October 2007 FW/SW Photo of the Month - Discussion Thread

[Reefscape]

This is the discussion thread for the XXXXX 2007 Photo of the Month competition. Now open for submissions. Submit to the usual address, which is POTM@AQUARIACENTRAL.COM ...

Niko

[Reefscape]

bump

[trippkid]

I voted for #6 in the SW photo contest. Very cool and funny shot. Took me a little to stop laughing. Awesome photo, I hope you win.
Matt

[Mgamer20o0]

really good pics once again

[satanpie]

I voted for #10 in freshwater, thats a great shot of the fish, photography wise and aquarist wise! Can you enter the picture i sent for november? i really wanna be in the contest!

[rsanz]

Is it just me, or does #4 in the Freshwater poll this month look Photoshopped? The Clown Loaches look like they're outlined in white. A pretty poor Photoshop job, as well...

[Reefscape]

Is it just me, or does #4 in the Freshwater poll this month look Photoshopped? The Clown Loaches look like they're outlined in white. A pretty poor Photoshop job, as well...

As mentioned in the voting thread, this has been looked into. Its been put into photoshop and all is fine with the pic.

Thanks

Niko

[snflwr78]

I voted for #6 in the SW photo contest. Very cool and funny shot. Took me a little to stop laughing. Awesome photo, I hope you win.
Matt


I agree! Great pic.

[JohnInFlorida]

I guess since this is a discussion thread, we should have a discussion. The POTM and TOTM contests here at AC are supposed to be fun. Usually there's no money or prize and the sole benefit of entering is the pleasure of having others view something you take pride in.

Niko, I know submissions to Photo/Tank of the Month are supposed to be anonymous and this discussion will "blow my cover". For that, I apologize.

I am the submitter, and photographer, of entry #4 in the Freshwater POTM contest for October. I took, probably, 50 to 60 pics that afternoon and even though I'm not happy with the quality of any of them, this one just happened to catch the loaches "making a clown rainbow under a real rainbow" and I smiled. Smiling makes me feel good. Feeling good gives me pleasure ... hmmm ... others viewing something that I'm proud of gives me pleasure ... Eureka! I should enter "Clownin'RoundUnderTheRainbow" into POTM and get more pleasure ... then I'll feel even "gooder"! AND, It'll be fun!

So, I submitted it to POTM.

Yesterday, I logged in and looked at POTM and there my picture was, along with all the others. And, LOOK! Some people voted for it ... they must have liked it! ... oooh, good feelings! ... pleasure ... smile :)

Then I read the comments there and came here to the discussion thread and read the comments here. Suddenly, this contest was no longer fun ... at least not for me.

rsanz ... I am highly offended by, and take great umbrage with, your post below:

Is it just me, or does #4 look completely Photoshopped? You can easily see the white oulines around the Clown Loaches, especially where the tail of the bottom-most loach overlaps the Pearl Gourami.

I think it should be disqualified. It has already gotten votes, too.

As a result of my taking offense, I made a quick reply in that thread, listed below:

just goes to show you what happens when people who don't know what they're talking about do something they're not good at. Thinking is hard work, leave it to the professionals.

I want to take this opportunity to apologize for the snide tone of my quick reply last night, I was upset but should not have let that flavor my response.

I KNOW that photo #4 was not photoshopped and the fact that YOU THINK it was tells me, without a doubt, that you don't know what you're talking about when it comes to "doctoring" a photo.

The fact that we (society), generally allow people like you (those who don't know what they're talking about) to cast aspersions on the integrity of others without holding you accountable for what you say is just plain WRONG. Today, I choose not to allow you to do that without challenging you on it.

So, rsanz ... consider yourself slapped in the face with my glove.

Prove what you say, or apologize for it.

Contests like POTM/TOTM are supposed to be fun, expressing unfounded accusations cause that not to be so ... at least for some people.

Niko, I'm not sorry to write this, because this is only one VERY SMALL example of people on forums like this who think they can say whatever they want with impunity, but I am sorry to expand on the unpleasantness in what is usually a wonderful forum.

Keep Smilin'
John :)

[rsanz]

JohninFlorida:

No need to take offense. I looked at entry #4, it appeared photoshopped to me, so I raised the question. I explained WHY it appeared photoshopped (making it not "unfounded", I could go into much more detail as to why I think it's shopped, but I won't seeing as how Niko has already deemed it acceptable, therefore my opinion no longer matters), and was simply telling Niko to look into it. He did, and so we move on.

I don't think I need to apologize, perse, because I think I had a legitimate observation. I work in graphics, as a matter of fact, and it simply looked photoshopped to me. Niko looked into it, cleared it, and so we move on. No big deal. I just know that many people work hard on their tanks, you included, and a photoshopped image shouldn't be taking votes in a photography contest.

Relax. The situation has been handled.

Niko: Sorry for posting in both threads. I realize now that only one was necessary.

[Reefscape]

As this matter is now cleared up, lets all smile, enjoy the voting and move forward from this..

Good luck to all people involved..

Niko

[Canopenner]

Question:

How many days left until voting ends?

Im guestimating the 17th?

[Reefscape]

Voting will end on the 20th....that still gives the 14 days voting period...

Niko

[Canopenner]

cool thank you :^)

[jm1212]

i liked all of the pics of the angels in the FW division...it was hard to choose between them all!!

[trippkid]

I voted for #6 in the SW photo contest. Very cool and funny shot. Took me a little to stop laughing. Awesome photo, I hope you win.
Matt

I can't believe I didn't notice before, but it kind of looks like Homer Simpson. Great pic
Matt

[Delta/Dawn]

Thank you for a smile and a giggle today #6 SW photo is great!

[Canopenner]

I cant watch! TOO MUCH SUSPENCE! I wish 2morrow would come already!