***** FEBRUARY Photo Contest***** Announcing Rules and Theme [View all]

[Mira]

It’s a new month, a new theme, and learning again about the NEW RULES for our contests

Let’s jump right in and announce that the Theme is

“REPETITIONS”.

The theme is the suggestion of the winner of the just finished January Contest.
Sinkingfeelings won with her magnificent photograph of Machu Picchu. Her actual suggestion is “Repetitions: Ground Hog Day, the movie". Which might be a jumping off place for you as you think about what to go shoot, or what to try to look for in your archives.
I have not seen the movie….

I told her that if it’s OK with her I will make it a bit easier and just call it “Repetitons” because I want this month to not only bring many entries but also be a simple beginning for all of us getting comfortable with the new rules.

The most important change is that we no longer have the winner responsible to host the next contest, but he or she gets to determine (or enlist help in searching for) the next month's theme.
The second most important change is that we have a volunteer list, annual, where you can add your name and host a month in 2020. There are still a few open slots.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/103673585

As you see, the new rules take away the fear of hosting many have had, in my opinion with good reason since hosting is not easy, and allow you to just enter a photo and enjoy the process. As of NOW you can submit a photo with nothing but the accolades rolling in on the advent of a first place win, plus you get the honor of setting the theme chosen for the next month, when a pre-determined volunteer host is already lined up to do the next contest, and you can watch your theme unfold as you step away from responsibility.

I’m being repetitive because I want this to sink in:
There are, from now on, no fears connected to entering a photo, just the joy in having it seen and in participating.

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At first, for a little while, I found the theme a bit daunting. How to represent REPETITIONS, something so simple and ever-present that we don’t really think about it?
Then Lola and I went for a walk, and I tuned in and experienced it exactly like that. Repetition is Everywhere. I came home with iPhone shots of repeating ground cover plants, repeating patterns of tree trunks, repeating shadows of fenceposts, and then ate one of the mandarins in my kitchen that came from an unpleasing repeating pattern of orange balls in a bowl.

Here is the time frame:
Submissions will open on Wednesday the 12th of February.
I will hold them open until Wednesday the 19th of February
Preliminaries will open and run from the 20th through the 23rd
Finals will be the 24th though the 27th then I'll announce the winner and we celebrate
leap year and move into March.

For Prelims and finals I will be a bit flexible depending on when and how we get our entries assembled..

REALLY, FOLKS, THIS IS A NEW DAY for our photo contests.
Start thinking about the "REPETITIONS" all around and either start shooting or start looking for photos in your archives that represent the theme. Get excited about showing your photos and enjoying participation and fellowship.

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Considering the new contest rules and the new ease in participation I'm going to post links to this thread in GD and The Lounge.