THE TOPIC FOR THE JANUARY CONTEST WILL BE...

[regnaD kciN]

..."Your Favorite Shot of 2009." Any photo you want, on any topic, as long as it was taken in 2009.

Since this won't require/allow a lead-time for people to go out and shoot (from now until December 31), I'll be starting the contest early. Submissions will be opened January 2nd, with preliminaries running January 7-9, and finals January 10-12. This will also give me a bit of breathing space before the Winter Seasonal Contest in early February.

So, start going through your files!

[Blue_In_AK]

1. You old trickster...

:evilgrin: I kind of like this.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Oh, that's good!

I like that a lot...

One thing: about the contests in general. I think that perhaps they run a bit too long...Maybe not this time, but sometime we could discuss this.

Perhaps 2 days instead of 3 for each round? I don't know...just a random thought.

[alfredo]

3. Great!!!

[HarveyDarkey]

4. Oh crap

My best doesn't even come close to the worst of you regulars. You're photographers, I just take pictures.

[Mz Pip]

5. Semantics!

Some of my best shots were taken when I was out just taking pictures. Don't sell yourself short. Jump in and go for it. You might be surprised. :-)

[Celebration]

6. Ditto

I keep thinking of the great photos pictured here over the last year.

I do have to say one in particular stands out for me--WJMS's photo of the guy being shot out of the cannon. I mean, that was just amazing.....crazy and amazing. None of mine can compare to that or so many other photos by all the other photographers.

I might manage to come up with something to enter, or I might not.

[Blue_In_AK]

13. Nonsense.

You never know what those people out in GD are going to like. Some of what I have thought were my best shots have gotten few votes, and occasionally my throwaways almost win.

[Celebration]

15. you too?

The less thought I put into my entry, the more votes it gets!

[Blue_In_AK]

19. I find it really bizarre,

but there's no accounting for taste, right?

[regnaD kciN]

20. Similarly...

At one point, I noted that the two best photos I had submitted to date ("Oh, Deer" and "Lily") had both failed to make the finals in their respective competitions.

What I've found is that, when I do a "help me pick my entry" poll, and one entry gets way more votes than any other, even if I don't think the photo is all that good, it will be practically guaranteed a top-four finish, and may actually win. Go figure.

[Stevenmarc]

7. Well I still have time to get a pic of a kid holding a puppy licking a kitten, during a sunset .

[Sheepshank]

9. on some stairs,

landing beneath trees,
with flowers on the steps,
and a trains, bus or taxi in the background.

It'd be a winner for sure :)

[dixiegrrrrl]

17. As long as it is green, and at night, you got all the bases covered!!!!

[hippywife]

21. LOL!

And don't forget to call it "Robb's a Dingbat." :rofl:

[JeffR]

8. Boy, this is a quandary. My favorite from 2009 is extremely

NSFW. Guess I'm going to have to figure out a more family-friendly entry.

[Sheepshank]

10. NSFW?

Not So Family Worthy?
Never Seen Foxy Women?
Newest Sextoys From Winterwonderland? ok that one was stretching a little lol.

Am I close?

[regnaD kciN]

11. It normally means "Not Safe For Work"...

[JeffR]

14. Quite.

Still a great shot, mind, but, well...

[regnaD kciN]

12. By the way, one clarification...

"Your Favorite Shot" doesn't necessarily mean "your best shot", although it certainly could be. I chose the wording because a) I don't want to turn this into a "decide which was the best photo of the year in the entire DU group" contest, and b) perhaps you might classify some photos as your "best" (best technical quality, best subject matter, etc.), but have one or more others to which, for whatever reason, you find more of an emotional connection. I get the feeling that a lot of people have certain criteria for a "great photograph" (for me, it would be a well-caught moment at the cliché spots of Yosemite's "Tunnel View" or Grand Teton's Schwabacher's Landing), but, if you turn off those expectations, you might find you have photos that don't meet those crietera but grab the audience (as they grab you, if you actually admit it) in a more powerful way.

[Celebration]

16. Thanks for that

I think I do have a favorite shot, and it definitely does not have all the bells and whistles. It just captures the spirit that I wanted. It may appeal to nobody else but me. I am going to enter that, I think. (It is just a candid shot of family members. I happen to love candids, and not really like poses.)

[alfredo]

22. Yeah, one I took on Christmas may not be technically perfect

but captures a moment in time. I will be making some changes like straightening it out, but not tonight.

[Celebration]

24. yes, it does that

And that is most of the reason I like photography. It captures that moment. For me, it is not about the technicals.

This is really lovely.

[alfredo]

25. I redid it with it rotated and it changes the character of the image

[intheflow]

27. I love this shot!

There's a million stories in the naked city. This is seven of them. :rofl:

[alfredo]

28. And they are filled with teenaged angst.

[debbierlus]

18. I know exactly the one....

Fun.

Can't wait to see all the beautiful pics!

[NashVegas]

23. My Fave of 2009 Was Already Entered

And got something like 3 votes, but that's okay:



The gentleman at the focus has become quite a good friend since this was taken - and that's better than a gazillion votes, to my reckoning.

[Celebration]

26. that is really nice!

Honestly, the one I am submitting is kind of similar feeling. Plus, the photograph isn't as good. But it has a little more action in it. I am prepared for it not to do that great in terms of voting. But, it is my favorite photo. What else can I do? :shrug:

PS--I'm sure your new friend was thrilled with the picture. I love the red around the hair.......

[debbierlus]

37. It's funny isn't it?

I have photos that I just really love and other people seem to be 'ehhh'.

Then, I post a photo that I think is 'ehhh' and I am complimented to the enth degree.

Very subjective this photography stuff :)

[Callalily]

29. Frankly, I have several from

2009, all of which I have entered. *sigh* This is going to be a touch decision, but that's okay.

[Blue_in_CA]

30. All my favorites

are baby Aiman shots. But gosh that really just does not seem fair. I mean ... the kid is so seriously cute! Plus I think I saw some kind of post on here sometime that babies and puppies are off limits. ;-) Hmmm.... this is will be a tough one, but fun!

[Mira]

31. OH no, CA Blue. That's only babies and puppies, flowers and insect closeups on STEPS.

You go right ahead. It is called YOUR favorite shot of the year..
It would be plain silly to not have "our" little Aiman in that lineup.
IMO

[Robb]

32. LOL

I know. I think most of what I shot this year was wearing a diaper, too. :D

[Cassandra]

33. You put your desk in a diaper?

What kinds of secrets was it leaking, exactly?

[HappyCynic]

34. Was it...

Was it because it always had a stool ready to come out?

:hide:

[Cassandra]

35. Another in a series of...

irresistible temptations.

[JeffR]

36. If Aiman does appear in the contest

I'm going to be watching the vote totals, and for every vote he doesn't get, I'll be screaming at the monitor, "What is wrong with you people not voting for that baby!?"

This could be stressful contest.

;-)

[alfredo]

38. Hmmm,