:

2009
Dec - A Shot in the Dark
Nov - Named After a Song
Oct - Wabi Sabi
Sep - Looking Up
Aug - Green
Jul - A Shot Taken in Your Yard (Or What Counts as Your Yard)
Jun - Portrait of a Stranger
May - Scene at a National Historic Register Site
Apr - The World of Work
Mar - Gates/Doors
Feb - Red
Jan - Street Scenes

2008
Dec/Nov - Celebrating
Oct - Need for Change
Sep - Let's Get Small! (closeups & macros)
Aug - Old dilapidated structures
Jul - Light and Darkness
Jun - Transportation
May - Wildlife
Apr - Making Connections
Mar - Main Street
Feb - Water's edge
Jan - Diagonals

[regnaD kciN]

6. And, to continue your sequence...

...here are the previous contests, all the way back to the first one, five years ago this month:

2007
December - Surrealism
November - (postponed)
October - Spooky
September - Recurring Patterns in Black and White
August - Scenes of Zen
July - Barriers/Divides
June - Using Light Creatively
May - Cutloose (No theme)
April - Sky
March - Tranquility
February - Bridges
January - Motion

2006
December - Tis The Season
November - Silhouettes
October - Paths/Pathways
September - Trees
August - Texture
July - Portals
June - People Pictures
May - Something Old
April - Making Connections (Juxtaposition)
March - Architecture
February - Absence of Color
January - Close-Up

2005
December - Extreme Processing (unofficial)
November - Fall
October - Strength
September - Reflections
August - Hot Days of Summer (unofficial)
July - Water
June - Flowers
May - Light & Shadows
April - (No Theme)
March - Green
February - Cemeteries
January - Winter Cold

2004
December - (No Theme)

[regnaD kciN]

3. * NEW RULES FOR POLL *

It has been pointed out to me that we did "Transportation" about a year-and-a-half ago. Had I remembered that, I might have disqualified it from the set of entries. However, since it's now part of the poll, and is in fact leading the poll, I'm going to use my "Host's Fiat*" and impose the following rules:

If, at the end of polling, "Transportation" is the leading choice...

-- It will become the official topic only if it has a 10% or higher lead over the second choice.
-- If it is less than 10% ahead of the second choice, there will be a Christmas Day winner-take-all runoff between the two.

I hope this isn't too disruptive, but I really don't feel like canceling out this thread, recruiting a new "tenth topic," and setting up a whole new poll.


* which is strange, because neither I nor my family have owned a Fiat since we left Europe in 1967 :evilgrin:

[JeffR]

4. Well, that's it!

I'm calling Senator Byrd's office and demanding that they wheel him into the Photo Group for this vote.

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. *bwahahaha* Erm, I mean... "Shame! Shame!"

[Mira]

8. At 1am on a Saturday, which I believe is his "date" night N/T

[regnaD kciN]

13. CORRECTION ON THE ABOVE

I meant a "Christmas Eve" runoff, not one on Christmas Day. :dunce:

[alfredo]

9. Repeating a topic isn't always a bad thing. It might make you

dig deeper to find a subject different than what you entered before.

[Mz Pip]

10. Going over all the past

themes I find it amazing that "Stairways" hasn't been used before. It seems such and obvious and interesting choice for a theme.

[Celebration]

11. It has its devotees

If people who want stairways want it to win, I suggest that they widen it to include "architectural features" or something like that, which would include stairways.

Not all of us have easy access to interesting stairways.

Just a suggestion........

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. You mean the steps leading up to my trailer wouldn't win? LOL

[Celebration]

14. well......

It probably depends on the perspective, the lighting, the framing, and other settings....

;)

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. Trust me. There's nothing can be done to make them interesting. :^P

[Tindalos]

16. Does the stairway have to be the centre of attention?

My interpretation of a "stairways" theme would be to take a picture that includes a stairway somewhere, but not necessarily a picture OF a stairway. Would a picture of someone ON a stairway be acceptable? I guess I'll have to ask for clarification if/when it wins.


--------------------------------------------------

[Mira]

17. Well, it does not look like it will be stairways. But anyway...

I'm not the arbiter of the question, but do you remember the contest about Historical landmarks and places, and Miss Honeychurch coming in second with the woman in a gray skirt and carrying a bag going up the interminable steps in that monastery somewhere in the Ukraine?

Now that, to me, would be PERFECT.

I photographed 4 wooden crappy stairs in my side yard today, with snow melting down the risers, simple stairs, suddenly forbidding.

That would work, too, I think.
I don't think stairs would be a difficult subject, it's one I've championed for a long time now, and I hope to live long enough to see it happen.
:)

[HappyCynic]

18. Consolation?

I did vote for it to try and help it along. Here's a few shots for you as consolation. I hope you like them.

Before the descent


At the bend


Eyeing the climb

[Mira]

19. They're awesome. What a flight of stairs that is. Thank you, I'll consider it

a Christmas present. I know a few people with COPD, and they would look at these and go nuts just thinking about climbing that.
:)

Merry Christmas to you, and yours, HappyCynic
I have enjoyed your contributions this year.

[regnaD kciN]

20. Thanks a whole lot, guys...

You brought Stairways back to within a few points of Transportation, so now I'm going to have to spend Christmas Eve holding a runoff. As if I didn't have enough to do... :grr:

[Celebration]

21. At 14 to 12

There is more than a 10% difference, but maybe it was 13 to 12 when you looked.

Here is the math--

14-12=2

2/14= .1429


There is a 14.3% difference.

Not complaining, I just like the math right :)