So what is the NEWS...for YOU????
The Retirement Chronicles
would like to invite
YOU
(yes, you)
to
a
PHENOMENAL
FANTASTIC
FUN
AWESOME
Amateur Photography CONTEST!!!!
The Retirement Chronicles
would like to invite
YOU
(yes, you)
to
a
PHENOMENAL
FANTASTIC
FUN
AWESOME
Amateur Photography CONTEST!!!!
Starting January 1st, 2010, I will be hosting a MONTHLY-themed photography contest for my Followers that are amateur photographers on this blog! You don't have to be a blogger to enter (see below).
This should be fun and a way for all of us to learn from each other. Here is how it will work:
1. On the first of every month of 2010 (God willing), I will announce on the blog what the month's theme for the photo contest will be.
2. Who can enter?:
a. Any amateur photographer that is a Follower on my blog.
Not a Follower on my blog?
No problem, just click on "follow this blog" and begin following my blog and there, that rule is covered.
YOU do not have to have a blog to enter.
You DO have to follow MY blog to enter.
b. It will be an honor system that you are indeed an amateur.
That means that you don't regularly make income from your photography talents or earn your living doing photography.
If you occasionally get paid for a photo here and there or have won some other contests, that is still okay to enter these monthly contests.
c. It will be an honor system that YOU took the photo you are submitting for the contest.
Please do not enter your husband's photo, or your daughter's photo, etc. (Just have them join my blog as a Follower instead and enter it themselves!).
3. How do you enter?:
a. You will e-mail me directly with your ONE entry per month photo attached no later than the 15th of the month, by midnight EST. ( I will provide the email address on January 1st, along with January's theme).
b. Along with your photo, you must provide me your blog name, your real name and e-mail address to e-mail you back directly (in case you win).
Your e-mail address and your real name will not be given out on my blog (unless you want your real name to be used).
c. You must be or become a Follower of The Retirement Chronicles to submit your entry.
4. What happens next?:
I will post all photos entered to that month's theme contest on my blog sometime between the 16th to the 30th (or 31st) of each month for all of you to see.
5. How will the winner be chosen?:
I will choose three regular people on my personal e-mail list (different each time) (or I may show them in person all of the entered photos) who aren't professional photographers and who don't know who took what picture.
Those judges will look at ALL entries for that month and will independently vote on their favorite picture for that month.
The judges will change each month and it will always be a majority vote rules choice.
I will never be a judge in the contest.
6. What will the winner win?:
a. Sorry this won't be a cash winning contest. I wish it could be, and if I win the lotto, I may change this rule.
b.ONLY the winner will get the proud honor of being able to post a winning banner (like a blogger's award) of the month's win (which I will provide you via e-mail) on their blog's website. If you don't have a blog or aren't a blogger, then this won't mean much, but I will send you a certificate for your portfolio or resume if you are trying to develop one for your amateur photography skills.
c. EACH monthly winner will ALSO be entered in another contest!!! YES!!!
At the end of the year, all monthly winning photos will be judged and the WINNER OF THE YEAR gets another winning banner to post of the 2010's win on their blog's website. Again, if you aren't a blogger, this won't mean much, but I will send you a certificate for your portfolio or resume if you desire.
7. What else?:
As a courtesy, (and so that all of my readers interested in photography will learn and grow from these contests), I ask that the winning photographer of the month then send me a short narrative telling us what camera you used for the winning shot.
You can also include any camera settings you used, and/or any other details you want to share about your camera and/or the winning shot.
If you have a blog, you can tell us your blog address, etc. and it will be posted on my blog when your winning photo will be announced.
If you are a blogger, this may perhaps get more folks to stop by and see your blog too!
This should be fun and a way for all of us to learn from each other. Here is how it will work:
1. On the first of every month of 2010 (God willing), I will announce on the blog what the month's theme for the photo contest will be.
2. Who can enter?:
a. Any amateur photographer that is a Follower on my blog.
Not a Follower on my blog?
No problem, just click on "follow this blog" and begin following my blog and there, that rule is covered.
YOU do not have to have a blog to enter.
You DO have to follow MY blog to enter.
b. It will be an honor system that you are indeed an amateur.
That means that you don't regularly make income from your photography talents or earn your living doing photography.
If you occasionally get paid for a photo here and there or have won some other contests, that is still okay to enter these monthly contests.
c. It will be an honor system that YOU took the photo you are submitting for the contest.
Please do not enter your husband's photo, or your daughter's photo, etc. (Just have them join my blog as a Follower instead and enter it themselves!).
3. How do you enter?:
a. You will e-mail me directly with your ONE entry per month photo attached no later than the 15th of the month, by midnight EST. ( I will provide the email address on January 1st, along with January's theme).
b. Along with your photo, you must provide me your blog name, your real name and e-mail address to e-mail you back directly (in case you win).
Your e-mail address and your real name will not be given out on my blog (unless you want your real name to be used).
c. You must be or become a Follower of The Retirement Chronicles to submit your entry.
4. What happens next?:
I will post all photos entered to that month's theme contest on my blog sometime between the 16th to the 30th (or 31st) of each month for all of you to see.
5. How will the winner be chosen?:
I will choose three regular people on my personal e-mail list (different each time) (or I may show them in person all of the entered photos) who aren't professional photographers and who don't know who took what picture.
Those judges will look at ALL entries for that month and will independently vote on their favorite picture for that month.
The judges will change each month and it will always be a majority vote rules choice.
I will never be a judge in the contest.
6. What will the winner win?:
a. Sorry this won't be a cash winning contest. I wish it could be, and if I win the lotto, I may change this rule.
b.ONLY the winner will get the proud honor of being able to post a winning banner (like a blogger's award) of the month's win (which I will provide you via e-mail) on their blog's website. If you don't have a blog or aren't a blogger, then this won't mean much, but I will send you a certificate for your portfolio or resume if you are trying to develop one for your amateur photography skills.
c. EACH monthly winner will ALSO be entered in another contest!!! YES!!!
At the end of the year, all monthly winning photos will be judged and the WINNER OF THE YEAR gets another winning banner to post of the 2010's win on their blog's website. Again, if you aren't a blogger, this won't mean much, but I will send you a certificate for your portfolio or resume if you desire.
7. What else?:
As a courtesy, (and so that all of my readers interested in photography will learn and grow from these contests), I ask that the winning photographer of the month then send me a short narrative telling us what camera you used for the winning shot.
You can also include any camera settings you used, and/or any other details you want to share about your camera and/or the winning shot.
If you have a blog, you can tell us your blog address, etc. and it will be posted on my blog when your winning photo will be announced.
If you are a blogger, this may perhaps get more folks to stop by and see your blog too!
How FUN is this going to BE????
I CAN'T WAIT!!!
I CAN'T WAIT!!!
If you have any other questions on how this contest will work, please comment on this blogpost!!
Too cool!!! One question though-
ReplyDeleteDo the pictures have to be shot after the theme is announced? Or can we enter any old photo we have taken in the past that has to do with the theme?
I cannot wait to see some of them!
ReplyDeleteAwesome slide show pictures1!!!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun! I'm looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteThis does sound like fun and I'm definitely an amateur. I'll have to decide which one to enter. It'll be fun to see all the other photos too.
ReplyDeleteJoan, this does sound like fun, I will enjoying seeing all the photo's you receive.....I take horrible pictures but I can still participate by enjoying all the others......Good Luck with your contest......:-) Hugs
ReplyDeleteVaBookworm: You can enter any photo that you have taken that fits the announced theme-of-the-month with ONE catch...you cannot have previously published it on your own blog.
ReplyDeleteAshley: If they are anything like YOURS, we will be in for a real treat! You are a professional, though, right? So sorry that I can't include yours.
Julie: Thanks! I hope you join in on the monthly contest, you will take some awesome photos, I am sure.
Eva: I hope you enter some photos, too!
Catherine: Yay! Just wait for the 1st of the month and I will name the theme and then you can submit one photo that matches the theme. Can't wait to see what you submit.
Bernie: Not so fast...I would LOVE to see what you submit..why not try it? You may find you really like photography!!
Oooooh YESSSSSSS!!!!
ReplyDeleteLOVE it, count me in!!!
Well---I'm definitely an amateur, but my hubby is the one with the good camera. I'm just mostly a "point-and-shoot" person. I'm never sure whether they are my pictures or his, that I use on my blogs... Most of the good ones are his I assume.. I'm not sure he'd be interested in this contest or not. We just love to take pictures and just do it for the enjoyment...
ReplyDeleteWill you post ALL of the pictures---or just the winner??? I think WE should be able to see them all--even if we don't 'vote'....
ALSO---we do our pictures straight from the camera --but so many bloggers use Photoshop and other programs to change their pictures. How are you going to handle that situation???? I personally enjoy pictures straight from the camera the most--but some people love to change their pictures...
Well---it sounds like fun, Joan, and I'll keep checking back for more information...
Hugs,
Betsy
Hope you get your computer back soon, and hope they have saved your pictures for you.
nice...photography is not my medium, but perhaps...i do enjoy yours though. smiles.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a fun event! I will certainly have to partake in this!
ReplyDeleteIt does sound like fun. I think maybe people will work on their quality when taking photographs, by this motivation. Thanks for thinking of it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun idea! I truly admire many of the amateurs whose work I see. You can learn from this, as well!
ReplyDeleteI'm in! But since we can't use a previously submitted blog pic, I'm gonna have to pay special attention to my Photo Friday entries. ; ) I should be okay since the contest is theme-based.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to hear what the theme will be for January!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun, but, most of my photos have already been posted on my blogs.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like tons of fun and I look forward to seeking the entries and winners! Sadly, I'll most likely not participate as I'm just too slammed with other "stuff" but good luck with the contest!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I might change my mind when you win the lotto! ;-D
FANTASTIC idea! I can't wait to see the entries!
ReplyDeleteThanks for doing this.
Happy 2010!!!
i haven't been following too long, but I think this sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteJientje: I was hoping you'd say that! Can't wait to see what you submit.
ReplyDeleteBetsy: I hope you enter. And most photographers these days always use a software program to improve or "art up" their photos, it is part of their talent as a photographer...so it will be allowed. Perhaps one month of this year I will ask for "untouched straight out the camera" photos only as that month's submissions, that would be a fun idea, too. If you are interested in improving your photos, the one I use is Picasa. You can get it free over the net (just type in Picasa in our search engine). It is super simple to use and works so well..you would love it...try it and see what you think!
Brian: I would LOVE to see you try! I have seen some pretty cute pictures of those boys on your blog...and I am sure sometime this year I will have humans as a subject theme...who knows? You might find a whole new hobby. ha
DVM's wife: I was HOPING you'd say that! Can't wait to see what you send in every month!!!
L.D.: I thought of you and a few other of my favorite photo blogs when I decided to do it. Another blogger (thanks Kearsie!)talked about it with me several months ago, and I thought it was a great idea.
Jenn: I think everybody will learn from it, which is what it makes this so much fun.
JJ: Oh, you will do great!!! Since the theme will change and you have half a month to get a photo in (from the 1st through the 15th) if you don't have one in our archives, you will have time to take some new ones based on the theme!
Lynn: Me neither! haha I have to think the first one up. I have lots of ideas, I just have to pick ONE to start it off.
Gramma Ann: Not to worry...because you can take new ones! I will announce the themes on the 1st of every month and if you don't have one in your archives that you haven't published before, you will have until the 15th to go out and take another new one to submit.
Gaston: Say it isn't so! I KNOW you have a ton of photos in your archives that you haven't posted on your blog..so stay tuned, because I am sure one or more of the months' themes will fit them and you can submit a photo you have already taken. Besides, I will announce the themes on the 1st of the month, so you would still have until the 15th of that month to take a new one that fits the theme..you'll see..it won't be that hard for you. You HAVE to submit one a month..you were one of the folks I thought of when thinking about this contest...it will be such fun!
Joanna: I hope you submit photos too..anyone can send them in!
Oh you know I'll be entering! Woooohooooo!
ReplyDeleteYou've got a good idea that should certainly grow your blog!
ReplyDeletesounds like a lot of fun. can't wait.
ReplyDeleteThis will be fun. I don't have much of an eye for what's good and what's not though. I like any photo that comes out clear, whether it's mine or someone else's.
ReplyDeleteWaht a very neat idea! I cant wait to see all of the talented photos!
ReplyDeleteHoep your computer comes back soon
Happy New Year
Sara
P.s. Sounded like you had a very nice Christmas!
You know you can count me in! But it can't be one I've already published? Gonna make me dig through the archives huh.
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of like Betsy on the straight from the camera, I rarely make any changes to a photo except maybe to crop or something minor like that. It helps me to sharpen my eye when looking through the viewfinder.
Assuming you want us to email you a reasonable size file.
Looking forward to the January theme.
Judy
Somewhere: Good! So glad you liked it...I hope you will join in on the fun.
ReplyDeleteInsanity: I am COUNTING on it!! ha
Lucy and Dick: I'm busted! Yep, that was one motivator for the idea. Another blogger (Kearsie!) discussed the idea with me a while back as one idea to grow my blog and since I LOVE photography, and could think of all the other benefits it was a no-brainer, because I will learn neat things from all the other photographers out there as a bonus. I hope you consider participating.
Grannyann: Me neither! I have had several ideas for themes already floating in my head. ha
Ratty: You will be GREAT at it and we will all learn together in this process.
Sara: Thanks,honey! I picked up the computer late last night. They say it is fixed now, but I haven't downloaded any of my pix yet today. Wish me luck, I will be working hard on it this afternoon.
SquirrelQueen: Yes, please everybody, make sure the picture files you send are reasonable. I do NOT want to crash my computer which I JUST GOT BACK late yesterday. ha I haven't tried to download my pictures yet, so wish me luck. That is what I will be doing on this New Year's Eve!
Oh dear, suddenly it occurs to me that most of the photos I've taken this year are of a certain Edward Doll...
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun. I might enter from time to time if I have the chance to take some god cpitures. Most time I just shoot and hope for the best. Happy new year.
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun. Who knows, I might even get organized enough to enter!
ReplyDeleteI promise, I'll come, but not until now.
ReplyDeleteHahaha...
Happy new year.
Hope your project a great success.
I'm just catching up on my blog reading and WOW.....I am really excited about this contest. I have so much to learn about photography. Bring it on!
ReplyDeleteKearsie: Well now, you could have Edward mounting a rusty can and riding him like a mechanical bull, now can't you??? ha
ReplyDeleteLoree: That would be great! This time of year, it will be a good thing to bundle up and go "hunting" for a shoot of the theme somewhere and to see beauty in things you wouldn't normally think of photographing...give this one a try!
Sharkbytes: That would be great! Or, instead of looking into your archives, go "hunting" for a new shot with a new perspective.
Rainfield: Looking forward to seeing what you can capture that is rusty in your neck of the woods!
Stepping: Me too! I learn so much from just viewing what other folks see and capture.
Wonderful idea! Looking forward to seeing the photos! I've been out of the touch having too much fun at our cabin. I'm coming home tomorrow and will catch up w/ all your blog posts. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and new year!
ReplyDeleteShelley
Stepping: I am so happy you like the idea and I can't WAIT to see what everybody submits all year!
ReplyDeleteShelley: I was so worried about you because you hadn't been posting..but I figured you were busy with school and the holidays. I sure hope you are going to participate in the contest, I thought of you when I was pondering on the idea too!